Management of allergies for pets at home

 Allergies create a lot of nuisance to pet owners as it makes the pets uncomfortable as well as consumes a lot of time and creates huge vet bills for pet parents. Initially it is very important to differentiate signs of allergies ( Check the blog "Signs of allergies in Dogs and Cats" ), so that we don't waste time in Hit and Trial method which makes the pet to suffer more.

If we can make some efforts and follow proper home management instructions to manage allergies, a lot of time and money can be saved. So let's check the important facts :

1. As Table food is the major source of allergies, it should be cut out from the diet. Although boiled rice, boiled chicken and boiled beef can be useful, it's very crucial that we do not add any spices into it. Children can sometimes help the pet's to steal the table food and it triggers a lot of reactions in immune system, which cause an irritation and pets start scratching their ears, licking their paws, armpits and inguinal areas. Sometimes scooting occurs which creates red lesions around the anal areas. Once all these symptoms start, allergies flare up more and can cause skin infections in future.

2. We all reward our pets by offering them treats, but giving excessive treats can cause allergies and flare up of symptoms. Treats should only be used in very limited and minimal times and should never replace the meal of the pet. Minimizing treats and eliminating table food will cause reduction of allergy signs in 60-70 % of the cases.

3. Plastic is known to cause a lot of allergies in pets, So it should be observed that the food and water bowls should not be plastics, rather ceramic and stainless steel is preferred, also they should be washed thoroughly and regularly on daily basis. Plastic can sometimes be present in collars and leash which can cause a lot irritation around the neck and the area around shoulder blades. Sometimes red irritated alopecic patches are noticed and pet always feel tender and itchy in these areas. 

4. As allergies irritate the ears mostly and as pet tries to scratch the ears with the paws, it is very important to wash the ears and paws daily, depending on severity of allergies, it can be dry wiping daily if symptoms are none to minimum and antibacterial and antifungal wipes or solutions should be used for few days if they are severely affected. Don't forget to dry ears and paws once you are done wiping. Do not use water, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide because these things are going to make things worse.

5. Minimum exposure to moisture should be there, Remember more moisture is more invitation to bacteria and yeast to come and multiply in those affected areas. Make sure everyday, that blankets and beddings for the pet are dry, care should be taken that pet do not play with water bowls and thus do not make themselves wet. In severe cases, activities like playing in the snow, swimming and playing in fountains should be restricted for a week or so, if already on medications.

6. Changing to a hypoallergenic food, hydrolyzed protein food or sensitive skin food/ treats should be considered. Preference is to consult your vet before starting any of these food. Elimination method at home should be performed in which we eliminate the suspected source of food allergen for few days and evaluate the improvement of signs. Generally it needs at least 3 months for the pet to be on the food to minimize allergy signs, also it can be a long term solution if short term management is already taken care by anti-allergy medications. 

These steps doesn't consume a lot of energy and it doesn't hurt to do these extra things to reduce the suffering of our fur babies. Although these are not actual treatments which can be found in the separate blog on "Treatment options for allergies in pets", this pro-active approach can save your precious time and make our pets more comfortable and happy. 

 

Signs of Allergies in Dogs and Cats

 Allergies are very common but at the same time they are frustrating as well, both for our fur babies and for us as well. But sometimes we do not recognize the symptoms of allergies and rather think that there is some infection or some other issues going on in the body. Vet visits are always extremely tiring and super expensive. Although vets are able to diagnose and treat to the best extent of their knowledge, there are indications which needed to be noticed at home and get an idea that these can be allergy symptoms.

So let's start from the Ears. If you notice ears getting a lot of brownish or blackish wax, it can be the first sign of allergy, Although no doubt that it can be an infection as well, but infections sometimes are a results of allergies getting uncontrolled. Other signs to look for are, ears getting red, shaking the head and itching  ears excessively. You will often see scratch marks on the inner side of ears which if remains uncontrolled can lead to hardness of the inner surface of ears. This process is usually called as Lichenification of ears. Sometimes all other signs are present but you never see any wax in the ears, that's because of constant irritation of body towards allergies. Often you will notice a fruity yeasty odour from the ears.

Secondly, pay attention if your pet is licking, chewing and biting between digits of the paws which often leads to loss of hair, redness between interdigital spaces, hardening of skin and sometimes discoloration of the nails, especially if nails are white in colour. 

Next comes the skin present under fore and hind legs. Redness, small pin point marks which comes and goes, itching on these areas, rough skin and hair coat, will largely reflect that skin is getting irritated because of allergies.

Last but not the least comes some symptoms which are not always present but still noticed in many pets. These are scooting, that is rubbing their anal area on the floor, resulting the area to be red and inflamed. Although signs like loose stools and coughing are also associated with allergies, but it also depends on what types of allergies a pet is going through. ( Check for the separate blog on Different Types Of Allergies) 

Although it doesn't necessarily means that all these signs are characteristics of allergies, some of these signs are also present in infections, parasitic causes, behavior issues and anxiety issues as well . But in broader terms, if you are noticing these signs, best is to get your pet checked for allergies or start the anti-allergy treatment and see if its working or not ( Check the special separate blog on Different options of treatment of allergies and management of allergies at home)