Sneezing isn’t the usual sign of dog allergies. When my dog Yoda developed serious allergies, he began shedding more than normal and scratching himself continuously. This is a common sign that your dog may have an allergy.

Allergies to food and substances breathed in are the two most common allergies in dogs. My veterinarian did some blood evaluation tests on Yoda and discovered that he had food and inhalant allergies, nineteen different allergies to be exact! His allergies ranged from cotton to carrots, as well as grass, pollens, and the dust in my home. Sometimes allergies can be helped just be removing the source of the allergy or changing the type of dog food you are feeding to your dog.

Just like in people, sometimes antihistamines can help control allergy symptoms. Steroids helped Yoda but we had to be careful. When used too long, steroids can have adverse effects.  Since Yoda had so many allergies, it was impossible to remove the source of all of them, so my veterinarian recommended a gradual desensitization to the many allergens that were affecting him. A mixture of all the different things that Yoda was allergic to was developed into an injectable form and periodically injected into him. These injections of the allergens he was sensitive to in time reduced his reaction to them. Because of the secondary infections allergies sometimes produce, Yoda also had to be on antibiotics for a short time.

So if your dog is scratching and shedding a lot, you may need to see your veterinarian to determine if you are dealing with dog allergies.

   

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