| Allergies in pets(mostly dogs and cats) are | | | | has been present for some time |
| diagnosed far more frequently these days than in | | | | before professional help is sought.In most allergy |
| the past. This | | | | cases the veterinarian (and the suffering pet!) are |
| is probably due to a combination of factors - | | | | relying on you |
| more pets being | | | | to give an accurate account of events leading up |
| taken to vets, better diagnostic tools, an | | | | to when the symptoms were first |
| increased allergen load in the environment, and | | | | observed. An accurate history can eliminate |
| probably indiscriminate breeding.Any animal can be | | | | many possible causes straight away |
| allergic to any substance or product but generally | | | | and allows the veterinarian to narrow the search |
| pet allergies fit into | | | | down quickly to the most likely |
| one of several broad categories. These are:1) | | | | set of possibilities. This saves time and money |
| Contact allergies.2) Inhaled allergies (Atopy)3) Food | | | | and can speed up the diagnostic |
| allergies4) Flea allergyThe animal's immune system | | | | process. The faster an accurate diagnosis is |
| is responsible for the allergic reaction, which in | | | | made, the faster the relief for your pet.A few |
| many cases is seen as an intense itchy | | | | warnings are in order though. From a veterinary |
| skin which makes the animal scratch a | | | | point of view, allergies |
| lot.However, a food allergy can also lead to | | | | can be an extremely frustrating! It is not |
| vomiting | | | | uncommon for weeks and months of |
| and diarrhoea.Unfortunately, once an animal is | | | | diagnostic effort to come up with nothing |
| allergic to one factor, the chances are good that | | | | conclusive in terms of identifying |
| it will be more likely to become allergic to other | | | | the allergen. This is because many cases are |
| things in its environment. Likewise, | | | | multi-factorial in origin, with |
| the older the animal gets, the more severe the | | | | many allergens possibly playing a roll.In any event, |
| allergy is likely to become.As a result, one of the | | | | it is highly unlikely that you will be able to "cure" an |
| methods used to control allergies is to minimise | | | | allergy. |
| the allergen | | | | Mostly the best you can hope for is to manage |
| "load" on allergy prone individuals. This involves | | | | the condition by limiting your |
| measures like using hypo-allergenic | | | | pets exposure to the offending allergen(s) - the |
| shampoos to wash the pet, minimising the flea | | | | aforementioned allergen load.There is little or |
| and tick load on the animal, feeding | | | | anything the animal can do to avoid allergens |
| hypo allergenic diets etc.The first and most | | | | in the food you feed it or the surrounds you |
| important step in treating an allergic reaction in a | | | | keep it in.Your task then, as yourpets minder, is |
| pet is | | | | to enure that this allergen load is |
| trying to identify the allergen i.e. what caused the | | | | kept to a minimum which in turn will minimise the |
| allergic reaction. This is often | | | | need for ongoing |
| easier said than done, especially if the condition | | | | treatment and will ensure a happier, healthier pet. |