Best Care Animal Hospital About Animal Allergies

At Best Care Animal Hospital in Houston, TX, our veterinarian, and veterinary staff know that dogs, like people, can be allergic to several substances. Tracking down what is causing your pet’s allergy, prescribing the proper course of action for treatment, and preventing further problems can be complicated but we are here to solve your pet’s allergy problem.

Main Sources of Pet Allergies are airborne allergens, diet, and pests (fleas and ticks)

Some dog breeds are genetically predisposed to becoming sensitized to allergens in their environment. Breeds that are most susceptible to allergy problems include:

• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Lhasa Apsos
• Shih Tzus
• Wirehaired Fox Terriers
• Dalmatians
• Boxers
• Golden Retrievers
• Boston Terriers
• Scottish Terriers
• West Highland White Terriers

It should be noted, however, that any breed can be allergic. Besides breed, allergies can be caused by airborne allergens, diet, and pests (fleas and tics).

How Pet Allergies are Diagnosed

Blood Allergy Testing – This is the most common type of allergy testing used and it is simple to carry out. A sample of your pet’s blood is drawn for analysis. The blood is tested to see if there’s a reaction to a range of geographically appropriate allergens – molds, dust, and pollens.

Blood allergy tests are often used to determine if your pet has any food allergies or certain materials like nylon or cotton. These tests are less time-consuming and invasive than skin allergy tests.

Skin Allergy Testing – More invasive than blood testing, testing skin allergies requires sedation because of the time required for a pet to be still. A small area of your pet’s side is shaved. Small needles are used to inject tiny amounts of each test allergen beneath your pet’s skin. If a small raised reaction occurs, our veterinarian can identify the allergen.

How Your Vet Can Help

Allergies cannot be cured but they can be successfully treated. Treatments may include a combination of topical therapy, oral medication, and/or injectable antigen therapy. Therapies your veterinarian may prescribe include:

Antipruritic therapy (anti-itch) specifically targets the itch response by blocking substances that cause the itch. There are types of food and dietary supplements such as prescription dog foods and/or Omega-three fatty acids that may be recommended. Anti-inflammatory therapy can include drugs such as corticosteroids and antihistamines to quickly block allergic reactions.

Contact

If you live in Houston, Spring, or Tomball area, visit Best Care Animal Hospital so we can help your pet with the allergies they may be suffering from. Give us a call at (281) 251-0893 to schedule an appointment. We work to find an answer to your pet’s allergy problem.