Contact Allergies in Dogs

By Admin - Deanna, on June 8th, 2007 |

Domestic animals have allergies just like we humans do and appear to be most vulnerable to them when the air is damp. Autumn and the early stages of winter are therefore vital when it comes to protecting your dog from any source of discomfort. Vigilance is especially necessary to pick up on dog allergies before they get a chance to manifest themselves.

Â Contact allergies are especially common in dogs. These types of dog allergies can come from almost anywhere and anything, depending on the allergens that your pooch is unable to fight off. They are more of a hazard in autumn and winter because the damp air tends to open up the pores of the skin more than usual, making it susceptible to outside entities.

The sources of contact dog allergies are immensely varied. They include, but are not limited to, reactions to leather or flea collars, nickel allergies from dog tags or leashes, bedding material and natural substances such as straw, hay and grass. A dogâ€™s skin can be hypersensitive to any of these substances at any time during the course of his or her life. Just because your dog did not have a dog allergy to one of the above during the previous autumn, that is not to say that he or she wonâ€™t exhibit one next fall. Dog allergies can begin at any time of life, regardless of whether or not they were present at birth.

If you do detect a contact allergy in your dog then you must endeavour to get to the root of the problem straight away. If he or she displays a dog allergy to a bedding substance then change the bed. If a new leather collar brings on the reaction, then change the collar back or purchase a new one. There are various solutions that can be employed, most of which are just common sense. Just experiment and find the solution that your dog feels most comfortable with. If you use your pet as indicator then you wonâ€™t go far wrong.

To find out more about contact allergies and your dog, check out Dealing with Your Dog’s Allergies