The flea and tick season is approaching fast. Be prepared and treat your dog(s) and cat(s) before these nasty beasts can settle on your animal and in your home!

Remember, fleas can cause allergic dermatitis, tapeworms and anemia in your animal. See our article about Fleas & Ticks.

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Your dog could be scratching like crazy, causing open sores that can lead to infections and misery, and the reason for it might be part of his natural environment. He could be allergic to fleas, grass pollen, mold, tree pollen, dust containing microscopic spider-relatives, or to ingredients in dog food. Allergies fall into different categories.

Contact allergies: Some dogs become allergic to flea saliva. If this is the case, the bite of a single flea can send a dog into a frenzy of chewing, especially around his tail, belly and inside hind legs. Dogs with fleabite allergy often frantically try to ease the itching until they chew themselves raw.
If you notice an allergic reaction to fleabites, ask your veterinarian for a shot or oral medication. The most important thing is to PREVENT fleas by applying monthly a topical medication, such as Frontline, Advantage or K9-Advantix. Even these medications contain a lot of chemicals, they are proven much more effective than garlic, yeast, lemon spray, etc. In addition, you need to groom your dog on a regular schedule. Use a grooming kit, brushing the animal’s coat at least two to three times a week to see if there are any fleas or flea droppings. Our favorite brush is Groomax Slicker Brushes with Soft Grip Handle that come in various sizes.

(See also our article about >> Fleas)

Inhalant allergies: Dogs inhale pollen, dust, perfumes, hair spray, household sprays/air fresheners, cigarette/cigar smoke, but contrary to humans they don’t get a sinus congestion or a sore throat. These inhalants rather cause the dogs skin to itch, and hair to fall out. Excessive scratching will follow that can lead to infection. A real chain reaction can be seen if the dog happens to have also an allergy against food or fleas. The animal will be in misery and it is hard to find out what triggered what. Sometimes these allergies can lead to stomach problems, with diarrhea and vomiting following. Ear infections are possible.
Some breeds of dogs seem to be prone to development of allergies, but all dogs can be affected. Several dogs are affected by grass pollen in spring and weed pollen in late summer or early fall. In that case the dog will scratch, lick and even bite his body and paws. Head shaking and rubbing the face along the carpet, trying to find relief is very common.

Many dogs that have one specific allergy are also affected by dust, mod spores or other irritants, and might suffer from these all year long.

Treatment for inhalant allergies ranges from bathing your dog with cool water and using aloe vera or oatmeal shampoos to medications, such as Sudafed, etc. Please ask your veterinarian for proper dosage. An additional medication or injection might be administered to stop the itching and allow the skin to heal. Keep the dogs coat nourished by supplementing Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and add vitamins and minerals to his diet.

Keep your house as dust-free as possible, wash his bedding frequently and try to avoid room fresheners and other household sprays.

Food allergies: Since so many allergies go together it is sometimes very hard to determine if your dog actually has a food allergy. If you suspect a food allergy ask your veterinarian to prescribe a special diet. Lamb and rice, broiled, can be one of them, but some dog food companies have a ready mix of these that might even contain fish and potatoes, if you do not have the time to cook. When on this diet, your dog is not allowed anything but the prescribed food. If the dog responds well to this diet for about two months you can slowly add one ingredient at the time and see how the animal does. Make sure to wait four weeks before adding additional ingredients, food allergies do not show overnight. Immediately stop using any ingredients that show allergic reactions in your animal!

If you or anyone in your family has pet allergies, we recommend trying Nature’s Miracle Dander Remover & Body Deodorizer. It keeps dogs and cats clean, odor and dander-free without shampooing. Just spray on pet and wipe off with a paper towel. This eliminates the dander and other organic elements that may contribute to human pet allergies. To freshen coat and eliminate odors, spray on pet and allow evaporating naturally. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, and safe to use around children and pets.

See article about >> Allergies in Cats