Allergies in pets are very frequently misdiagnosed by those who have no actual medical training.

Allergies in pets are very frequently misdiagnosed by those who
have no actual medical training.
Allergies in pets are very frequently misdiagnosed by those who have no actual medical training. This is especially true of dietary allergies, which are relatively uncommon, but very frequently “diagnosed” by sales people in pet stores. These sales people are taught that dietary allergies are common by their sales managers because that makes it easier to sell pet foods. They are sincere, but are often poorly informed.

The facts about allergies in dogs and cats are that about 15 percent of them may have seasonal allergies, with an intermittent occurrence similar to hay fever. Dietary sensitivities and allergies probably only occur in about 2 or 3 percent of these pets and are characterized by nonstop, year-round problems.

So how does one determine whether a pet is allergic and what kind of allergies they have? It starts with a good history. The signs of allergies in dogs and cats are primarily related to skin problems. They rarely have the sneezing, coughing and runny eyes problems that we human animals experience.

When I am told that a dog is constantly chewing at their feet, often to the point of damaging the skin, the allergy flag begins to wave. Another frequent sign of allergies is redness and inflammation of the ear flaps, especially without an ear infection. In cats more generalized skin problems often occur. Cats are more prone to developing multiple small scabs around the neck, face and rump.

Once we establish that the symptoms of allergy are present, the next priority is to establish the frequency and duration of signs. Most commonly we can recognize that the problems occur periodically through the year with significant periods of minimal to no problems. As soon as that is established, we know that diet is not a significant part of the problem. It is now time to assess the seriousness of this seasonal problem.

If the symptoms are noticeable but not causing severe damage to the pet (by way of self trauma), then they can often be helped by the simple use of antihistamines. The first line of defense is benedryl because it is relatively inexpensive and readily available. I am not giving the doses here because even though this is an over-the-counter medication, I believe you should only initiate treatment under the advise of your veterinarian. You may well end up treating the wrong problem without your veterinarians’ diagnosis.

If the symptoms are more severe and persistent, or they are unresponsive to benedryl, then there are prescription medications that can be very helpful. We would start with prescription level antihistamines and move up to cortisone-related drugs – depending on severity and response.

Antibiotics are often needed to clear up secondary skin infections as well. This is especially important for those pets that develop an allergic response to bacteria that are commonly in their environment, but that do not cause problems without the allergic sensitivity.

In the worst cases you may need to consider hyposensitization – the use of periodic injections to diminish your pets sensitivity to allergens. The determination of specific allergies is the first step in this process. It can be done either through referral to a dermatology specialist for skin testing or via newer technology involving a blood test done at a specialty lab. These blood tests tend to be less expensive than the referral – although still not cheap – and they are considered just as accurate as skin testing.

If one of these techniques has positive results at levels high enough to justify hyposensitization, then an antigen set is ordered and the allergies shots begin. These work almost like vaccines, but must be done at least monthly on a continuous basis for the rest of your pets’ life.

These shots can be administered by your veterinarian or we can teach you to give them yourself at home. The home injection method saves you a lot of money, but the cost per year is still about $400. This is still a bargain compared to the misery and cost of not doing it when it is indicated.

The techniques we have discussed here are generally highly effective in getting your pets’ itching, scratching and general misery under control with seasonal allergies. You must realize that we are talking control, not cure. The symptoms will subside when the season is over, but they will return the next time the season comes around. At that time you will have to begin the process over again, although by starting treatment early in the process the symptoms are more easily controlled.

In my next column I will go into dietary allergy diagnosis and treatment more thoroughly. We will also discuss some of the preventive measures that have proven effective over the years for both seasonal and dietary allergy problems.

Dr. Quick has owned and operated the Animal Care Center in Morgan Hill for 25 years. He is a founder of W.E.R.C. and Furry Friends Foundation.