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PET HAPPENINGS May 2018

Canine Allergies – How to spot, treat and prevent the itch!
By Jessica Turquette – co-owner of the Moab BARKery


Is your dog an obsessive licker? Does he frequently scratch or scoot across the floor? Just like humans, dogs can overreact to harmless allergens in the air, sneezing and itching as a result. Dogs with allergies will often lick and scratch until they get “hot spots” a rash or open sore on the body. A mild antiseptic spray will help treat hot spots. Your vet can also provide prescription products if over the counter solutions are not enough.

How to Spot Dog Allergies
There are four main types of allergy in dogs: atopy, flea, food, and contact. Atopy refers to environmental allergies; a dog’s body releases excess histamine when exposed to higher concentrations of pollen in the air, which prompts symptoms.
The itching will likely start seasonally, which initially is how you can distinguish between atopy and other types of allergies. The most common signs of atopic allergies are:

  • Itching
  • Scratching
  • Biting
  • Chewing

At-Home Treatment Options and Helpful Hints - You can help your allergic dog in a number of ways completely unrelated to drugs:
1. 1.Wipe down your dog to remove allergens after walks and long outdoor exposure - Pet grooming wipes are a quick way to remove dander and allergens when a full bath isn’t possible. We like the fragrance-free, hypoallergenic wipes from Earthbath.
2. Try a hypoallergenic shampoo -You can buy anti-itch shampoo over-the-counter. Look for soothing ingredients like aloe, oatmeal, and eucalyptus.
3. Use supplements such as biotin or omega-3s - These help to suppress itching and improve coat health by soothing dry skin from the inside out.
4. Try Herbal Tinctures – Earth Animal makes an allergy blend to help alleviate many of the symptoms that make your dog miserable. It can be dosed directly or put in food or water.
5. Use prescription shampoos that are anti-fungal or sprays that are stronger than over-the-counter options - Available from your local vet.

Getting Relief: Medical Treatment Options
Do you pop a Benadryl or Claritin when your allergies act up? The first way to get relief for your pet is the same—antihistamines!

You must consult your vet to determine which antihistamine is best and get specific dosage for your dog. Unfortunately, antihistamines are only effective in 30% of dogs. While they may work for you at first, antihistamines often lose effectiveness. If an antihistamine is effective, you could carry that out as long as it lasts and sometimes you can manage allergies just with that. Other times, as allergies progress, antihistamines are no longer effective.

The next option is a much stronger medication—corticosteroids. Steroids are much more effective at treating allergy symptoms but are not recommended for long-term use because of possible severe and permanent side effects. But don’t be hesitant to use steroids because of the stigma—they can be very effective even in small doses and can help give relief to an itchy pet.

If you graduate to steroids, you should also pursue allergy testing at that time.

Allergy testing and immunotherapy [allergy shots] are the gold standard for managing environmental allergies. Allergy shots are the only effective method to stop the progression of allergies. Intra-dermal or skin allergy testing is done by injecting allergens into the skin and seeing which ones the dog reacts. Dogs are allergy tested much the same as humans; allergens are numbered and injected into the skin along with a positive and negative control. If the dog has a reaction, a hive or welt appears within 15 minutes of the injection. The vet administering the test will look at each hive and determine the degree of redness, which determines which allergens are the most significant. All of the allergens are then mixed together in various concentrations to formulate the allergy shot.

The concentration of the allergens in the shots will increase slowly over time in order to desensitize your pet’s immune system. It takes six to nine months to start seeing those results. Allergy shots have up to an 80% success rate and although a dog may not see 100% improvement, many vets find it the best way to treat seasonal allergies.

If your dog does not respond well enough to immunotherapy, the final option is immune-suppressants (or immune modulators), which suppress the immune system so that it will not respond to harmless allergens. The two drugs on the market are Atopica and Apoquel, but both can cause side effects, mainly vomiting and diarrhea but also an increased risk of infection from having a weakened immune system.

The Benefits of Allergy Shots for Dogs
It’s important you seek immunotherapy treatment as soon as possible for your allergic pet if their quality of life is greatly diminished. First, as previously mentioned, environmental allergies are progressive and will worsen as a dog gets older. Immunotherapy is much more successful in younger pets, so act now rather than wait. The younger you allergy test a dog and start immunotherapy, the better they do.

It’s also about quality of life for your pet. Just what does quality of life mean? Anyone with an allergic dog can tell you, relief from constant itching and scratching without having to keep your dog in a cone 24/7 is worth it! If you don’t cone your dog, you risk him developing painful hot spots from incessant licking. Who wants their dog to live like that?

Also, dogs will develop secondary bacterial infections as a result of their allergies. These are managed with antibiotics, which also become less effective over time.

The Testing Process and Giving Shots
The intra-dermal testing process is actually quite easy—and not traumatic!—for you and your dog. The vet dermatologist will need to shave a 4 by 6 inch patch of hair on your dog to inject the allergens. Your area vet dermatologist will inject the most common allergens in general, and the ones specific to the region where you live. Overall, they will test roughly 50 different items to get the best idea what your dog is reacting to.

Dog allergy shots are formulated by mixing all the allergens they reacted to in a vial to give in varying doses as a shot. Your dog will react within minutes with varying degrees of redness, or no reaction at all. Your dog’s allergy shot will be formulated based on the severity and number of reactions.

Depending on the severity of allergies, you will be required to give an allergy shot every other day for 30 days followed by once a week for a year. Maintenance will depend on your dog’s response. For example, after a year of consistent shots, my dog only needs a shot every three to four weeks or so, which is very cost-effective to maintain.

You cannot simply avoid the allergen, as you might read online, especially trees, grasses, and dust mites. They’re allergic to the pollen and that is carried in the air. Pollen can be carried up to 30 miles in the air, and dust mites are everywhere.

The Bottom Line
Environmental allergies are on the rise. From trees and grasses to dust mites to even cats and cockroaches, there are a number of things your dog may be allergic to, which can cause him to be pretty miserable and develop infections without treatment. It’s worth it to see a dermatologist to try to give your pal a chance at a more comfortable life if you have tried all the suggestions above..



MoabBarkery website

Dog Friendly Walks/Hikes in the Moab Area
Trail or Walk Difficulty Length
(one way)
Proximity to Downtown
MillCreek Pathway
easy 1.1 miles Little to no driving
Starts at 100 S & 100 W
Portal Overlook
(trailhead @ Jaycee Park)
Hard 2.0 miles 25 min drive N on US-191 to W on Utah 279 (4.2 miles)
Moab Rim Hard 3.0 miles
(to Hidden Valley trail)
8 minute drive 2.6 miles down Kane Creek Blvd from US-191
Negro Bill Canyon
(aka William Grandstaff Canyon)
Moderate 2.0 miles 10 minute drive N on US-191 to
W on Utah 128, 3 miles
Hunter Canyon Easy 2.0 miles 25 minute drive (mild off-road)
7.5 miles down Kane Creek Blvd from US-191
Corona Arch Trail Easy/Moderate 1.5 miles 25 minute drive N on US-191 to
W Utah 279 (10 miles)
Hidden Valley
(trailhead at end of Angel Rock Rd)
Hard 2.0 miles 10 minute drive S on US-191
3 miles to Angel Rock Rd
Fisher Towers
(trailhead 2.2 miles off Utah 128)
Moderate 2.2 miles 35 minute drive N on US-191 to Utah 128, then 21 miles

Tips for enjoying your time with your dog here in the Moab area:

  • Bring lots of extra water for you and your dog.1 gallon per day for every 60lbs of dog!!
  • Don’t let dogs chase wildlife (especially coyotes, they can lead dogs into an ambush).
  • In the city, dogs are required to be leashed, but on public lands off leash with voice control is allowed.
  • Slickrock and sand is very abrasive!  Check paw pads often, or buy and use booties.
  • If it’s over 85 degrees only consider early AM or late PM hikes, daycare or leave your dog at home.
  • Pack out my poop!  Seriously or the other hikers without dogs will eventually demand no dogs allowed!

To see past articles about animals, pets and their care check our archives.

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