Quarterly Newsletter

Spring 2003

ALLERGIES

Perhaps one of the most common problems we see in pets is allergic disease. Where human allergies typically exhibit clinical signs such as runny eyes and nose, congestion and upper-respiratory symptoms, pets can exhibit their allergic reactions through itchy skin, and other dermal problems such as hair loss.

An allergy is an overreaction of the body's immune system to what it perceives as a foreign substance. Pets can be allergic to their food, plant pollens in the air, flea bites, or many other agents. Whatever the cause, the clinical signs can include general itchiness, welts on the skin, hair loss due to dermal irritation or excessive itching, or more severe signs including "hot spots," which are actually skin lesions caused by excessive scratching; or dry, rough "elephant skin."

To treat allergies, we have two basic options: treat the symptoms or treat the cause. The most effective, of course, is to treat both. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult to determine the cause, and so we must resort to first relieving the pet's symptoms.

Treatment of symptoms can include medicated baths; injections of anti-inflammatory or similar medications; or short-term prescriptions of steroidal, anti-inflammatory, or antihistaminic medications.

Determining the cause of an allergy is sometimes easier said than done. The first step is to ascertain the history of the patient, to try and determine any pattern that might point to a cause.

Depending on the history, we may look for parasites on the skin, such as fleas or mites, that might be causing the problem. Mites, such as demodectic mange, can require repeated baths with medicated shampoos. It is recommended that you do not attempt to treat your pet without the guidance of a veterinarian.

Food allergies can be a little more difficult to diagnose and to treat. They can even develop spontaneously after several years of eating the same food. If we suspect that a food allergy is the cause of your pet's problems, we might change her diet to a food that contains a different source of protein than the more common foods.

Innovative Veterinary Diets (IVD) has developed a line of diets that use proteins not commonly found in pet foods like potato, green pea, venison, rabbit and others. In using these foods, one must still be careful. It is possible for a pet to develop an allergy to any protein source that he has been exposed to. This is one reason you should never randomly switch your pet from food to food, simply to provide him a variety. By switching diets, or even letting your pet sample a food, you are exposing him to the protein source in that food. The potential then exists for him to develop an allergy that he may not have had before, and limits the alternate foods available, should the current diet cease to be effective. This is especially important if your pet shows clinical signs of a food allergy. When you find a food to which your pet is not allergic, you should keep him on it. If he begins to show allergy symptoms again, consult with your veterinarian.

IVD has recently released a completely vegetarian diet that has proven quite effective in their trials and studies not only for food-allergic patients, but also as a general diet.

For pets with more severe or non-specific allergies, different diagnostics and treatments may be elected. An allergen test can be performed which can help narrow down the specific cause of a pet's reaction. This test can be fairly costly, however, and is not 100% accurate, so this is usually not one of the first steps that we take. From the results of this test, medication can be formulated, typically in the form of a weekly injection, which helps to desensitize the body to the allergen in question.

For most pets, allergies are a seasonal occurrence that can be controlled with a little planning and prevention. For those pets with more serious allergies, there are more advanced treatment and diagnostic options available.