How to Identify and Manage Allergies in Dogs and Cats

Knowing how to manage allergies in dogs and cats is something millions of pet parents are eager to learn. Allergies and sensitivities are among the top reasons people visit the veterinarian. Skin conditions, stomach issues, and ear infections are among the top three, and a healthy gut may be at the root of it all. 

It helps to understand the difference between an allergy and a sensitivity to something. For example, if a person is allergic to peanuts, exposure to them causes the immune system to overreact. Allergic reactions include hives, digestive issues, respiratory systems, and death. The same applies to pets.

True food allergies are less common than food sensitivities. Like people, a true allergy to something triggers an immune system response. An allergic response is quick, but it can build up with time. So, your dog may eat chicken as a protein for years without issue. One day, she cannot stop itching.

Food sensitivities or food intolerances are more common. Symptoms occur when your dog’s digestive tract cannot break down certain ingredients. These symptoms include flatulence, occasional vomiting, diarrhea, and food regurgitation.

 Here’s how to identify and manage allergies in dogs and cats from the team at Innovative Pet Lab.

Understanding Allergies in Dogs and Cats

 Allergies in pets are associated with uncomfortable symptoms like itching, sneezing, digestive upset, and rashes or sores. Allergies can be environmental, food-related, or both. They impact your pet’s quality of life and your own (keeping you up at night, worrying, etc.).

Many pet parents may not realize that poor gut health can cause allergies. When your pet’s gut health is compromised, it affects the entire body. When the immune system goes awry, allergy symptoms manifest.

 “Most gut conditions develop slowly over time, so it’s smart to address issues when they first begin,” according to Dr. Betsy Redmond, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of IPL.  “Like any condition, by the time you’ve been diagnosed, it’s been going on for a long time.”

 According to the Cornell University Baker Institute for Animal Health, allergies fall into three categories: atopic dermatitis (itching), respiratory, or food. Determining the type(s) of allergy your pet has is the key to successful diagnosis and treatment.

Steps to Diagnose Allergies in Dogs and Cats

 Meet Jana. She has a 3-year-old Maltese dog experiencing gassiness and itchy skin for about eight months. Her veterinarian tried steroids and antihistamines, but nothing helped.

 Meet Adam. He has an 8-year-old Golden Retriever with a belly rash. Sometimes the dog vomits food, and he requires anal gland expression at least monthly.

 These pet parents represent the millions of others who want relief for their pets. Whether that involves a rash, respiratory changes, eye tearing, gastric symptoms, or itching, they all want help. Here are the steps we suggest to diagnose allergies in your pet:

1. Monitor your pet’s symptoms. Record the date, symptoms, and anything going on at that time in a notebook. For example, if your dog is itchy two hours after taking a walk, log that in. Log all the different symptoms, and you may see patterns emerge.
2. Talk to your veterinarian. The first step is to talk with your pet’s medical team. An allergy may not be involved, or it can be the start of an honest discussion.
3. Rule out leaky gut. A leaky gut allows toxins to enter your pet’s bloodstream. These toxins wreak havoc. The Innovative Pet Lab Leaky Gut home test kit identifies if your pet is strong enough to protect them from disease and infection.
4. Follow our recommendations. Once you have the test results of the Leaky Gut test, discuss them with your veterinarian. We offer recommendations based on your pet’s results. Six months after changes are made, the Leaky Gut test is rechecked.
5. See a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. These professionals receive extensive training and experience working with allergies in pets. If the leaky gut test is normal, discuss your pet’s test results with this professional for assistance in diagnosing allergies.

 Once you know what’s causing your pet’s allergies, you can work on treating and eliminating them. Pets can be allergic to pollen, mold, chemicals, food, trees and grass, flea saliva, grooming products, supplements, medications, and more.

Treatment Options for Allergies in Pets

 You may never identify allergies without understanding if your pet’s gut lining and barrier are healthy.  

 According to Dr. Betsy Redmond, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Innovative Pet Lab, “Allergy tests given to pets with leaky gut will show that they are ‘allergic’ to everything, when in reality they may not be.”

 Dr. Redmond says treatments for poor gut health go beyond probiotics or fecal microbiome transplant (FMT). Both of those treatments introduce gut bacteria, but it may be more beneficial to support the bacteria that is already there.

 “Plus, there are other things that may need support,” Dr. Redmond continues, “such as reducing inflammation, helping support the gut lining, or aiding digestion.”

 Standard protocol for treating allergies in dogs and cats have included, but are not limited to:

• Antihistamines
• Corticosteroids
• Allergy testing and immunotherapy (allergy shots)
• Change of diet
• Topical creams, ointments, or shampoos
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements
• Probiotics
• Fecal matter transplant

However, managing allergies in dogs and cats has come a long way. We know there are other ways to treat allergies that don’t have to include medications with worrisome side effects. If your pet’s allergies are from a leaky gut, there are specific ways to treat it. Maybe you’ve tried food or supplement changes. There are ways to tell if your pet’s diet and supplements are working. Once you realize that 70 percent of your pet’s immune system is in their gut, this all starts to come together. If the immune system is not functioning properly or is weakened, allergies and sensitivities result.

Carol is the Immediate Past President of the Dog Writers Association of America and is well-known in the pet industry. She has appeared on television, radio shows, and podcasts, as well as in articles from CNN and Vetstreet to Dogster and Today.com. She is a copywriter, content marketer, and award-winning blogger who owns FidoseofReality.com and SmartDogCopy.com.