Page 5 - Hobe Sound Reflections - November '20

Hobe Sound, Page 5

tip of the tail

The Dreaded Allergies (atopic dermatitis, environmental, pollen allergies). Here die once on the pet. All pets in the environment must be

in Florida’s tropical climate we have near constant pollen on flea prevention for the products to work, otherwise the
production and fleas year-round. As a result, many dogs in fleas will live on those pets. If there is a flea infestation
Florida suffer from canine atopy and flea allergy dermatitis. in the area, it may take 2 to 3 months to eliminate the
Food allergies are much less common and can be seen less fleas.
in younger dogs than the other allergies. Canine food hypersensitivity is an adverse reaction
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common cause of to a food or food additive. Beef and chicken account for
dermatitis in dogs. Dogs that are allergic to fleas develop about 95 percent of food allergies. It can occur at any
hair loss and sores along the back, around the tail and back age, from puppies to elderly dogs that have been eating
legs. These pets will be very itchy. Live fleas are most the same dog food for years. Most dogs diagnosed with
often seen on the pet but sometimes only flea feces will a food allergy are under 2 to 3 years old. Symptoms are
be visible. Treatment includes killing the adult fleas on nonseasonal and may not respond to corticosteroids as
the pet and also eliminating them from the environment. most allergies will. Pets may be very itchy and develop
Pets must be kept on a monthly flea preventative. The secondary infections or they can only be itchy when
best flea control would be to use a product that sterilizes secondary infections are present. The skin will be red
the flea eggs combined with a product that kills the adult and inflamed. Food allergies often involve the skin in
There are three common allergies in dogs: flea allergy fleas as well. This approach will eliminate fleas from the the ventral body, under the tail, and the ears. Diagnosing
dermatitis, canine food hypersensitivity and canine atopy environment over a few months and any fleas around will food allergy can be difficult. The only reliable way is
to put a pet on an elimination diet trial. This involves
feeding the pet a prescription diet created for this purpose
such as a hydrolyzed diet. This type of diet is created by
Discover the breaking the proteins down to make them unrecognizable
by the body as an allergen. Prescription diets that are
novel protein or contain only vegetable protein can also
Oxbridge Advantage be used. It is important not to feed something the pet
has had before. The pet cannot receive any other foods
or treats while on this diet. The elimination trial should
last 8 to 12 weeks. If symptoms improve or resolve then
food allergy is the possible diagnosis. We then feed the
old food and if the symptoms return in a few days, we
know it as a food allergy.
Canine atopy is a hypersensitivity reaction to inhaled
or cutaneously absorbed environmental allergens. The
dog’s immune system becomes stimulated in response to
the allergen which leads to inflammation of the skin and
ears and to itching. The feet and ears are the common sites
of the inflammation. The normal protective defenses of the
skin and ears become lost due to the inflammation. Once
this occurs, the bacteria and yeast that normally live on
the skin and in ears can overgrow and cause infection.
Canine atopy can start as a seasonal problem but over
time can progress into a year-round issue. Diagnosis of
atopy is made by ruling out other allergies such as flea
allergic dermatitis and food hypersensitivity. When we
treat canine atopy, we are treating both the secondary
infections and the inflammation/allergy response. As
we know allergies are not curable. Luckily we now have
multiple medications that will treat the inflammation and
itch effectively and can be given long-term with minimal
side effects. Topical treatments with medicated shampoos
weekly along with oral fatty acid supplements will also
help manage atopy. It is important to remember that there
can be “flare ups” when the allergen in the environment
overwhelms the medications. It is also important to
remember that this is a long-term and often lifelong
condition. It can be easy to become frustrated if this is
not understood.
In general dealing with allergies in dogs can be very
frustrating. There are frequent trips to the veterinarian
and costs of testing and medications. Some pets can
An Oxbridge education goes beyond the classroom. even have all three allergies (fleas, food and atopy). It is
important to work with your veterinarian. As a team, we
With hands-on learning approaches, Oxbridge students tackle real life can get you and your pet where you need to be with time
and patience! Hang in there, we are here to help!
issues in real time. In and out of the classroom through academics, sports, Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical Center
is dedicated to providing the best possible care for your
and community involvement, the Oxbridge experience is interactive, pets. With focuses on compassionate care in surgery,
physical therapy and rehabilitation, preventative medicine,
adaptable, relevant, and anything but common. extensive diagnostics, and emergency service, Palm City
Animal Medical Center combines exceptional medical
care with a caring philosophy for pets and their owners.
For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit www.
palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.

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