If you’ve noticed that your dog’s coat has patches of inflammation, and that your dog can’t stop worrying its paws, chewing and licking, you may have a bad case of atopy in your dog to deal with. One of the first things you should rule out when you see your dog constantly worrying its coat is flea allergy dermatitis, of course.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – we have all heard this phrase during our lives many times. Nothing could be truer when it comes to our pets. Unfortunately, many dog owners have accepted common abnormalities as normal.
Doctors tell dog owners all the time to “get rid of the dog!” when the patient is dealing with allergies. Dog owners have a difficult time doing this because the dog is part of the family. The good news is that there are many different ways to deal with dog allergies and only one is to get rid of the dog.
When your pet is reacting to an allergy it means that a foreign substance has entered their bodies. Flea saliva, pollen, foods and insect bites are the most common reasons why pets have allergic reactions. When the immune system notices the foreign body it releases antibodies that, in turn, cause mast cells to release histamine into your pets blood.
Dogs are natural hunters and carnivores. Dogs have evolved from the wolf and its digestive system is virtually the same despite thousands of years of evolution. Dogs have very short intestinal tracts which allows for the consumption and digestion of raw foods. Dogs are considered omnivores as they eat a variety of grasses, vegetables and berries in addition to meats.
