Inhaled allergies are becoming more and more prevalent. There is, however, a difference in how these types of allergies manifest in animals vs. people.
Inhaled allergies in people affect sensitive areas and result in watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing and sometimes wheezing and/or coughing. These symptoms reflect an inflammation that results from a hyper-responsive immune system. Medications, used to slow the response, are usually in the antihistamine category and have varying degrees of success.
In dogs, we use the term "atopy" to represent the condition of inhaled allergies; with this problem, dogs often have skin problems. There are, of course, some dogs that show similar symptoms as humans, the excess tearing from the eyes, with redness, sneezing and even breathing problems. In fact, canines can develop asthma with atopy. It is, however, far more common to see skin manifestations in dogs with atopy.
Dogs with atopy usually have itching. In fact, the pruritis associated with this process is so intense that dogs will spend the bulk of their waking hours scratching.
There are breeds known to be predisposed to atopy, several of which are in the terrier group, with the West Highland white terrier leading the pack. That said, any dog can develop atopy.
A diagnosis of atopy can be elusive, because there are many causes for itchy skin. And in some cases, there are other causes in addition to the atopy. Atopy testing can involve special blood testing and, in some cases, skin testing against many possible allergens. As always, a definitive diagnosis is best in order to formulate a treatment. Sometimes, we find a patient is allergic to just one or two environmental allergens and, therefore, with elimination of the offending agent, the atopy is cured. Other times, the patient is allergic to many different allergens, making avoidance or elimination impossible. Some of these patients can respond to allergy shots. This involves giving small amounts of the allergens via injection so the patient can become desensitized over time. The success of this therapy runs the gambit of total cure to no response - same as in humans.
The other options for treatment usually involve medications designed to stop or at least curb the itching. These often include antihistamines and/or cortisone.
Certainly, there are other conditions that cause pruritis in dogs. In fact, the No. 1 cause is parasites. Can you guess which type? Yep, it's fleas. Fleas and flea allergies are also considered a seasonal problem in many cases, especially with outdoor dogs. Coincidentally, the seasonality corresponds to the same timing as atopy. In fact, I would rather my dog had fleas as the cause of his itching as opposed to atopy, because the treatment for fleas is generally easier and a cure is possible. With atopy, this is less likely.
So if your dog is itching, especially this time of year, it may be prudent to have him checked for the possibility of allergies, while hoping it is fleas.
(Jeff Kahler is a veterinarian in Modesto, Calif. Questions can be submitted to Your Pet in care of LifeStyles, The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto CA 95352.)
