Dogs We Luv!

Are you a dog lover? Are you allergic to dogs or pets? Is your condition keeping you from doing what you love most- take care of dogs? If so, here are some things you need to know about pet allergy: What causes dog allergy? People with allergies have very sensitive immune systems. Some people are allergic to dusts, pollen or dander while some are allergic to dog saliva.   Dog hair or pet hair itself is not the allergen but they do collect dander, dusts and pollen. Thus, larger dogs, long-haired dogs or dogs with thick fur collect more allergens and highly trigger allergic reactions to people with pet allergies. Reactions differ from person to person. The most common reactions of pet allergy are watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, itchiness, skin rashes, wheezing and coughing. Other more serious reactions include fatigue, shortness of breath and asthma attacks. When exposed to cats, dogs or other pets (carrying allergens), a person with pet allergy may exper...

People are not the only ones who experience allergies. Even dogs can have allergies too. Just like humans, dogs can become allergic to different things such as food, dust mites, pollen, fleas, ticks and bacteria. A dog can also get contact allergies from things such as dog collars, food bowls, plants, beddings, and other surfaces. To understand better, let’s briefly discuss how allergies are acquired. What causes allergic reactions? Allergic reactions are triggered when a substance or an “allergen” enters the dog’s immune system. The dog’s immune system will treat a substance as harmful (even if it’s not) and will attempt to fight it to protect the body.   The immune system will produce antibodies which attach themselves in the blood cells. The cells will release chemicals including “histamines” which causes the symptoms we see in allergic dogs. ( The same explanation applies to humans with allergies .) What are the symptoms of allergy in dogs? Since your p...