How To Prevent Dog Allergies and What Not To Do

Last time, we talked about various remedies for dog allergies.While you must do what you can to relieve your dog’s discomfort caused by allergies, wouldn’t it be better if we could just prevent dog allergies?

As humans we do what we can to avoid allergies because they can make us so uncomfortable and miserable. If we suffer from seasonal allergies, we keep up with our allergy shots during allergy season, or we stock up on antihistamines and other allergy medications. If we know that coming in contact with certain things can cause a skin irritation, we avoid those items vigilantly. And if we know that eating something will cause an allergic reaction you can bet we won’t be eating that type of food.

We have that luxury, the ability to proactively avoid situations that will cause us suffering and discomfort. However, our dogs are totally dependent on us to look out for their best interest, and to protect them from things that could bring them discomfort and suffering. Dog allergies are no different.

If your pet develops any type of dog allergies, it is very unlikely that it is an isolated incident and it will just go away on its own. In fact, once your dog develops allergies, chances are she will have them for the rest of her life. Remember, allergies cannot be cured, but must be actively managed. So you have to find what works and stick with those treatment methods for the long-term. Even better would be to learn what affects your dog and avoid those items and situations upfront to reduce the chances of any allergic reactions occurring.

Managing your dog’s allergy symptoms as they occur will work to relieve those symptoms, but your dog will still have to suffer through the itching, scratching, and biting while waiting for the treatment to take effect. However, by taking precautionary measures you may be able to prevent dog allergies from occurring in the first place. A change in her environment, or switching food in her diet may help to eliminate the problem that may cause an allergic reaction to develop.

Similarly, if you know your dog is vulnerable to frequent skin irritations like dry, itchy skin then you may want to use a medicated shampoo or some sort of topical cream that will reduce the chances of your dog developing those irritations. Taking an active approach like that will also reduce the effects on the skin should some type of allergy occur.

In my opinion, taking the steps necessary to prevent dog allergies is the responsible thing to do, and is definitely better than trying to treat the symptoms as they occur. Remember that allergies in dogs are a long-term problem that requires a long-term solution.

What Not To Do To Prevent Dog Allergies

While it is important to actively try to avoid situations that can cause allergies in your dogs, we can sometimes go a bit too far and make matters worse. There are some things you might be tempted to do as soon as you believe your dog has allergies. However, you might actually be aggravating the situation and making it more difficult for your dog to live with her allergies.

Frequent Baths

Giving your dog a bath too often can cause additional skin problems. Try to keep baths to once a month if possible. Use cool water instead of warm water. Cool water is more soothing to your dog.

Constant Shampooing

Constant shampooing can dry out your dog’s skin. Many people believe that frequent baths with oatmeal shampoos and other types of bath treatments can help to soothe their dogs allergies, but doing so too often can actually dry out the skin, which can only make things worse.

Avoiding Treatment

Do not leave any suspected dog allergies untreated. It is unfair to your dog, and untreated allergies can lead to serious health problems later on.

So, do what you can to prevent dog allergies, and take steps to relieve any symptoms and discomforts your dog may have if she does develop any type of dog allergies.

Dogs and Allergies is a series of articles discussing the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of various types of dog allergies. Move on to the next article, Dog Allergy Recipes, or go back to the previous article, Remedies For Dog Allergies.

Best,

Omar Reyes

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