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Pets: A dog in the city can cost thousands
Kansas City
Star, MO - 14 hours ago
The basic annual cost of dog ownership
averages about $2500, according to Lisa Peterson, a
spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club. ...
Dog that ran through airport euthanized
AZFamily
(subscription), AZ - 2 hours ago
The dog that led Sky Harbor Airport
crews on a spirited chase last week has been euthanized. The
dog was put to sleep Monday instead of being put up for ...
Sufferers of Dog Allergies and Cat Allergies
May Find Relief in ...
ClickPress (press
release), UK - 1 hour ago
Pet dander that triggers allergic
reactions is a nuisance for people who suffer from dog and cat
allergies. One Indianapolis-based company offers a solution
...
Man charged with leaving dog in hot car
Eagle
Tribune, MA - 3 hours ago
The group then stood around in the heat
as police attempted to get the dog, Rosie, out of the car. The
department's door-opening tools didn't work because ...
Dog is hailed a hero
Islington
Gazette, UK - 6 hours ago
A DOG who received the animals'
equivalent of the George Cross for his work in the aftermath
of the 7/7 terrorist attacks will be further honoured when he
...
Dog of a flight home to find missing pet
NEWS.com.au, Australia -
Jul 30, 2007
A JET-setting dog lover spent 30 hours
getting to Sydney - then jumped on the first plane home after
learning her dog was missing back in London. ...
Dog beats attacker
Moonee Valley
Community News, Australia - 13 hours ago
Picture: Scott McNaughton A WOMAN'S
cries for help were heard by a dog, who rushed to her aid as
she was being attacked in a park. ...
Suspected rabid dog
Belleville
Intelligencer, Canada - Jul 31, 2007
Officers with the Napanee OPP are
currently trying to apprehend a dog that is running at large
in the 600 – 800 block of River Road in the Town of Greater
...
Aggressive pit bull capturedThe Kingston
Whig-Standard
City man with cancer needs missing Yorkie
returned
Nashua Telegraph
(subscription), NH - 1 hour ago
On Monday, however, somebody took his
dog. Callanan, 63, who discovered Taz was missing 10 minutes
after his wife tied the dog to the driveway area of his ...
Now for this
week's tips and advice
Have You Got The Itch? (Part
3)
So far we’ve covered Environmental, nutritional and Parasitic
reasons why your pet might be itching and scratching – this
week we’ll cover Allergic reactions.
Allergic Dermatitis
I’ll be honest. There’s no way to cover this topic in one
newsletter. Vets spend entire weekends and lots of money
attending seminars on this topic alone! It is common, it can
be lifelong, it is a challenge to diagnose, and once
identified it can be resistant to attempts at treatment. In
short it even more difficult to diagnose an allergy in an
animal than it is in a human – especially since the dog cant
tell you how it feels!
So, normally the vet will try to rule out all the other causes
of dermatitis (especially those elusive Sarcoptic mites)
before a diagnosis of Allergic Dermatitis can be made. Food
ingredients, synthetic and natural fibers, medications and
pharmaceutical products, plant material and even dust all can
trigger an Allergic Dermatitis.
Even common bacteria on the dog’s skin can provoke an allergic
reaction to themselves! These cases of sensitivity to the
bacteria they normally carry as standard are very difficult
indeed to diagnose and treat.
No matter what kind of allergic dermatitis affects the dog,
the ultimate cellular cause of the inflammation and resulting
“itch-and-scratch-bite-and-lick” activity has a common
cause:the release of histamine from skin Mast cells, the
deposition of antigen/antibody protein complexes within
tissues, the dilation of some blood vessels and constriction
of others, the release of toxic chemicals from broken
intracellular structures, and chemical and physical irritation
of sensory nerve endings. Phew what a mouthful……I had to have
some help with that lot!
So, what can dogs be allergic to? Take a look around you right
now. Chances are that your dog could be allergic to
half-a-dozen different substances in the very room you sit;
that doesn’t even include microscopic substances in the air
you and your dog breath! Food, carpeting, blankets, dust
mites, mould spores in the air, pollen, plastic food dishes,
furniture stuffing and ornamental plants all have the
potential to trigger an allergic reaction in your dog.
Food allergies are so common that pet food manufacturers have
invested millions of dollars in research, development,
promotion and production of special antigen diets to help in
the treatment of dogs with food allergies.
But how do allergies develop? Every dog’s body makeup and
composition is determined by millions of genetic variables.
Sometimes a dog’s various immune responses may over-react to a
certain material and then learn to recognize this substance in
case of future contact with it.
The offending material or substance is called an antigen. Flea
saliva is a good example of an antigen that triggers
hypersensitivity to flea bites. When an antigen makes contact
with the dog, the dog’s immune defenses - all primed and ready
for a fight since it has previously identified the antigen as
an enemy - set to work to disarm the antigen. Unfortunately,
during the course of the battle (called an antigen/antibody
reaction) side effects of the battle can cause tissue
irritation, inflammation, swelling and cell destruction.
That’s when we notice the dog going into the
“itch-and-scratch-bite-and-lick” mode! There’s a biochemical
war going on within the dog!
Immunologists have classified a number of different types of
allergic reactions. Skin and blood tests are common methods of
attempting to identify what the dog is allergic to. Probably
the most common type of Allergic Dermatitis seen in dogs is
Atopic Dermatitis. This situation is triggered by a number of
antigens including inhaled substances such as moulds, dust,
pollens and other static and airborne microscopic organic
substances. Dogs with Atopy lick and chew at their paws and
scratch their face, eyelids and ears. This disorder can be
very troubling for dogs and frustrating for the owner. One
minute the dog may look and feel normal, the next it will chew
its paw or face raw from the intense itching. My vet friend
tells me there is a new product available to treat Atopic
Dermatitis in dogs called Atopica. For many patients, this
medication has truly been a lifesaver.
Treatment of Allergic Dermatitis includes medicated soothing
baths, ointments and sprays. The use of oral antihistamines
can neutralize some of the destructive effects of internally
released histamine. However cortisone is still the most
effective in stopping or reducing the discomfort of allergies.
Cortisone is a strong hormone, normally secreted by the body’s
adrenal glands, and it can be manufactured commercially.
Numerous derivatives of cortisone are used in pill, injectable,
spray, liquid and ointment form. They all have their
particular uses.
But there is something that you really should know when using
cortisone and that some vets may forget to tell you. If you
are sent home with a prescription for cortisone, or your dog
has simply been given a cortisone shot to stop the itching,
your dog may ultimately be worse off than before if the true
diagnosis turns out not to be an allergy, but an unrecognized
case of Sarcoptic mites!
Be patient, yes, but be persistent, too. If your dog is
itching, scratching, and licking, or if the skin and coat are
not looking healthy, you and your dog need a diagnosis before
treatment is started.
A key point to remember is this: There is no cure for
allergies! All we can do is avoid the food, material or
parasite that is triggering the immune response (if we can
even find out what it is), make the dog more comfortable by
moderating their immune system with medication and making sure
that the dog is eating a high quality diet. And that’s all.
