The most common signs of allergies in dogs are easy to mistake for other problems, and some dog owners mistakenly administer unnecessary medications. If your dog exhibits any of the following symptoms and does not respond to a standard treatment within 48 hours, you should consult a veterinarian. Food allergies are the most common allergies, followed closely by contact allergies. Both food and contact allergies are difficult to diagnose and, in the case of food allergies, require a long regimen of tracking the dog's food intake. It usually for several months to determine which specific food is causing the problem.
1. Excessive Paw Licking
All dogs lick their paws occasionally, but if a dog continually licks his paws and/or chews on his foot pads and toenails, he could be suffering from a contact allergy. This could be from almost anything he walked on, from the new cleaner you used to scrub the kitchen floor to a plant in your yard. Some dogs even develop an allergy to certain grasses or to chemical agents used on the lawn.
2. Chronic Ear Infections
There are several ways that your dog signals to you that he might have an ear infection.
- Severe head shaking
- Scratching at ears
- Redness in the ear canal
- Waxy discharge from the ears
- Foul odor in the ears
All of these indicators are warning signs of ear infections. These could be the result of bacterial infections, ear mites, improper hygiene or allergies.
3. Dry, Itchy Skin
If your dog seems to scratch incessantly and his skin is dried out and sheds large flakes when groomed, he could be suffering from a contact allergy or a food allergy. These symptoms are often accompanied by a sour odor coming from the skin.
4. Copious Eye Tearing and Runny Nose
If you notice brown stains coming from the inside corners of your dog's eyes and running down his muzzle, this is because his eyes are producing too many tears for his tear ducts to handle. A side effect of the excessive tearing can be a running nose. This could be an allergy from foods, an inhalant or a weather-related allergy.
5. Excessive Coat Shedding
Almost all dog breeds shed their coats seasonally, but if your dog is losing fur abnormally, such as having it fall out in clumps or having skin showing through the fur, you should suspect an allergy, most likely food related.
6. Vomiting or Diarrhea
While most vomiting and diarrhea are caused by a gastrointestinal problem and will clear up on their own, you should suspect a possible food allergy if the symptoms do not clear up after administering appropriate medications, or if the symptoms return shortly after the medication is stopped.
7. Hot Spots
Hot spots are open, weeping sores that appear almost anywhere on the dog's body. The dog cannot help himself from licking and scratching at them, which only makes the condition worse. The area around these spots is very warm to the touch and because they can be painful, some dogs are very sensitive to anyone touching them in that area and may growl or snap. There are a number of things that cause hot spots, but flea allergies are the most common cause.