Every pet owner should familiarize himself with anaphylaxis symptoms. Anaphylaxis is a very rare condition that results in a serious and life-threatening reaction to an item that is ingested or to a medicine or drug that is injected. If your pet suffers from anaphylaxis, he will respond almost immediately to the ingestion or injection of the offending allergenic material.
Prompt treatment and response on your part is absolutely necessary in order to restore your pet's health properly and to ensure that he does not die. Read on for a brief overview of some of the symptoms of anaphylaxis in dogs that you should be prepared to recognize.
Sudden Diarrhea and Vomiting
It's not uncommon for a dog that has just ingested something to which he is fatally allergic to immediately begin to experience diarrhea and vomiting. These symptoms represent your pet's body's efforts to eliminate any offending material or item from his system as quickly as possible. In the case of an allergen that your pet has eaten, this vomiting and diarrhea can oftentimes be enough to eliminate the item from his system and prevent further symptoms of anaphylaxis; in the case of an injection, however, this does not remedy the situation.
Shock
Another common symptom of anaphylaxis in dogs is shock. Your pet may experience this immediately or very shortly following the ingestion or injection of the bad material. Shock is characterized by immobility and paralysis, muscular twitching and other signs that your pet is lacking in responsiveness.
Increased Heart Rate
If a dog suffers from anaphylaxis, his heart rate will generally jump up to a higher level and rate almost immediately. This is a sign that he is working harder to eliminate the item from his system. At the same time, his pulse tends to be quite a bit weaker than it normally would be, so it can oftentimes be difficult to determine exactly what his heart rate is.
Coldness and Swelling
Dogs that are experiencing anaphylaxis oftentimes have cold gums and mouths. Other parts of the face that may usually be warm can go cold as well, and it's not unusual to see a good deal of swelling around the area in which the offending material came into contact with your pet's body (i.e. the mouth, face or the site of the injection).
Coma
Anaphylaxis oftentimes leads to a comatose state as well. If your pet goes into a coma, you'll be able to recognize this by his total unresponsiveness to any stimuli. His body will oftentimes experience paralysis and he will be unable to open his eyes or to react in any way.
At any of these signs of anaphylaxis, it's crucial that you get your pet to an emergency medical center for veterinary medicine as soon as possible. Quick action is absolutely key in the proper treatment of anaphylaxis, and without it, there's a good chance that your pet will die as a result.