Happy Hound Hotel

1. Alergies
2. Heat Exhaustion
3. AJ's Advice for winter season

Canine Allergies Frustrating for Dogs and Owners

Online references used for this article:
Allergies and Atopy in Dogs
Race Foster, DVM & Marty Smith, DVM, peteduation.com

Cheryl Minnier, 1996
Donna Spector, DVM

Last March, as my own body serenaded the first breaths of spring by bellowing nose blowing, symphonic sneezing and continuous eye-rubbing, I glanced through watery eyes at my seven month-old Newfoundland and realized that he, too, might be sharing the allergy love. Gus looked back at me with goopy, red puppy eyes pleading for help as he incessantly scratched at his flank.

Long-time Happy Hound Hotel client Lisa Allison also noticed last summer that her yellow lab, Tucker, was continually biting and scratching, to the point of developing hot spots. At first, she said, she thought it was stress related. "He was just miserable so for his peace of mind I decided I needed to get in to the doctor," she recalls. "He is a super happy, crazy lab. It was so awful to watch him scratch at his stomach and bite himself. He was always trying to get his paw in his ear."

Like humans, dogs are susceptible to various allergens. Canine allergies generally fall into four categories:

• Flea allergic dermatitis, or an allergic reaction to the saliva of fleas
• Food allergies
• Environmental allergies (indoor and outdoor)
• Contact allergies (fabrics, rubber, etc.)

Although dog allergies are common, veterinarians agree that they can be difficult to diagnose and their symptoms can mimic the signs of other serious health issues. A potentially lengthy process of elimination is often used to determine what is causing your pet distress. When contacting your veterinarian, note the following information to help guide your doctor to a diagnosis:

• gauge the season(s) your dog exhibits symptoms (year round vs. Spring)
• assess the exact location(s) of symptoms (feet, groin, ears, etc.)
• document the type of symptoms

• scratching, biting, and chewing -- potentially to the point of self-mutilation
• hot spots
• particularly itchy areas, including feet, flanks, groin and armpits
• constant licking
• rubbing face on carpet
• rash, bumps, pimples or open sores on the skin
• red, watery eyes
• sneezing, runny nose
• coughs
• poor coat texture or length

Allergies are life-long health issues for dogs. According to online veterinarians Race Foster and Marty Smith in a peteducation.com article, canines usually develop allergies between the ages of 1 and 3 years and as a dog ages his or her allergic reactions increase. Allison realized that 7 year-old Tucker had always exhibited symptoms, but that they were progressively becoming worse. She was referred to a dermatologist specializing in dog allergies and discovered that Tucker is allergic to a number of outdoor allergens, including grasses, trees, shrubs, weeds. Diagnosis and treatment, which included steroids and immunotherapy shots that Allison administered to Tucker, was successful but Allison said that her dog will always be on a maintenance program to keep him from having further reactions when outdoors.

Allergy treatment options, according Foster and Smith, include topical therapy, antihistamines, immunotherapy, steroids, fatty acids and avoidance of the allergens.

It's spring again and we're still working with our veterinarian to determine if Gus has environmental or food allergies, or both. During the past year we switched him to a fish-based food and added fish oil to his diet. His initial skin rashes responded well to corticosteroid treatment last spring and his coat has thickened over the months. However, both of us are once again weepy-eyed again and that leads us to suspect environmental allergies. Even when they're dripping, those puppy eyes are still a heart-breaker.
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Information on the Happy Hound Hotel web site pages is for reference only and should not take the place of advice from a licensed medical professional. We recommend that pet owners seek a medical professional for all animal health issues.

Heat Exhaustion Occurs Quickly and Can Be Deadly;
Know What to Look for this Summer

Information for this article was compiled from the following sources:
Blog comments by Mike Richards, DVM
Vetinfo4dogs.com
Summer Fun - Summer Safety
Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM
About.com
Summer Car Safety
Judy Hedding
About.com

Despite the unseasonably cool and wet spring here in the Northwest, summer is still on its way, and with the sun comes hot, sizzling days potentially fatal to dogs.

According to veterinarian Mike Richards in an article on Vetinfo4dogs.com, heat stroke in canines is fairly common. "Dogs do not have an efficient method of handling heat stress because they don't sweat and they don't seem to figure out that they shouldn't get excited or work hard in the heat, either," he notes. Large, heavy-coated dogs, short-nosed breeds, and animals with respiratory and heart issues have a higher risk for heat stroke.
Common signs of heat exhaustion include:

• Heavy panting
• Dark or bright red tongue and gums
• Hyperventilation (deep breathing)
• Increased salivation, then dry gums
• Pale/gray gums
• Weakness, staggering or confusion
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Bleeding

Acclimating your dog to the change in temperature and ensuring access to water are two ways to prevent heat exhaustion, notes Richards. If you suspect your dog is in distress from the heat, he suggests cooling the dog with tepid water then seeking immediate professional medical help. Dogs release heat through their paws, so rubbing their pads with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol helps the cooling process.

Veterinarian Janet Tobiassen Crosby reminds owners, "Just because your animal is cooled and 'appear' OK, do NOT assume everything is fine. Internal organs such as liver, kidneys, brain, etc., are definitely affected by the body temperature elevation, and blood tests and veterinary examination are needed to assess this."

Other summer safety rules to remember:
Never leave a dog in a closed car. According to Judy Hedding, in an article titled Summer Car Safety, it is dangerous to leave a child or pet in a car regardless whether windows are open or closed. She writes, "Cracking a window does not help; it doesnÕt prevent the temperature in the car from rising." She notes cars can reach up to 200 degrees in the summer. Crosby adds that pet owners should not be fooled by milder summer days because cars can heat up just as quickly on those days as a scorching day.

Jogging and other vigorous exercise should take place in the cooler hours of the day. Crosby suggests changing routines to keep dogs in the shade during intense summer daylight hours.

Review your dog's housing situation for day and night. Does the dog have available water and shade? Could the dog accidentally be trapped in an area without access to either? Crosby also recommends hosing down your pet before leaving for work to offer a little more comfort during the day.