Medill Reports: Chicago - ‎2010年4月13日‎




Courtesy of Mary Dolce

Cody, a 6-year-old Shiba Inu, suffers from seasonal allergies that begin in April and last until the first frost.


Pet allergies bloom with springby Brigitt Hauck
April 13, 2010
It’s spring and Cody, a 6-year-old Shiba Inu, incessantly licks his hind paws.

“He eats his paws raw,” said owner Mary Dolce, a Lombard resident. “It’s definitely seasonal,” she said. “There is just something outside that he is allergic to.”
And while allergies make people sneeze, they often make dogs lick to control the itch.
Approximately 15-20 percent of dogs may battle seasonal allergies and spring pollen makes them especially vulnerable, according to Dr. Karen Kuhl, a veterinary dermatologist in Buffalo Grove. Although retrievers and terriers tend to be most susceptible, any breed of dog may develop allergies at any time during his life.
A number of allergens can be the culprit, said Kuhl. Trees, grass and weed pollens, dust and house dust mites, storage mites and indoor and outdoor molds can all make our four-legged friends uncomfortable.
In regions such as the Midwest, tree pollen levels are elevated in the spring and may be the leading allergen at this time of the year.
Unlike their human counterparts, canine allergies typically cause skin irritations and itching instead of a respiratory condition, Wilmette veterinarian Dr. Erica Periman said.
“The most common presentation I see with allergies in general is infected ears and in between the toes being itchy, inflamed or infected,” she said.
If your furry friend is rubbing his face or muzzle, licking and chewing his paws, underarms, legs or tail, he may be showing symptoms of itching due to allergies. Chronic ear infections may also serve as an indicator, said Kuhl.
The severity of canine seasonal allergies varies. Some dogs have mild allergies that may cause them to lick themselves a bit more than usual. Others, like Cody, may develop sores. If left untreated, the long term concern is recurrent bacterial or yeast infection, said Periman.
Regardless, if you notice any symptoms of allergies in your dog, the first plan of action is to go to the vet and explain exactly what you are seeing.
If symptoms are year round, veterinarians will first rule out other external parasites, food allergies and control infection, said Kuhl.
“If a dog has a problem and you have cleared up all of the infection, then the vets will probably talk to the people about using antihistamines, fatty acids or frequent bathing,” she said.
Since most allergens are absorbed through the skin and not breathed in, cleaning your pup and his paws with an oatmeal shampoo, taking off your shoes when you enter the house and using unscented laundry detergent can be helpful.
Dolce says that she wipes Cody’s paws whenever he comes in from playing outside. When Cody’s allergies get bad enough, she gives him non-prescription Benedryl and applies Genesis, a prescribed topical spray to control itching.
“Once you get it under control, you are okay,” said Dolce.

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=162895

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