While allergies are common in humans, animals can experience them as well. As such, symptoms in pets mimic those in humans. They can experience respiratory difficulties, skin rashes, digestive issues, and other unpleasant symptoms. When pets suffer from allergy symptoms, the difficult task is determining the cause of these reactions. At Clinton Hill Animal Clinic, we offer a variety of tests that can help determine your pet's allergy.
Step 1: Identifying Whether Your Pet Might Have an Allergy
Allergies are the immune system’s reaction to a foreign substance. Some foreign substances are harmless, but the immune system doesn’t recognize that. Therefore, the immune system creates antibodies that release a series of chemicals to try to eliminate the unknown substance, which may cause your pet to have the following symptoms:
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Itching
- Hives
- Red or inflamed skin or ears
- Sneezing or coughing
- Runny nose
- Puffy or watery eyes
- Fur loss
- Skin sores
- Hot spots
For the most part, these symptoms are merely uncomfortable. However, allergic reactions can become serious or life-threatening. For example, a skin rash can become a wound and get infected. At a more extreme level, an allergy can cause anaphylactic shock that blocks airways and prevents breathing. If you notice any of the above symptoms in your pet, we recommend that you take your furry animal to see our veterinarians in Brooklyn right away.
Step 2: Determining the Cause of Your Pet’s Allergy
As with humans, there are a range of factors that can cause your pet's allergy. This can include seasonal allergies, flea bites, and food allergies. Therefore, we recommend bringing your dog or cat to our animal hospital to determine the cause of your pet’s allergy. We use two common tests to identify pet allergies. This includes:
- Intradermal Skin Testing – This type of test introduces various allergens to your pet's skin in small quantities to determine whether a reaction occurs.
- Serum Allergy Testing - This is a blood test that can identify certain allergens and the extent of your animal's reactions to them.
Don’t Let Your Pet Suffer From Allergies. Bring Your Pet to Our Animal Hospital for Allergy Testing and Treatment