Getting your pets allergy testing can help your Turnersville veterinarian find out what types of allergies your pet has and give them the proper medication to reduce those problems. There are many types of allergies in animals, such as food, flea and environmental allergies, so it is important to understand a little about them and how they can affect your animal.
Food
Dogs and cats can be allergic to different foods, but they can also be intolerant of certain foods. Therefore, your Turnersville veterinarian must order allergy testing to determine whether the animal is intolerant or allergic to determine what medication should be given.
Allergies can show up within the first five months of birth or can wait until around 12 years of age. Intolerance of a food will typically result in vomiting and diarrhea while allergies will have symptoms of skin problems and itching. It can usually be easily determined whether an intolerance or allergy is to blame, but your vet will want to test your animal to make sure.
Flea
Almost every animal is allergic to fleas in some degree, as they will bite the area to stop the itching. Flea bites are similar to mosquito bites in humans because everyone is at least a little allergic to them. However, flea bite hypersensitivity or allergic dermatitis can cause severe itching, which will send your pet into crazed scratching sessions, which could damage their skin further and leave them susceptible to infections. Other symptoms can include scabby skin, hair loss and behavioral problems.
Your vet will likely inspect the hair of the animal and order skin tests to determine the severity. If no fleas are found, other skin disease testing may be required.
Environmental
It is important to know what types of environmental things your pets can be allergic to. Even though most pet food is hypoallergenic, about 10 percent of pets are allergic to foods. However, they can also be allergic to cigarette smoke, pollen, mold, dust and grass, just like humans.
Itching is the number one symptom found in both cats and dogs and can occur with the change of seasons. Itching of the ears, face, belly, thighs and underarms are common, as well as hair loss in those areas.
Secondary problems can also occur, including bacterial or yeast infections.
Pet allergy testing in Turnersville area can give your vet a better idea of what is wrong.
