Dog Allergies – Bacterial allergy
Bacterial
allergies
Staphylococcus (Staph) is a bacterium found on normal dog skin.
If the skin is normal and the dog’s immune system is normal, Staph
causes no problems to its host, but some dogs develop an allergy
to it.
With
this type of allergy the dog develops areas of hair loss that looks
similar to ring worm. The hair loss is often round and anywhere
from 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.
These
areas become infected and need to be treated with antibiotics. The
Staph allergic dog usually has recurrent Staph infections. The lesions
will usually clear up with appropriate antibiotics, but return as
soon as the antibiotics are discontinued.
After a while, some dogs become resistant to antibiotic treatment.
Treatment
of Staph allergy involves antibiotics to control the immediate problem
and desensitization with Staph antigen for long-term relief.
Finally,
here are some tips for helping a dog with allergies:
– use
air conditioners rather than open windows
– dust and vacuum often
– treat your pet for fleas, regardless of whether or not you see
them
– use a dehumidifier and place activated charcoal around house plants
to decrease molds
– give your dog an oatmeal bath (some pet stores carry oatmeal formulated
shampoo)
– allow your dog to sit in a bath filled with Epsom salts
– after discussing this with your vet, try using essential fatty
acids, namely omega-3 and omega-6. They have natural anti-inflammatory
agents and can be purchased at most pet stores or veterinarians
– use a hypoallergenic dog food or create a homemade diet for your
pet (ask your veterinarian for suggestions on foods and supplements
– be careful what you are washing your dog’s bedding in
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