Dog Allergy Treatments in Creve Coeur, MO

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At My Best Friend Veterinary Center in Creve Coeur, MO, we understand that allergies can significantly impact your dog’s daily comfort and well-being. From persistent itching to digestive disturbances, allergic reactions can manifest in various ways. Our dedicated team is here to provide effective dog allergy treatments tailored to your pet’s specific needs.​

Understanding Dog Allergies

Dogs, like humans, can develop allergies when their immune system overreacts to typically harmless substances. Common allergens include:​

  • Environmental allergens: Pollen, mold, dust mites, etc
  • Food ingredients: Certain proteins in food, such as beef, dairy, or chicken.
  • Contact allergens: Materials like certain shampoos, plastics, or cleaning agents.​

Identifying the specific allergen is crucial for effective treatment.​

Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs

Canine allergies don’t always present the way human allergies do. For example, dogs can experience:

  • Skin issues: Itching, redness, scabs, or hair loss. A lot of the time you will see your dog licking their paws, stomach, and rear end to help with the itch; this constant licking and scratching creates a cycle of inflammation and infection of the itchy sites. If the allergies go untreated long enough, we will need to treat the secondary infections in addition to treating the underlying allergy.
  • Ear infections: While humans’ inflammatory cells are located in their sinuses (why we get a runny nose during allergy season), dogs have them in their ear canals. The inflammation causes a buildup of wax and hair in the ear canal, leading to a secondary infection by yeast and bacteria. You may notice frequent head shaking or scratching at the ears or foul odor coming from the ears.
  • Respiratory symptoms: Sneezing, coughing, or wheezing can also be an allergy symptom, just like in humans.
  • Digestive problems: Some dogs are sensitive to certain proteins in their diet resulting in chronic diarrhea. We can diagnose this by trying an elimination diet for one month. The owner feeds a prescription diet made with protein that is fully broken down and unrecognizable to the immune system. (No sneaking treats!) If the diarrhea resolves on this special diet, we know for certain that a food allergy is the cause of GI upset, and can start reintroducing proteins like salmon, duck, or rabbit to see what your pet will tolerate.

If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms, it’s essential to consult with a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.​

Diagnosing Allergies in Dogs

Diagnosing some allergies is harder than others. At My Best Friend Veterinary Center we will begin to do this by:

Collecting a detailed medical history: Understanding your dog’s environment, diet, breed characteristics, symptoms, and behaviors.

  • Physical examination: Assessing the skin (ears, paws, rear end, stomach) for inflammation, infection, and lesions. We may need to swab the skin or ears to see what microorganisms are growing on it (cytology) to better understand which medications are appropriate for treatment of secondary infections.
  • Medication trials: There are both oral and injectable options to help with canine allergies, these go by the brand names of Apoquel and Cytopoint. A trial is the only way to know if these help your pet. Some dogs with environmental allergies only need medications during high pollen seasons, while others need them year-round.
  • Elimination diets: If we suspect your pet has food allergies in addition to environmental allergies, we will try an elimination diet. The owner feeds a prescription diet made with a novel protein that is fully broken down and unrecognizable to the immune system. (No sneaking treats!) If symptoms resolve on this special diet, we know for certain that a food allergy is the cause of GI upset, and can start reintroducing proteins like salmon, duck, or rabbit to see what your pet will tolerate.

Partnering with My Best Friend Veterinary Center

Having a pet with allergies can be very frustrating. Allergy medications and prescription diets are expensive, and many pets need to be on them for the rest of their lives. And if your dog gets a breakthrough flareup resulting in a secondary ear infection, it can take multiple vet visits/treatments to fully resolve the infection. We’re committed to providing personalized care to help your dog live a comfortable, healthy life. Our experienced team will work with you to develop and adjust a dog allergy treatment plan tailored to your pet’s needs.​

If you suspect your dog is suffering from allergies, don’t hesitate to contact us. Together, we can identify the cause and implement effective treatments to improve your dog’s quality of life.