Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs on the topic of allergies. Ironically, Dr. Riggs is allergic to cats! But he does talk about how allergies happen and what can be done about them. Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
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Allergies. I hate allergies. I have tree pollen allergies in the spring. I have grass allergies in the summer and house dust mite allergies all winter long. To cap it all off, I have cat allergies all year long! Oh well, it is what it is.
And What Exactly Are Allergies?
Allergies are bad for everyone including our pets.
First we need to define just what an allergy is. There are some misunderstandings about what the immune system is actually doing. Our immune system is there to protect against evil enemies. Sometimes it goes too far. Allergies are abnormal immune system reactions, to things that are usually harmless.
Most people think that allergies happen when are immune system is suppressed. Quite the opposite.
Allergies are an exaggerated immune response or hypersensitivity, to specific things, called allergens. The allergens can be to pollen, dander, molds, dust mites etc. It often takes years for people and pets to “develop” allergies. Each time we are exposed to an allergen our bodies develop T-helper cells, a type of white blood cell. These T-helper cells will recognize a particular allergen and next time it sees that same allergen it attacks.
After multiple exposures to the same allergen, it can trigger an exaggerated response and we have signs of allergies. So, it is not the pollen that is “causing” the problem, it is our own immune system that is overachieving.
How Do Allergies in Pets Compare to Allergies in People?
In people, the cells coming into fight the allergen causes mainly a release of histamines. The histamines will cause swelling and congestion in our respiratory system or causes us to itch. So what do we do? We take Benadryl, Allegra or Claritin which are all anti-histamines which will counter act the histamines.
This is one of the major differences between human and pets.
Dogs and cats only release a fraction of the histamines we do. Probably only 10 to 20% of the amount. Hence that is why antihistamines only work in about 20% of our pets. Not to say antihistamine are not useful in veterinary medicine, but we need to combine them with other medications, such as fatty acids and steroids.
The other major difference is that allergies in people are most often manifested by respiratory signs with itching and gastrointestinal signs less prevalent. In our pets, their primary signs deal with their skin, with the gastrointestinal tract being affected less often.
Treating Allergies
Often when the word steroids come up, people get concerned. Steroids are not bad, if use in moderation and not given long term.
The steroids we use in animals is not the same ones the body builders and athletes abuse. Those are called anabolic steroids. They build up things such as muscle. The corticosteroids we use are catabolic steroids which will decrease reactions and with long term use actually tear down tissues. That is why using them 1 to 2 times a year is ok but if needed more often, we look for other treatments.
Which Pets Get Allergies?
Certain breeds of dogs are affected more often with allergies. Purebred dogs are much more likely to be affected, due to recessive genes being expressed by closer breedings. The more popular a breed, the more likely we are to see allergies. The top four allergic breeds in our practice are Golden Reteivers, Bichons, Labrador Retrievers and West Highland Terriers.
Can Allergies Be Cured?
Everyone wants a cure for allergies, but it is not possible. You will always have the T-helper cells primed to attack. So we just try to decrease the response, and we are very successful in most cases with treatment tailored to each individual animal.
So don’t be discouraged. The vet might need to try a number of different treatments before they find what works for your pet, but they will find the “cure” for your pet.
Related Posts:
May is Allergy Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Allergies in Pets
Can dogs be allergic to bee and yellow jacket stings?
Claim Example: allergies in a dog
Other posts by Dr Riggs
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Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.
