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The key
thing to remember about animals with
allergies is that they are very
seldom cured. The symptoms are
controlled, allowing the animal and
its owners to lead a more normal
life. Here is some important
information about allergies:
What causes allergies?
Mast
cells are the culprits. Normally
these cells release histamine, which
causes inflammation and healing when
we are injured. When you have
allergies, an antigen antibody
reaction occurs in the body, causing
this same release of histamine from
the mast cells. Unfortunately, there
is nothing to heal so a lot of
inflammation occurs. The symptoms of
that inflammation in dogs and cats
is a little different than in
people.
What are the symptoms of allergies?
Dogs
and cats tend to itch and show skin
signs, whereas people tend to have
runny eyes and sneeze or have asthma
signs. Animals can have these signs
as well. The most common areas for
the symptoms are the feet, head and
neck, rump, in the back of the front
legs and in front of the back legs.
Scooting can also be a sign and is
often confused with anal gland
problems. 85% of chronic ear
problems are related to allergies.
What is an antigen?
An
antigen is a protein.
How does it get into the body?
They
enter the body by three main routes:
normal breathing, contact or foods.
How does the Antigen-Antibody
reaction occur?
Antibodies get attached to mast
cells. They don't belong there and
that is the problem. When an antigen
gets into the body, it floats around
on the blood and attached to the
antibody on a mast cell. This causes
the mast cell to rupture open and
release histamine.
The Threshold Effect
When
enough reactions occur in the body
at the same time, the animal will go
above the threshold that the body
can handle and will then show you
symptoms.
How do I deal with allergies in dogs
and cats?
The
best form of treatment is avoidance
of the offending allergens. In most
cases, however, this is not
possible. Steroids and other drugs
are often used for the short-term
relief of symptoms. Antihistamines
are not as effective in animals as
they are in people. Prolonged use of
steroids can have serious side
effects. Hyposensitization is
another alternative. Food trials are
also done and last for 8 to 12 weeks
where an animal is only fed a unique
protein diet. No snack or treats are
allowed during this time. Sometimes
a diet change to a unique protein is
all that needs to be dome to get
below the threshold and stop the
symptoms.
Testing If foods are not the total
answer, a blood test can be done,
called a "RAST" test. This test
checks for over 100 different items
the animal may come into contact
with and identifies the problem "IGE"
antibodies (good antibodies in the
wrong place) that are currently
present in the animal.
What is Hyposensitization?
Once
the items the animal is sensitive to
have been identified, a
hyposensitization program is set up.
Hyposensitization is the development
of antibodies on another cell in
addition to the mast cells, so that
the body will have another "safe"
place for the antigen-antibody
reaction to occur.
How is Hyposensitization done?
Small
amounts of what the animal is
allergis to are given under the skin
at various intervals to allow for
the creation of the new antibodies.
Unfortunately, these safe antibodies
only last for about 30 days.
Therefore, injections will
eventually need to be given at that
frequency. We teach owners how to do
these injections so they can be done
at home, if you wish.
How effective is Hyposensitization?
70-90% of animals respond with great
relief. |
The Doctor's Corner ...
Pet
Allergies
