A Handbook Of Golden Retriever Allergies

From the time you got your Golden Retriever, you have loved the golden hair of your dog. But you don't love it falling all over your car, furniture, foods or clothes, right? And having to ask the veterinarian about the persistent itching and biting problem is not a very uncommon problem for Golden Retriever owners. There may be a wide variety of reasons including infection, parasitical intervention and allergies. Primarily there are four major forms of Golden Retriever allergies. These are flea allergies, atopy, food allergies and contact allergies.

Flea allergies, also referred to as skin inflammation, occurs due to an allergic reaction to flea saliva. If this happens to your dog, the first thing you will notice on his body is a small red papule, which is gradually changed into a crust. The commonly affected areas are lower back, back legs, hind legs, upper thighs and belly areas. Flea allergies is one of the most common forms of skin allergies and when you find your dog is excessively scratching and itching, you can consider this as the primary symptom of Golden Retriever allergies.

Golden Retriever allergies for flea reaction are most commonly identified when the affected areas of the dog become hairless, the skin becomes thick and the color changes into a dark shade. If the Golden Retriever is allergic to flea bites, only one or two bites can make things worse. The only available and effective treatment of flea infection includes controlling flea inhabitants, both on the dog as well as in the external environment. Thanks to the advancement of medical science, many products have been formulated which can effectively combat against flea allergies and reduce the incidence.

On the other hand, atopy occurs as a result of allergic reaction to substances that the Golden Retriever either inhales or soaks up through its skin. When Golden Retriever allergies of this type occur, itching is still prevalent but in different areas including feet, groin, face and underarm. If left untreated, it may lead to redness, thickening of skin area, rawness, infection, crusting and increased coloring. Apart from these common symptoms, persistent infection in the ear is also common. Common substances that may result in Golden Retriever allergies are fungal spores, pollen, cat dander, weeds and grasses. Treatment includes antibiotics, antihistamines and cortisone either by shampooing or spraying.

Like any other dogs, the Golden Retriever may experience food allergies as well. Although the symptoms are more or less similar to atopy, the treatment largely varies for food allergies. Beef, wheat, dairy, soy and in some cases poultry are the reasons for food allergies in dogs like the Golden Retriever. In order to diagnose whether your dog has food allergies or not, you need to change the diet completely. Feed the dog with an alternative diet that contains sufficient among of nutrients. It needs to be continued for at least eight weeks without interruption. Meanwhile you need to observe whether there is any significant reduction in allergic symptoms.

Contact allergy is the least common of all Golden Retriever allergies. This is mainly because the dog has protective layer of hair all over the body. But when the dog is suffering from any other form of allergy, like a flea allergy, it loses hair from the affected region. In such cases, the dog becomes highly susceptible to contact allergies. This may occur in specific areas such as beneath the paw, underarms and belly. Polishes, carpet washing chemicals, grasses, waxes and pollens may cause contact allergies in your Golden Retriever.

Blessed with a thorough knowledge and expertise, Carol Matthews loves to help guiding people about Golden Retriever health. Owner must be aware of proper Golden Retriever care so that the dog can grow with optimum health. If you would like to know how to choose a vet for your Golden Retriever, this article can teach you the basic information about Golden Retriever allergies.