Allergy Shots for Dogs

There are many allergies that may cause problems with the dog health. The immune system of the dog reacts violently in the presence of foreign substances or allergens within the body. Either the dog begins to itch continuously due to the skin rash that can be generalized or localized. Or the dog may develop severe respiratory problems like coughing, sneezing and wheezing. In some cases, the dog may develop severe vomiting and diarrhea as one of the allergy symptoms in dogs. A dog allergy can occur due to five common allergens. A dog may develop flea allergy, food allergy, bacterial allergy, inhalation of allergens and contact allergy due to reaction with flea collar or coming in contact with wool. There are a few treatment options available for taking care of dog allergy. These include anti-inflammatory medications, hypoallergenic shampoos and hyposensitization.

What are Allergy Shots?
Allergy shots for pet allergies is also known as immunotherapy or hyposensitization. This treatment for dog allergies is recommended only if the animal does not respond to other convectional allergy medicine for dogs. You may need to take your dog to the vet every week for his shots. These shots contain diluted amounts of allergens that trigger an allergic reaction within the dogs body. These allergens actually help in increasing the production of IgE in the dog's immune system. An intradermal skin testing is carried out to test which kind of allergen is causing problems within the dogs body. There are over 60 different substances tested by injecting them into the skin. The allergen extract that causes a reaction, is used to form a solution. This solution is used to sensitize the dog's body to the protein causing allergy. This will help in decreasing the intensity of the allergic reaction.

How do Allergy Shots Work?
The exact mechanism is not known. However, experts have put forth a number of theories regarding the working of these shots. According to a few theories, there is reduction in the IgE levels that lowers the intensity of the allergy symptoms. Some say, a different type of antibody is formed instead of IgE, similar to the mechanism of vaccination. And one of the most favored theories is that the dog develops high tolerance towards the allergens due to repeated exposure in low doses.

Do Allergy Shots Work?
Many pet parents are often worried about the outcome of the shots for pet allergies. It is always better to weigh the pros and cons of dog allergy shots before you think about giving them to your pet. The first and foremost point that you should keep in mind that this is not a short term treatment. The dog allergy shot treatment may last for 6 to 12 months depending on the number of allergies your pet has. If you are ready to spend time every week and take your dog to the vet without fail for almost a year, you should go for it.

Even after giving in a whole year to the hyposensitization treatment, your dog may not respond to the allergy shots. It is found that about 25% to 30% of the dogs are not cured. However, there are 75% chances your dog does respond to the treatment and shows improvements. The next logical question to ask is if there are any side effects. The side effects are not found to be too serious. The dog may develop allergic reaction to the antigens injected.

How Much do Allergy Shots Cost?
The cost is very high, which is about $100 for intradermal testing and sedating the dog. So, basically 12 injections will cost you well above $150 dollars depending on the region you live in.

As this is a very expensive treatment, doctors use it as the last resort. Also, one is not sure of the outcome so, it is better to try out allergy shots for your dog as the final option. You too can learn how to give the shots from your vet. This will help save you the weekly trips to vet clinic. You need to bring home sterile syringe and needle supply and fill a new one each time with required dose. You can ask someone in the family to hold the dog still. When the dog is calm, you need to inject the injections between the shoulder blades behind the neck. Once the solution is injected, rub the area to allow it to flow through the pet's blood stream. Only if you face with a lot of dog health problems due to the allergies, you should think about hyposensitization.