What Causes Pet Allergies?
Your pet's immune system overreacting causes him or her to have allergies.
The immune system protects pets from foreign material and should react strongly to threats such as bacteria, but should not react strongly to materials such as cedar, wheat, and dust mites.
Allergy symptoms are caused when the immune system's white blood cells (WBC) sense an allergen and stimulate histamine release. Histamine dilates capillaries so that fluid leaks from the blood vessels and the area becomes hot, swollen, puffy, and itchy. Allergic symptoms can be stopped by blocking WBC or by blocking histamine with antihistamines (Benadryl) and steroids (such as Prednisone).
Common Pet Allergies
The most common cause of pet allergies is fleas. After fleas, pets are commonly allergic to beef, dairy, wheat, fish, pollens, eggs, yeast, chicken, pork, lamb, corn, soybeans, and rice.
Which Pets are Most at Risk for Allergies?
Among the dog breeds predisposed to develop allergies, are an unusually high number of retrievers and terriers. For example, all Labrador Retrievers—black, yellow, and chocolate—have a tendency to develop food allergies. In a recent study of 30,000 dogs, the following were among the most likely to develop allergies: Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, English Setters, Irish Setters, Boston Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Fox Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, and Wheaton Terriers. In addition, Bulldogs, Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Collies, Dachshunds, Dalmatians, Lhasa Apso, Miniature Schnauzers, Pugs, and Shar Peis are prone to allergies.
Young and middle-aged pets have the greatest problem with allergies, and senior pets, the least. In senior pets, white blood cells are less efficient at storing and releasing histamine so that histamine-mediated allergic reactions decrease with age.
Do Cats Have Allergies?
Yes. Cats are prone to allergies but we have not clearly identified which breeds have the most significant problems; however, many suspect Siamese breeds lead the list.