Picture taken from from www.all-about-bichon-frises.com
From the desk of Sharda Baker.
Thursday, February 06, 2014
Hi and welcome everyone!
This is Sharda with another Bichon Frise newsletter for you.
Today we will be discussing one of the most common conditions that your Bichon Frise may encounter which is DOG SKIN ALLERGIES.
Although dogs from different breed can also be affected with dog skin allergies, the Bichon Frise is one of the dog breeds that are commonly affected by this condition.
So, let’s begin…
BICHON FRISE SKIN ALLERGIES
Any breed of dog can have dog skin allergies, but typically, in breeds that are white in coloration the condition is much more prevalent, possibly indicating a strong genetic component.
Typically items that cause dog skin allergies in the Bichon Frise are either contact related such as foods and items your dog may come into contact with such as cleaning compounds, perfumes, fabric treatments, preservatives or ingredients in food, or inhalants or air-borne allergens such as mould, pollen, dust and even chemicals in the air.
The signs that your dog may be having an allergic reaction include:
Licking and biting, especially at the feet
Rubbing of the face, ears and eyes
Chewing at the body
Hot spots caused by infections or bacterial grows at various spots on the body
Coughing and sneezing
Excessive tearing
Lack of energy
Each one of these symptoms, or even several in combination, can also be part of other conditions, so it is very important to have your vet check out the dog completely to rule out any possible other health conditions.
Often, dog skin allergies will become worse if the Bichon Frise is unhealthy or may have another condition.
There are specific test that the vet can complete to check for types of allergens that may be problematic for your Bichon Frise.
Even with the tests, it is still important to start a good allergy management problem to minimize the impact of allergens when the dog comes into contact.
For some allergens, especially the air-borne variety, it will be almost impossible to completely restrict your dog from coming into contact with these particles.
Most dog skin allergies are caused by gluten and any other grain related products. So it’s suggested that you avoid dog foods that contain this ingredient.
I don’t want to bore you with a super long newsletter so let’s stop there for now.
But don’t worry we will continue talking about Bichon Frise dog skin allergies in our next newsletter.
I hope you learned a lot of things in this newsletter.
All the best and take care
Warmly,
Sharda Baker