My dogs have allergies: itchy eyes, sneezing. How to diagnose and relieve?

The skin doesn't look too inflamed, but does appear more red than normal. Based on your description, I would also be very suspicious of allergies being the underlying problem of the skin flare-ups and recurrent ear infections. In these cases, allergy medication is very helpful. Candy's allergies seem relatively mild, so she may be well-controlled with an over-the-counter antihistamine medication. Your veterinarian should be able to prescribe you an antihistamine if they feel this is appropriate/safe for her. One other thing that should eventually be investigated is the cause of the allergies. Usually there is some environmental cause like pollens. Sometimes there are other causes. Your vet would be able to help you narrow-down the cause and provide options for allergy testing if needed/desired. I hope that helps and Candy gets better soon. Below are a couple of links to some useful information. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. It sounds like this possible infection may be significant though it is hard to tell without an examination. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Allergies are frustrating and unfortunately can often not be cured, thus they are a chronic management issues. There are 4 types of allergy; flea, food, inhaled (atopy), and contact. Dogs can have more than 1 type and allergy can change over time. The first step is figuring out what allergy a pet has, so it is a multi step approach. If food allergy, then a food trial. If atopy, then allergy testing. Secondary infections are also common, causing worsening itch, and requiring treatment. Unfortunately steroids help with itch but do not address the underlying issue. It sounds like you are frustrated which is understandable because allergy is frustrating. Most owners of pets with chronic allergies find it helpful to see a dermatologist for help with diagnosis and treatment approach. They are many new treatments available that may help. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If he scratches and is itchy year round, it could be a food allergy or an indoor allergen. Discuss desensitization injections (allergy shots), hydrolyzed diets, antihistamine use and food elimination trials with your veterinarian. https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-trials-for-allergies-in-pets-what-to-expect https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-is-a-novel-protein-pet-food/ https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies/

Unfortunately I cannot answer your question as personal medical advices on yourself should be ideally given by your local GP. They might be due to flea bites or acute skin allergy. Regarding Layla: this is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites, especially if no medications are working. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor guy. It sounds like Bruce has skin allergies. Allergic dermatitis can be caused by something in his food or the environment, or both. THe top food allergens are chicken, beef, turkey and lamb, so these protein sources should be avoided. Its best to go with novel proteins such as rabbit, duck, kangaroo, etc. Here is a website link that talks about skin allergies more in detail. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951973 I would then consider starting a food trial with him with prescription foods from your vet. However, since a food trial can take 2-3 months to show improvement its best to take him to your vet to start allergy medication (i.e. Apoquel, Cytopoint) to help calm his skin down immediately while we try to implement long term management treatments. My top hypoallergenic foods are Royal Canin Rabbit and Potato, Royal Canin ultamino and Hll's Z/D ultra. Best of luck with Bruce and his itchy skin and eyes! Take care.

As your vet said This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. It is very important anyway , in order to rule out skin parasites, to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Buster collar may be useful to avoid further scratching/rubbing. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.