Pet The World

Scratching is a very common symptom in dogs, and you as an owner should aim to nip it in the bud early before self trauma causes secondary injuries to your dog. However, before wondering whether your dog could have an allergy, you must rule out the common parasitic (fleas and mites), bacterial (hot spots) and fungal (ringworm and yeast) infections. See my article Is your Dog Scratching to explore these in greater detail.

Just as allergies have become more common in children these days compared to several generations ago, veterinarians are seeing far more allergies in pets too. It is difficult to explain this phenomenon, theories range from alterations in the content of pet foods to the use of modern day household cleaning products or simply genetic evolution. One thing is certain, whatever the cause, allergic dogs benefit hugely from avoiding the offending allergen or, if that is impossible, appropriate treatment to minimize the itchiness.

Lets start with the presenting signs of an allergy in dogs. Itchiness can manifest itself not only as obvious scratching at the neck and flanks, but also as face rubbing, foot licking or chewing and over grooming. Foot licking, for example, is often perceived by owners as normal, when in fact the dog is responding to itchy feet in the only way it can, by licking them. The skin between the toes may turn red and sore due to the compulsive licking, and in white dogs such as West Highland White Terriers and Bichon Frises, the fur is stained brown by saliva.

Ear infections are another common sign of an underlying allergy. Though general waxiness, hair in the ear canals, lack of ventilation, bacteria and yeast may trigger the infection, an underlying allergy is often the root cause of the itchiness. If your dog gets recurrent ear infections, by eliminating an underlying allergy you may prevent your dog from going over the itchiness threshold and developing full blown ear infections.

So, what are the common allergies in dogs?

For convenience they are best separated into 4 categories.

1) Flea bite hypersensitivity
2) Adverse food reaction
3) Atopic dermatitis
4) Contact dermatitis

Flea bite hypersensitivity is relatively straight forward to cure. It is a simple case of eliminating every single flea on the dog and, crucially, in his/her environment. The itchiness is caused by an allergic reaction to the flea saliva, and so even a solitary flea can trigger a scratching frenzy. To rule out flea bite hypersensitivity, all animals in the house (dogs and cats) should be treated with a reputable veterinary spot on medication monthly without fail, and the house should be thoroughly sprayed with an insecticidal spray.

Adverse food reactions are more difficult to treat as it can be difficult to isolate the precise ingredient responsible for causing itchiness in your dog. Not only that, treating adverse food reactions requires owners to be exceptionally disciplined and motivated in preventing their pet having even a single treat unless the exact ingredients are known to be safe.

There are two ways of diagnosing an adverse food reaction (also known as a food allergy). For those readers for whom cost is not an issue, a blood test can be done to measure for ingredient specific antibodies in the bloodstream. The blood test is quite costly, and if combined with a blood test for environmental allergens is usually upwards of $400 (?200). The company performing the blood test then provides a list of ingredients (chicken, beef, pork, rice, wheat etc) and a score next to them, suggesting which ingredients are best avoided. The owner then picks a commercial diet which does not include any of these ingredients, or indeed a special home cooked diet. The second way to diagnose an adverse food reaction is to conduct a dietary trial. This involves picking a very bland hypoallergenic diet and feeding your dog exclusively that for at least a month, preferably 6 weeks. The author usually suggests turkey and rice, as less dogs are allergic to turkey than chicken. Of course if your dog happened to be allergic to rice or turkey, which is rare but nevertheless possible, you would be none the wiser as the itchiness would continue and you would assume you had ruled out a food allergy having done the turkey and rice dietary trial. Remember if you are doing one of these trials, then your dog must not be given any treats, especially not pigs ears, chews, boneos, dental sticks or any rawhide products. Literally nothing must be swallowed other than turkey and rice (and water!) for the entire trial period.

If you have ruled out flea bite hypersensitivity and ruled out an adverse food reaction, the next step is to consider an environmental allergy, also known as atopic dermatitis. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis usually begin between 1 and 3 years of age, though any age is possible. The itchiness is often seasonal, which is consistent with a pollen allergy, though some dogs are itchy all year round. There are certain breeds which are predisposed to this condition: Boxers, Bull Terriers, Dalmations, English Bulldogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Shar Peis, Shih Tzus and West Highland White Terriers being the most commonly affected. Diagnosis is usually made based on the history and ruling out all the other causes of itchiness, and many vets will treat the condition on these presumptions. However, definitive diagnosis can be achieved via a panel of injections into a patch of skin, or blood tests. Neither of these are particularly effective and generally not performed unless the owner is prepared to attempt a desensitization programme. This involves a long term course of injections given by your vet on, say, a monthly basis to desensitize your dog to the offending allergen, and so make the allergic reaction much smaller when he/she does come into contact with it.

Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction caused by your dog coming into contact with a chemical that is an irritant. It therefore only tends to affect the stomach, groin and feet of the dog, and is characterized by reddening and drying of the skin in these areas. It can also be seen when owners shampoo their dogs with a product that is not intended for use in dogs. Contact dermatitis is rare, but easily ruled out by careful use of cleaning products around the household. Just think, did the itchiness coincide with the introduction of a new carpet cleaner, washing powder or fabric softener?

By far the best treatment for any allergy is avoidance of the cause. By careful investigation and following the steps above this is often possible, especially for flea bite hypersensitivity, adverse food reactions and contact dermatitis. If avoidance is impossible though, as is the case for many cases of atopic dermatitis, then seasonal or lifelong treatment may be indicated. Steroids are very effective at stopping itchiness caused by allergies, but long term use can lead to undesirable side effects, such as adrenal gland disease. Long term steroid use should only be used as a last resort, when other medications have been tried and failed. These other medications include antihistamines, essential fatty acids and medicated shampoos.

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Cat lovers the world over have become increasingly disillusioned with the pet food industry. Poor quality food masquerading as balanced diets and expensive brands promising superior nutrition, yet leaving out vital ingredients to provide yet another “solution” product, have lead many to see through the marketing doublespeak and realise that profit, not their pets good health, is the manufacturers main concern.

The exposure of certain manufacturers’ total disregard for the rights and dignity of companion animals in their testing facilities, has been highlighted by undercover investigations. These investigations have revealed the appalling conditions and ongoing unnecessary and cruel testing perpetrated in the name of science, but aimed at providing yet another marketing angle to sell their products.

John and Susan Mulder of Noordhoek decided to go against the grain and have formed Anges De Gardien Nutrition to manufacture and develop, truly balanced all-in-one feline nutritional products. A core policy is that no painful, inhumane or unnecessary animal testing be performed on any any of their food.

Following 9 months of extensive research and after consulting with veterinarians and one of South Africa’s leading animal scientists, they discovered that it was indeed possible to formulate a food that has all the ingredients to help with the prevention of the most commonly experienced ailments and problems in cats.

So what makes this new food so different?

Well, firstly you need to understand the approach taken by the various brands. The cheaper economy food manufacturers do their best to meet the minimum requirements laid down by law. This allows them to label their products in such a way that the consumer believes that they are getting a quality product for their pets.

The premium brands have gone the route of segmenting their products. This is done by age, breed or ailment. You, the consumer are therefore lead, through skilful advertising, to the conclusion that you require different foods on an ongoing basis.

This begs the question. If the premium food is advertised as balanced, then why do they leave out certain vital ingredients or allow higher than necessary levels of others, that result in your pet requiring a “special” advanced food to solve, for example, a hairball problem?

It came as no surprise, that it is quite possible to combine ingredients for hairballs, renal health, digestive tract health and cardiac and eye site health into one truly balanced diet. This leads us to the conclusion that the manufacturers either knowingly or unknowingly are damaging the health of our pets in the pursuit of greater profits.

The “Petit Anges Luxury Adult Feline Nutrition” is the first product available locally that includes all the ingredients necessary to achieve a truly balanced, all-in-one diet. It is unnecessary to purchase different foods to address common problems, especially if you have more than one cat.

As lifelong cat owners, John and Susan believe strongly in showing respect and care for their animals. We are all entrusted with the responsibility to look after our animals to the best of our ability. The best way to do this is to learn to read the labels on the products you purchase. If in doubt, consult you vet.

Susan also hopes to encourage the pet food industry to follow Anges De Gardien’s example by utilising more environmentally friendly packaging. She has gone to great lengths to ensure that all their packaging is made from at least 80% recycled material and that the inks used are lead free.

Find out more about our pet food and how it can help your cats and dogs live longer, healthier lives.
http://www.angesdegardiennutrition.com

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Zoonoses is the term applied to a grouping of diseases that are transferable from
canine/feline to human. Basically, these diseases fall into three groupings based on
their means of transmission. This also groups these, ideally, in the means of
treatment and control. The three groupings of diseases are as follows -diseases
spread through :1) urine or feces, 2) hair and skin contact, or 3) bites and scratches.

Zoonoses - Spread through Urine or Feces

Hookworms

Hookworms enter the German Shepherd’s body in the area that directly comes in
contact with the feces-contanimated soil. Seen more commonly in the South, these
parasites are unsuited to ideally live in human beings. Traditionally they die after
crawling several inches underneath the surface layer of the skin. Inflammation
usually occurs as a result of these parasites in humans and causes a condition called
“creeping eruption” which may last several weeks or months depending on its
severity.

Leptospirosis

German Shepherd’s may come in contact with this disease through swimming,
drinking, licking their fur, or by eating food contaminated with animal urine. Many
animals may carry this, though rats are most often the culprit.

This zoonoses symptom in humans include flu-like including chills, body aches,
vomiting, fever and headache. Sometimes kidney damage may occur or the
membranes covering the spinal cord or brain may become inflamed. This disease is
not usually fatal though it does make its host miserable for weeks at a time.

Roundworms

If these parasites are swallowed by humans they migrate into the body tissues and
may cause damage, including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can
last up to a year in length including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which
can last up to a year in length.

These parasites are most commonly found in small children (2-4 yrs. of age) who
mistakenly swallow the eggs and become infected. Children playing in an area in
which an animal has defecated in the past, who do not wash their hands after
coming in contact with the eggs and inadvertently sticks their hands into their
mouth are the most common receptors of roundworm. Only rarely fatal, the disease
is traditionally mild though it may be long lasting.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms can easily be ingested by any German Shepherd who swallows a flea
carrying the infected form when biting at or chewing their coat. Children may get it
virtually the same way- minus the coat chewing.

Tapeworm infestation in humans this way is actually quite rare when compared to
infestation from eating undercooked pork or beef.

Toxoplasmosis

Rarely this may cause death in humans since most people develop a resistance to it
during normal exposure. It can cause many types of birth deformities in children
born to mothers who have been infected for the first time without having developed
an immunity before becoming pregnant. Most commonly this is “picked up” through
contact with infected cat feces or in contact with contaminated soil.

Zoonoses - Prevention of Waste Transmitted Diseases

There are a few basic precautions everyone should take to prevent transmission of
any of the above mentioned diseases - zoonoses. First, clean up all pet droppings
and wash your hands each time you any come in contact with contaminated soil. It
is extremely important to teach children these steps. Also, if your German Shepherd
has gone wading or swimming in any water which may have become contaminated
with animal urine, bathe it at once when you return home.

Zoonoses - Spread through Skin/Hair Contact

Fleas

Fleas prefer feeding on your German Shepherd though they will not turn up the
chance of of making an occasional meal on humans as well.

Ringworm

Most commonly found in children (though anyone may be infected), this disease is
caused by a skin/hair eating fungus which first appears on people as a round, red,
scaly area. It grows outward in a circular formation and is the most common fungal
disease currently reported.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Tick borne, this disease or Zoonose can cause symptoms such as fever, chills and
headache though it is not usually fatal. Symptoms may last many weeks and it can
be treated with antibiotics.

Most commonly this disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Also,
you may become infected while pulling a tick off your German Shepherd. It is best to
wear gloves when removing ticks.

Scabies

The less commonly found version of mange (as opposed to the demodetic version),
this may still cause intense itching, irritation and thickening of the skin. Animal
mange may live in human skin though it cannot reproduce there. Humans have their
own version of the scabies mite.

Zoonoses - Prevention of Skin/Hair Contact Diseases

Overall, proper nutritional care and health of your German Shepherd is the best
defense against the chance of your dog harboring any of these diseases.

Frequent grooming and herbal repellents are good choices in combating most of
these diseases or Zoonoses before they become major. Stress, roaming and contact
with other dogs are the three most common points of transmission among the
previous diseases.

Wash your hands after dog contact and minimize contact with any infected pet until
the problem is cured.

Zoonoses - Diseases Caused by Bites and Scratches

Cat Scratch Fever

Some people will develop a fever, enlarged lymph nodes and malaise near the area
of a bite or scratch from a cat a few weeks after the occurrence. Though not fatal it
can be very uncomfortable and can be followed by complications. Infected cat bites
may become infected with an entirely different bacteria though the symptoms are
similar.

Probably best, is to thoroughly wash an area bitten or scratched by a cat and to
clean it liberally on a frequent basis to prevent, hopefully, infection.

Rabies

Virtually 100% fatal once the clinical symptoms appear, this disease is carried by a
virus transmitted through the saliva of an infected biting animal. Symptoms include
frothing at the mouth, extreme behavioral/personality changes and convulsions
which usually ends in the aggressive, staggering and bleary- eyed condition.

If you happen upon an animal showing any of these disease symptoms, get away
from it as quickly as possible and call your nearest animal control unit. If by chance
you are bitten, try to follow it to where it lives (if it is a stray) so that the proper
officials may capture it for testing. If you do kill it, do not injure the head as this will
be needed for verification. Also, if you are bitten by an animal exhibiting any of the
symptoms above, thoroughly wash out the wound as quickly as possible and contact
your personal physician immediately. Overall, your chances of getting rabies are
rare though you can never be over cautious.

Zoonoses - Prevention of Bite and Scratch Transmitted Diseases

Best advice, keep your German Shepherd in tip-top physical condition through
exercise and proper nutrition to reduce its chances of picking up any diseases or
parasites from less healthy animals. Also, try to minimize your pets contact with
wild animals or sick pets.

The author, a lifelong dog lover and German Shepherd owner, has been a
German Shepherd breeder for over to 15 years. For more information and
articles covering other German Shepherd related topics, feel free to visit:
total-german-shepherd.com

Interested in other purebred dog breeds? Visit: pedigreedpups.com

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