Protect your dog against fleas and allergies

Dogs just like us, are susceptible to illnesses, sickness and different health conditions. As a dog owner, you should not take for granted that the yearly visit to the vet will cure every problem your dog has. Learn about the most common symptoms and conditions.

When you dog is having allergies or feeling sick, it can't simply go to the pharmacy and get some anti-histamine or other medicine. Dogs have to rely on their owner. It is why it is the owner responsibility not to ignore that their animal can also suffer from various health conditions. While many diseases or conditions are exclusive to the dog, some diseases have been shown to be identical to that of their owners. As a dog owner, you should bring your dog to the vet for periodical health check. But sometimes it can be more efficient (and less costly!) to learn the symptoms of the most common problems and treat your dog yourself. Here are some of the most common health diseases in dogs.


First, dogs can often be infected with fleas. Canine fleas and ticks have become a very common thing in dogs. This can happen to any dog, whether they are well groomed or not. In order to protect your dog (and yourself) against fleas, learn more how fleas live and how they are transmitted.

Fleas are small insects that will feed on animals just like mosquitoes. A flea bite measures about 3 millimeters diameter. Fleas are extremly resistant and your dog can get them at any time during the year. While mosquitoes are mostly non-existent during the cold seasons, fleas can adapt to all climates. Indeed, up to seventy percent of fleas can live without a living host in a humid and hot environment but a tiny percentage (10 percent) can also live during the snowy months or when it's hot and dry. Fortunately, they have a tough time living in high altitudes.
?br />Having fleas are not only an annoyance causing some itching and scratching. There are other health problems than the discomfort associated to a flea infestation. First, some animals have flea allergies. In fact one single bite of a flea may lead to allergies with unendurable itching. In worst cases, the cycle of itching and scratching causes thickening of the skin and loss of hair. The lesions caused by the dog excessive scratching of the skin become also more susceptible to infections. Other major health issues linked to flea infestations are that they can become harmful if they become carriers of parasites and or diseases like Yersinia pestis, which cause the plague.

A second easy to treat condition is allergies. As in for us, the occurence of allergies in pets is increasing. Allergies can be described as the hypersentivity of the pet to a particular substance. The substance that provokes that allergic reaction is called allergens.

Instead of producing a runny nose and a sore throat, they cause itchy skin, and, with prolonged scratching, the eruption of pustules which can become infected. Moreover, allergies can create stomach and intestinal problems, which can include vomiting and diarrhea, and are often accompanied by ear infections.

Canine allergies can be separated into three main types: flea allergic dermatitis, atopic allergy, and food allergy. Some pets can be affected by more than one allergy. So it is important as a dog owner to recognize canine allergy symptoms, then provide your dog the necessary treatments or changes, such as getting rid of the fleas, changing the pet's diet, giving some anti-histamines or consulting with the vet.

A growing dog makes the owner happy. There are many other health problems such as dental health. This is why you should educate yourself about health problems in dogs. Have your dog checked for health issues and don't forget to provide your dog with quality food, good exercise but especially some affection.