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Allergy Info, News & Reviews

October 2008

Dog Food Allergies: Saving Your Pet From Discomforts

Are you fond of sharing your food with your dog? According to experts, giving your dog some of your food may not be a good idea. Some of the tasty food that we like to eat and even those dog food that we often buy in the market could cause a lot of miseries to our pets.

In fact, dog food allergies have been tagged as one of the leading cause while many dogs get sick every year. If your dog happens to be one of those breeds that are sensitive to food, you need to be extra careful when giving him or her any times of food. Dog food allergies can bring about some complications that could be very harmful to your pet.

Preventing Dog Food Allergies

Almost all types of dog food allergies can be easily prevented by proper care. Different dogs may be different allergy triggers so be sure that you know what types of foods could cause dog food allergies in your pet. You can easily determine the types of food that are harmful to your per through a process of elimination.

If you have been giving your dog a specific brand of food for sometime and you noticed that your dog keeps scratching itself even when it does not have any pest infestations, there is a big probability that your dog is having some kind of allergic reaction to the food. Try to stop giving your dog that same kind of food and see what happens. If your dog stops scratching itself after a few days, then do not give attempt to give it that brand of dog food anymore.

When trying to find out what triggers dog food allergies in your pet, you should keep a record of your findings. List down all the types of foods that does not cause any allergic reactions from your dog as well as those types of foods that caused some allergic reactions.

If you happen to have somebody who takes care of your dog while you are away, make sure that your dog caretaker knows that your pet has dog food allergies and what are the types of foods that triggers the allergic reaction. In case you have to go away on a trip for a couple of day, give a list of things that could trigger dog food allergies in your pet to your caretaker along with the name, telephone number and address of your vet. Instruct the caretaker to take the dog to the vet immediately if he or she notices that the dog is not feeling so well.

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Living With A Dog And Dog Allergies

Having dog allergies can be a difficult thing to deal with. Many people live with dog allergies for years suffering and then when they finally get diagnosed with the allergy they have to decide what to do with a beloved pet dog. Most people will opt to continue suffering with the allergy rather that to get rid of their pet. Finding ways to alleviate the symptoms of dog allergies and to reduce the effects of the allergies will make living with dog allergies easier.

Decreasing The Dog Allergy Symptoms

There are some steps that can be taken that will help any dog owner reduce the problem of dog allergies. Some of these steps will require a diligent effort on the part of the dog owner but will be worth it to help with the allergies and allowing the pet to remain in the home. The first thing is to keep the dog clean and groomed. Frequent bathing will reduce the amount of pet dander on the dog and in the air. A pet can be bathed once a week without any harm and sometimes even more frequent bathing may be helpful and necessary.

Another step to help alleviate dog allergies is to keep the home and dog areas extremely clean. A vacuum with allergy filtration will help immensely and keeping dust and dog hair cleaned up will be very beneficial. It is a good idea to keep the dog out of the bedroom areas but if they are in frequently in these rooms the bedding should be washed with increased frequency.

Purchasing a HEPA filtration system for the home is a great idea for someone with dog allergies. These units are easily found at many department and home improvement stores. They will run continuously removing dust and allergens from the air. The owner will need to make sure they change any filters and clean the units as recommended by the manufacturer. These units will require a small financial investment but will make a big difference. The systems come in various sizes for the treatment of a single room or for several rooms.

One last step worth mentioning in treating dog allergies is for the person to see an allergist. There are many medications and allergy shots which can help most people’s allergies to be manageable. The allergist will be able to recommend the best measures to be taken by the patient. If a person follows the advice of their allergist and uses the steps mentioned above living with a dog and dog allergies should be bearable.

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What Are Common Food Allergies?

It is amazing to think that the food that nourishes us can also cause severe allergic reactions in many people. There are quite a few common food allergies that are sometimes surprising to people.

Common Food Allergies That Affect Many People

In our daily lives we encounter allergens that cause us to sneeze, have itchy eyes or even get the hives. Often these symptoms are attributed to outside environmental agents, like dust, weeds or animals. It is surprising to discover how many common food allergies there are.

In recent years there seems to be more and more children that have a peanut allergy. Some people have such an adverse reaction, that even if a third party has touched a peanut or peanut product, and then touch them; they can go into anaphylaxis shock. Needing immediate medical care and an epinephrine shot to counter the reaction.

There seems to be about eight common food allergies found. These foods include peanuts, milk, eggs, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and fish and shell fish. Each of these common food allergies can be life threatening if not treated immediately. In addition, there are also people with allergies to fruits, vegetables and even seeds. Some of these common food allergies are seen most often in children.

Many times, they will outgrow these allergies. The common food allergies that can be outgrown involve, milk, eggs, soy and wheat. There is no guarantee however, that these common food allergies will be a childhood problem that will not persist into adulthood. Unfortunately, peanuts, tree nuts and fish allergies seem to be life long problems; and, shellfish allergies generally occur in adulthood.

How To Discover If You Have A Common Food Allergy

Sometimes it is very apparent that a common food allergy is present. An instant reaction like vomiting, diarrhea, rashes or anaphylaxis is a red flag that this is a problem food. Keeping track of what children eat when they are young, helps to discover any common food allergies. If food allergies are suspected, a board-certified allergist should be consulted. Often, they will require a food diary to be kept; and then, reviewed to discover if there is a pattern. There are several more tests, including a skin-prick test and a RAST test, (which is a blood test), that can help to discover which foods a patient is allergic too.

Learning to live with common food allergies can be a challenge. It is important to always discover what ingredients are in foods, especially when eating out. Notifying friends of the allergies can help insure that foods that cause a reaction will not be used at gatherings. Many people have common food allergies, it’s important to be aware of these so that serious reactions can be avoided.

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Cilantro Allergies: Hard To Diagnose

People who discover they have cilantro allergies may be surprised to discover that such a small herb can have such a huge impact. Cilantro itself is the leaf part of the plant known as Coriander. This plant is included in the parsley family; and, it is also known as Chinese parsley. Historically, cilantro was one of the first cultivated plants grown in North America. It is also mentioned in the Medical Papyrus of Thebes that was written in 1552 B.C. This is a popular additive to many different types of foods, from Mexican, Indian, to Asian and TexMex. People with cilantro allergies have to be vigilant on what is in their food.

Discovering The Cilantro Allergies Connection

Since cilantro is included in many recipes, it can be difficult to discover what exactly is causing an allergic reaction. Like other food allergy sufferers, people with cilantro allergies have a diverse reaction to this herb. People with cilantro allergies may discover that when they eat this they break out in hives, vomit, and have a tingling of the tongue sensation or stomach cramps and even diarrhea. In the most extreme cases, people with cilantro allergies can experience breathing difficulties, including an asthma attack or even anaphylaxis shock. If this occurs medical intervention is needed immediately and people with cilantro allergies may need an epinephrine shot to reverse the reaction.

 

When investigating what has caused any type of reaction to a food, a food diary may be the best place to start. Document what has been eaten and the reaction to the food. Getting a clearer picture of what foods seem to bring on food allergy symptoms can begin to narrow the field of possible allergens down. People with cilantro allergies may have a more difficult time with this process, as cilantro is added into so many foods. In the end, people with cilantro allergies may need to see a board certified allergist in order to get a skin-prick test done to really confirm this allergy.

Living with Cilantro Allergies

Having a cilantro allergy is challenging, but can be dealt with. Again, people with cilantro allergies need to be aware of what is in the foods they are eating. Going out to eat may require a phone call ahead of time to discover what foods contain cilantro. Since it is very popular in Mexican, TexMex, Indian and Asian foods, these may be restaurants that need to be avoided. People with cilantro allergies can control their environment at home to avoid cilantro. Anyone with allergies can expect to be more aware of what they are eating; but, this allergy can be controlled.

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