From the time you got your Golden Retriever, you have loved the golden hair of your dog. But you don't love it falling all over your car, furniture, foods or clothes, right? And having to ask the veterinarian about the persistent itching and biting problem is not a very uncommon problem for Golden Retriever owners. There may be a wide variety of reasons including infection, parasitical intervention and allergies. Primarily there are four major forms of Golden Retriever allergies. These are flea allergies, atopy, food allergies and contact allergies.
Flea allergies or skin inflammation may occur from flea saliva. The most common symptom of flea allergies is the formation of papule, a small red growth. This, in time, may change into a crusty patch if left untreated. Lower back, back legs, hind legs, upper thighs and belly areas are the most affected body areas. In addition, the dog experiences an extreme feeling of itching and scratching. If these symptoms occur, you can suspect Golden Retriever allergies.
Golden Retriever allergies for flea reaction are most commonly identified when the affected areas of the dog become hairless, the skin becomes thick and the color changes into a dark shade. If the Golden Retriever is allergic to flea bites, only one or two bites can make things worse. The only available and effective treatment of flea infection includes controlling flea inhabitants, both on the dog as well as in the external environment. Thanks to the advancement of medical science, many products have been formulated which can effectively combat against flea allergies and reduce the incidence.
Atopy occurs as a result of inhalation or absorption of harmful chemicals or substances from the environment. When it occurs, different areas of the dog's body including groin, feet, underarm and face get affected. Common symptoms may include itching and scratching, redness, rawness, skin thickening and crusting. The infection may spread to ear also. Fungal spores, pollen, cat dander, weeds and grasses are the most common factors for atopy. Antihistamines, antibiotics, cortisone, shampooing and spraying are common modes of treatment.
Like any other dog, the Golden Retriever is not free from food allergies. Symptoms of food allergies roughly resemble the symptoms of atopy, although there are a lot of differences in the root of the problem. Dairy, soy beef, wheat and some poultry products may contribute to food allergy for some dogs including the Golden Retriever.
In order to diagnose whether your dog has food allergies or not, you need to change the diet completely. Feed the dog with an alternative diet that contains sufficient among of nutrients. It needs to be continued for at least eight weeks without interruption. Meanwhile you need to observe whether there is any significant reduction in allergic symptoms.
Contact allergy is the least common of all Golden Retriever allergies. This is mainly because the dog has protective layer of hair all over the body. But when the dog is suffering from any other form of allergy, like a flea allergy, it looses hair from the affected region.
In such cases, the dog becomes highly susceptible to contact allergies. This may occur in specific areas such as beneath the paw, underarms and belly. Polishes, carpet washing chemicals, grasses, waxes and pollens may cause contact allergies in your Golden Retriever.
