Allergic reactions in pets can range from a mild, single event, to a lifetime of chronic allergies that worsen over time. While chronic allergies to environmental or food triggers are serious issues that pet owners should know about, in this blog post, our All Breed Pet Care team is focusing on acute allergic reactions. So, if your pet is stung by a bee or suffers a severe reaction to a medication, you’ll know what to do. 

What is an allergic reaction in pets?

The immune system’s job is to protect the body from foreign invaders, like bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. However, the immune system can sometimes over-perform by attempting to fend off harmless irritants, such as food proteins, vaccines, and insect bites. When the immune system overreacts to a trigger, an allergic reaction results. Allergic reactions can vary greatly in chronicity and severity, although they typically worsen with repeated allergen exposure.

What causes acute allergic reactions in pets?

Acute allergic reactions typically develop soon after your pet contacts the instigating allergen. Severe (i.e., anaphylactic) reactions can be seen only minutes after exposure. 

While recognizing your pet’s allergic reaction is simple, you may not know the cause, which is necessary to determine treatment. To identify the inciting allergen, consider whether your pet was exposed to one of these common triggers:

  • Insect bites and stings
  • Medications
  • Vaccines
  • Topical flea and tick preventives
  • Chemicals (e.g., cleaning products, perfumes, insecticides)
  • Pollens
  • Plastic, nylon, and other synthetic materials
  • Food proteins (e.g., chicken, lamb, beef, dairy, soy)

How will I know if my pet is having an allergic reaction?

An initial allergic reaction may be mild, but subsequent reactions often are more intense. If your pet is having an acute allergic reaction, you may notice:

  • Intense itching (i.e., pruritus)
  • Red, inflamed skin
  • Restlessness
  • Facial swelling of the muzzle, ears, or eyelids
  • Localized swelling
  • Hives
  • Excessive drooling
  • Tearing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Difficulty breathing (e.g., gasping, wheezing, heavy panting)
  • Blue or purple gums and tongue
  • Incoordination
  • Shock

Anaphylactic reactions can develop almost immediately after exposure to the offending allergen, and cause vomiting, diarrhea, pale gums, and collapse. Anaphylaxis is severe and requires emergency veterinary care to prevent seizures, coma, and death.

How can I help my pet during an allergic reaction?

If your pet is having an allergic reaction, immediate treatment can halt the reaction’s progress. Follow these four treatment steps:

  1. Remove the offending allergen — If you know what triggered your pet’s allergic reaction, remove the culprit. You may need to scrape out a bee stinger, wash your pet in Dawn dish soap to strip off a chemical, or induce vomiting to eradicate an allergenic food or oral medication (never induce vomiting without consulting your veterinarian).
  2. Administer medications, if needed — If your pet has had allergic reactions in the past, you likely administered medication to alleviate their signs. Antihistamines, like diphenhydramine (i.e., Benadryl), and cortisone ointments may effectively reduce itching and skin irritation, but you should consult with our Dr. Rege before medicating your pet to verify the correct dosage and ensure no unwanted side effects will occur.
  3. Stay calm and monitor your pet — Although watching your pet have an allergic reaction is frightening, staying calm will serve you both well. Your pet can easily pick up on your emotions, so maintain a cool head while monitoring their vital signs.
  4. Prepare for an emergency — Being prepared for a potential anaphylactic reaction can save precious minutes during a severe immune response. If your pet develops breathing problems, significant swelling, gum color changes, gastrointestinal (GI) issues, or convulsions, head to All Breed Pet Care or the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

How can I prevent my pet from future allergic reactions?

To prevent allergic reactions in your pet, you must eliminate their exposure to allergens. If your pet has a food allergy, for example, you can eliminate the offending ingredient from their diet. Vaccine reactions can be thwarted with injectable diphenhydramine prior to administration. Allergenic medications can be avoided, while appropriate parasite preventive administration can prevent reactions. Preventing allergic reactions to environmental triggers is more difficult, but do your best to keep your furry pal away from biting and stinging insects, or from walking through grass treated with chemicals.

Witnessing your pet’s acute allergic reaction can be scary, but you must stay calm and get them help. If your furry pal is itching excessively, or developing hives, facial swelling, or breathing difficulties, contact our All Breed Pet Care team immediately.