Fin soon after arrival

An allergy is the body’s immune system’s response to a common substance called an allergen.  These can be found in foods, tree, grass and flower pollen, mould, dust and mites.  These allergic responses can occur at any time – they can occur straight away, or it can be hours or even days before they show themselves.

Allergies can present in a number of ways:

Skin problems – itching, chewing, hot spots, rashes, constant licking, hair loss

Ear problems – soreness, itching, swelling

Digestive problems – diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight problems

Low energy levels and behavioural problems.

Fin looking good

When Fin came to us, he had all these problems except 1 – there was nothing wrong with his appetite!  In fact he always was very food orientated.  All the other symptoms, however, were there in abundance.

If you suspect that your pet has an allergy, I would recommend that you consult your vet immediately.  Allergy tests are expensive and only test for a limited number of allergies but if the allergens can be pinpointed it makes the job a whole lot easier.  Most allergy tests involve skin tests but  Sensitest which uses blood from the affected animal to test, thus causing the animal minimal discomfort, might be worth a try!

…  Anne