• In hives, small bumps occur within the skin. The hair will often stand up over these swellings. Sometimes, they itch.
• In angioedema, you will see swelling of the face, especially the muzzle and around the eyes. Sometimes, the swelling is so severe, the dog cannot open his eyes.

Most often, these types of allergic reactions are not life-threatening and will go away by themselves. Rarely, the swelling in angioedema can affect the throat and make breathing difficult. Antihistamines are generally the best treatment for angioedema and hives. If severe, steroids are sometimes given.

If your dog has hives or a swollen face, contact your veterinarian right away. A more severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, is life-threatening, and requires immediate veterinary attention.

Allergic Reaction to a Vaccine

If your poodle has ever had a reaction to a vaccine your veterinarian will probably administer an antihistamine prior to future vaccinations and have your dog remain in the office after the vaccination, in cause your pet has a reaction. In some cases, certain vaccines may be excluded from your dog’s vaccination regimen, or a different type of vaccine will be used.

If a dog has already had an allergic reaction to a vaccine or medication, be sure your current veterinarian knows and the information is placed in your dog’s medical record.

Allergic Reaction to a Insect Bite

If your dog has developed hives or a swollen face from an insect bite, you may want to discuss various options with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may give you a prescription for an ‘epi-pen.’ An ‘epi-pen’ is a special syringe and needle filled with a single dose of epinephrine.

If your pet has an anaphylactic reaction or severe angioedema, inject the epinephrine using the ‘epi-pen’ and seek emergency veterinary assistance immediately. Be sure to take the ‘epi-pen’ with you on any trips or hikes.

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The most common type of allergy in dogs is flea allergy. Flea allergy is also the easiest to control. Use a topical flea preventive that repels and kills fleas before they bite the allergic pet. Just because a pet is kept indoors doesn’t mean it can’t have fleas. Just a single flea bite can cause an allergic pet to itch severely for days. The offending allergen is actually the protein in flea saliva left in the skin after a fleabite.

The second most common type of allergy that can affect your poodle is Atopic or inhalant allergy. Inhalant allergy is from breathing in or coming into contact with grasses, pollens, mold spores and dust. Many atopic allergies start out as a seasonal problem. A classic symptom of Atopic allergy is licking and chewing the feet. Ear infection is also common.

Food allergies are the third most common type of allergy in dogs. Food ingredients most likely to trigger allergies are beef, soy, chicken, milk, corn, wheat and eggs. To test for food allergies, the pet is put on an eliminations diet for at least 10 weeks, which means it is fed a food that the pet has never eaten before, such as duck, venison and potatoes. If the dog’s itching subsides by at least half, the allergen is considered to be one or more food ingredients.

There are two types of Contact Dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis.

1. Allergic Contact Dermatitis is rare, and occurs when an animal’s skin overreacts to certain substances in the environment. Substances, which can cause allergic contact dermatitis include certain antibiotics applied to the skin; metals such as nickel; materials such as rubber or wool; and chemicals such as dyes and carpet deodorizers.
2. Irritant Contact Dermatitis occurs when the skin is exposed to severely irritating chemicals such as the sap in poison ivy and salt on the road. Lesions generally occur on the areas of skin that are sparsely haired and directly exposed to the offending irritant. This often means the back of the paws, abdomen, muzzle, and lips. The affected areas are very red, have small bumps or vesicles (blister-like lesions), and itch.

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