Allergies in Dogs: Symptoms, Causes & How To Treat Them

Dogs, like humans, can suffer from allergies and allergic reactions — and at times, these problems may prove costly. Still, you don’t have to stress. Once you understand the causes of allergies in dogs and how to treat them, your best pal could get back to living a happy and healthy life, and dog insurance can be there to help.

MetLife Pet Insurance can help cover vet visits and treatment costs for dog allergies. Get a free quote today.

What Is an Allergic Reaction in Dogs?

An allergic reaction is an overreaction of a dog’s immune system when it responds to things — e.g., pollen, dust, or certain foods — it identifies as foreign substances. The allergic reaction is the dog’s body’s attempt to fight these substances.¹

What Causes Allergies in Dogs?

The substances that trigger an allergic reaction are referred to as allergens. While there are many different types of allergens, some of the more common ones that affect dogs tend to be environmental allergens, food allergens, and flea allergens.¹

Environmental allergens

Environmental allergies in dogs can come from both natural and artificial sources. Some of the most common include:¹

• Seasonal allergens: These are naturally occurring allergens — like pollen, mold, grass, dirt, and plants — that tend to grow or appear at certain times of the year.
• Other animals: Your dog can have an allergic reaction to other animals.²
• Smoke: Be it from cooking or things like cigarettes or cigars, your dog may have an allergy to almost any type of smoke.²
• Chemicals: Dogs may be allergic to cleaning products, strong soaps, perfumes, and shampoos. Your dog may also have a reaction to the plastics found in some food bowls.²

Food allergens

One or more ingredients in your dog’s food may cause a food allergy. Some common ingredients that may trigger an allergic response include chicken, beef, lamb, and wheat.¹ Food allergies don’t always occur right away. Your dog may develop an allergy to a type of food even after they’ve eaten it for years.

Flea allergens

While flea bites can be annoying by themselves, they may also cause your dog to experience flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) — an allergic reaction to the flea saliva spread by the bite.³

Common Dog Breeds With Allergies Per MetLife Pet Data

We did a deep dive into our claims data to see which dog breeds tend to have a lot of allergy-related claims:⁴

1. German shepherds
2. French bulldogs
3. English bulldogs
4. Golden retrievers
5. Labrador retrievers
6. Goldendoodles
7. Pit bulls
8. Dachshunds
9. Boxers
10. Australian shepherds

Other breeds that may be more susceptible to allergies include various terriers, Shih tzus, and Lhasa apsos.¹

A pet insurance policy may be especially worth it for families with these 12 dog breeds.

Breeds with the most food allergy claims with MetLife Pet

French bulldogs, German shepherds, and golden retrievers rank among the breeds with the highest number of MetLife Pet Insurance claims for food allergies. Among the most frequent types of claims for food allergies are exam fees and prescription food costs.⁴

One claim we paid was for Carter, a golden retriever from Missouri who developed a food allergy and needed a vet visit. His policy covered $195 of his $215 exam cost, and almost $110 of his $120 prescription food bill.⁵

Breeds with the most environmental allergy claims with MetLife Pet

When it comes to environmental allergies, French bulldogs, golden retrievers, German shepherds and members of the labrador family tended to have the most claims. Exam fees are among the most commonly filed environmental allergy claims, along with prescription medication claims.⁴

Luckily, we were able to reimburse many of our pet families for these claims. For example, Alice, a French bulldog from California, received a nearly $475 environmental allergy bill, and her MetLife Pet plan covered the full cost of her claim.⁶

Breeds with the most flea allergy claims with MetLife Pet

While flea allergy dermatitis is common among many breeds, labradors, French bulldogs, German shepherds, pit bulls, and shih tzus had a notable number of claims, according to our data. Exam fees and prescription costs made up a large segment of flea allergy claims.⁴

One flea allergy claim we handled was for Pepper, a Florida pit bull, who needed a FAD exam and prescription. His family was billed $145, but we were able to reimburse $130 of that cost.⁷

Allergies in Dogs Symptoms

Allergic reactions in dogs can take different forms, produce various symptoms, and affect your dog in different ways. Some of the more common allergy symptoms include the following.

Skin reactions

Skin allergies — like atopic dermatitis (atopy) — are often some of the most common allergies seen in dogs. The typical symptom is itchy skin. However, your dog may also develop hives, bumps, rashes, skin swelling, and hair loss.¹ They may also scratch and lick affected areas repeatedly until they develop hot spots — warm, moist patches of skin that can cause great discomfort.¹ A vicious cycle may develop from repeated scratching and licking, which may lead to skin infections and other problems.

Ear, nose, throat, and respiratory symptoms

Dogs may react to inhaled particles like dust and pollen, leading to symptoms like red, itchy, puffy, or watery eyes, wheezing, and coughing. They may also show signs of nasal irritation like runny noses, sneezing, or reverse sneezing.^1,2

Digestive symptoms

Other possible symptoms of allergic reactions in dogs include gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea or vomiting.¹

Anaphylactic reactions

Anaphylactic reactions aren’t common in dogs. However, if they do occur, they can be severe. These allergic reactions may come from bee or wasp stings, or an adverse reaction to a new medication or vaccine. However, they don’t often arise from seasonal allergies, food, or flea bites. Symptoms of anaphylactic reactions may include facial swelling, sudden vomiting or diarrhea, difficulty breathing, collapse, or death.¹

How To Treat Dog Allergies

If your dog suffers from allergies, there may be treatment options available, including medications, immunotherapy, and dietary changes.

Medications for allergies in dogs

If you suspect environmental or food allergies in your dog, try to reduce your dog’s exposure to the allergens. If it isn’t possible to keep your dog away from an environmental allergen, your veterinarian may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines, like Benadryl, to help make your dog’s life a little easier. They may also prescribe topical steroids, like hydrocortisone, to help relieve hot spots, itching, and other skin problems. Other anti-itch treatments, such as Apoquel^Ⓡ or Cytopoint^Ⓡ, may help too. Some dogs may need antibiotics to prevent secondary infection from a skin reaction.³

Immunotherapy

Your vet may recommend immunotherapy for certain dog allergies.^1,8 Immunotherapy introduces small amounts of an allergen to your dog’s body and gradually increases the dose over time, allowing them to build up a resistance.⁸ Once your vet identifies the type(s) of allergens affecting your dog, they may recommend under-the-skin injections — better known as allergy shots — or under-the-tongue drops as immunotherapy. It can take at least a year to determine if the treatment is effective.⁸

Elimination diets

If you’re concerned your dog may be allergic to an ingredient in their food, talk to your vet. Depending on the severity of your dog’s response, the vet may recommend an elimination diet.

With an elimination diet, you may need to feed your dog a prescription diet that includes novel proteins — meaning ones they haven’t had before, like sweet potatoes or duck meat — for a few months. Doing so will remove the dog’s normal food source, and may help pinpoint the source of the allergen within their previous diet.^9,10 From there, your vet may be able to recommend a hypoallergenic diet, or a different food brand that eliminates ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction.¹

How Much Do Dog Allergy Treatments and Testing Cost?

When considering the costs of dog allergies, both the cost of testing and treatment may come into play. To test a dog for allergies, your vet may recommend skin or blood tests that can show what substances your dog may be reacting to. Dog allergy testing costs can cost $200 or more, depending on factors like where you live and the number of tests needed.¹⁰

The cost of dog allergy treatments may also vary depending on factors like location, the size of your dog, and how often they need the medication. However, if you have dog insurance from MetLife Pet, your plan may help cover these costs.

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help Cover Dog Allergies

Allergies can be an expensive lifelong medical cost for dogs. The good news? MetLife Pet Insurance can help cover allergy testing and treatment over the course of your dog's life, making a pet insurance policy potentially worth it for a lot of families. Beyond allergy costs, it can help reimburse vet bills for illnesses, surgeries, emergency vet visits, dental care, and more.

Learn more about the cost of pet insurance, or get your free, personalized quote today.