Allergies that affect a Rottweiler

Just as humans suffer from allergies so do dogs. Rottweiler allergies include food allergens, flea allergies, bacterial allergens, contact allergens and atopy. All of these allergies have particular characteristics that you should be aware of in order to provide proper Rottweiler care to your dog.

The first is food that can affect Rottweiler allergies, this can be any type of food and you first need to determine what your dog is allergic to. A food allergy will likely cause your dog to scratch, chew or lick. There may be even more severe symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, eye and nose discharge, itching around the anus, hair loss, loss of appetite, pawing at their ears or head shaking, vomiting, diarrhea or breathing problems. To isolate the harmful ingredient for your dog you will need to cook special meals. Then after you have isolated the offense allergen you can buy specific dog food that doesn't contain the product that causes your Rottweiler allergies.

Until you are able to isolate the harmful ingredient you will need to cook special meals for your dog. Once you know what causes the allergy you can buy specific dog food that doesn't have the product that causes Rottweiler allergies. The easiest allergy to determine is fleas. If you Rottweiler is scratching their tail or experiencing hair loss, scabs and sores then you should take your dog to the vet.

The vet will check for fleas since Rottweiler allergies can result from the saliva of the fleas. Your vet will then give you a flea control product to eliminate this allergy. There is also a normal bacteria called staphylococci that lives on your dogs skin which can sometimes cause Rottweiler allergies. The skin will develop a crust and the dog will lose hair as a result of the scratching. For this type of allergy your vet will administer antibiotics.

The most rare of all Rottweiler allergies is contact allergens, but they can happen. Flea collars, plastic food bowls, pet sweaters, plants and grass or wool bedding can cause contact allergies. The symptoms of these Rottweiler allergies include swelling, redness, itching and hair loss. You should eliminate all but one on the list and then narrow down the culprit so you can remove it and allow your dog to heal.

The last of the Rottweiler allergies is atopy or inhalant allergies, which are caused by environmental factors such as dust mites, molds, house dust, human dander, feathers or pollen. A dog with these allergies will tend to chew, lick and scratch in specific areas such as the face, paws, abdomen, armpits or the genital areas.

By taking your dog to the vet a test will be run to determine what allergy effects them and then your vet will be able to find the best way to get rid of the allergen. Medicated shampoo, antihistamines, allergy shots, diet changes or corticosteroids are just a few of the methods used.

Remember that your pet has breed specific problems when it comes to choosing a vet for them. This is why you should look for a vet that is aware of the specific conditions a Rottweiler can develop and is familiar with all the particulars of Rottweiler care. The best method to selecting a vet for your Rottweiler is from the recommendations of your breeder or other Rottweiler owners.