Dogs & Carpet Allergies

Dog Allergies

• Every day, your dog is exposed to substances called allergens. Most dogs do not react to allergens. However, if your dog's immune system is sensitive to them, it will perceive the allergens as a threat. His immune system will try to expel the allergen from your dog's body, which causes an allergic reaction. Examples of allergens include pollen, dust, cleaners and chemicals found in carpeting.

Symptoms

• If a dog is experiencing an allergic reaction after coming in contact with a carpet, he will show symptoms of contact hypersensitivity. These symptoms include a moist, red rash on a dog's belly or feet. The rash is itchy, so the dog could scratch its belly or spend a lot of time licking or chewing on its paws.

Causes

• If a dog experiences an allergic reaction after coming into contact with a carpet, then he is usually allergic to either a cleaner that has been used on the carpet or to chemicals in brand new carpeting. If the carpet is new, then it is likely chemicals used in manufacturing or finishing the carpet. If you have recently changed cleaning products, your dog could be sensitive to the new carpet cleaner you used.

Treatment

• The best way to deal with a carpet allergy in a dog is to remove the carpet from the dog's environment. If it is impossible to remove the carpet, vacuum the rug and use a cleaner that has not previously caused an allergic reaction in your dog to remove the irritating agent. Bathe your dog with a colloidal oatmeal shampoo to remove the chemical from its skin and help to soothe his skin.

Considerations

• An antihistamine can help relieve your dog's allergic symptoms. If the allergic reaction persists even after cleaning the carpet, contact your veterinarian. She can perform allergy testing to see if anything else is triggering the reaction. If your dog has scratched himself during the allergic reaction, keep an eye on the scratches to be sure he does not develop a secondary skin infection.