What are Hives Due to Allergies?
Allergic reactions for dogs often appear on the skin in the form of redness, swelling, and itching. Urticaria, known more commonly as hives, is another common skin reaction to allergens. Although hives are not generally life-threatening, they can develop into more serious problems. These small raised wheals are extremely itchy, and if your dog scratches at them, they may become even more inflamed or even rupture which can lead to dangerous skin infections. Swelling that occurs in the throat and nasal passages can also make breathing difficult, if not impossible.
Urticaria, known more commonly as hives, is a common skin reaction to allergens that produces red, raised bumps that cause intense itching.Youtube Play
Hives Due to Allergies Average Cost
From 331 quotes ranging from $200 – $500
Chemicals and Pesticides
Various chemicals can sometimes cause hives if they are ingested, inhaled, or come into contact with your dogs skin. These chemicals may be household items like cleaning supplies or even substances like flea preventatives that are designed for dogs. However, if your dog is allergic to it, hives can appear.
Medications or Supplements
Topical, injectable, and oral medications can cause hives if your dog is allergic to them. Just like in people, these hives may suddenly appear after a medicated shampoo is used or a pill is taken if they have an allergy to the drug or supplement in the product.
Pollen, dust, mold, and other allergens found in the environment can cause hives. These are typically inhaled and can cause the small wheals that we commonly refer to as hives.
Hives are not the same as individual tumors that may develop under your dogs skin. Hives are never solo lumps but are instead always found in groups. They appear suddenly and are small bumps. Hives may be hard to find on dogs with thick hair coats but are easier to see on the face and belly where there is typically less fur. If your dog suddenly has multiple small lumps on its body that werent there earlier in the day, they are likely hives.
Some hives go away nearly as quickly as they appeared so treatment is not always necessary. Sometimes just waiting a few hours is all your dog needs to have its hives resolve, but you should contact your veterinarian if the hives persist or reoccur. See a veterinarian immediately if the hives are accompanied by other symptoms like facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, pale gums, collapse, or weakness. Medications like antihistamines and steroids may be necessary to reduce the swelling, inflammation, and histamine release. Discovering the cause of the persistent or reoccurring hives is also necessary in order to remove it from your dogs environment.
Hives in Pit Bulls
What does “allergy” mean to you? Does it mean a life-threatening reaction to a bee sting? Does it suggest an itchy dog? Hives? All of these are examples of the many different types of allergic reactions. Learn how to manage each one.
Have you ever heard of a person dying after eating one shrimp because he was deathly allergic to seafood? Or someone having to inject himself after being stung by a bee? These are anaphylactic reactions, the scariest and most lethal allergic reactions we see.
In dogs, we see major reactions like this if they are bitten by an insect (bee or wasp) or if they have an injection of medication (like a vaccine) they’re allergic to. Antibodies produced by the host react to the substance, dropping blood pressure and sending the body into shock. If a dog has had a past incident and survived, the owner may carry an epipen, but sometimes the first occurrence can lead to death. Fortunately these reactions are very rare in dogs.