Epilepsy and Your Dog

Epilepsy, a common neurological problem, is a term used when the cause of the seizures cannot be determined. After exhaustive diagnostic testing, if no diagnosis is made, the pet is determined to have “epilepsy.” Seizures occur when neurons in the brain fire rapidly and in an uncoordinated fashion. Seizures can be caused by many things (poisons, infections, inflammation, trauma, tumors, parasites and so on), by definition, there is no identifiable cause for the seizures when the term epilepsy is used.

Most dogs will have full-blown, grand mal seizures. Just as in people, the dog collapses to the ground, shakes and twitches its body, and may lose bowel or bladder control. Although it’s usually not life-threatening, watching a seizing pet is quite disconcerting to most owners.

What to do if your dog experiences a seizure:
Because pet owners are often frightened when a pet experiences an epileptic seizure, it’s important to know how you can help your pet if it seizures. Several things can help reduce the severity of your pet’s seizure:

* If you notice your pet seizing, dimming or turning off the lights can reduce visual stimulation to the brain. This often shortens the duration of the seizure.

* Administering a flower essence called Bach’s Rescue Remedy to the pet during the seizure (by gently placing a few drops on the gums) may also help.

*Softly talking to the pet, while gently petting or stroking its neck and shoulder areas, can calm it as it recovers from the seizure.

*Finally, applying an ice pack over the middle of the pet’s back can reduce seizures by stimulating the acupuncture points in this area.

Above all, do not attempt to restrain your dog or put anything into its mouth (it is unlikely the dog will “swallow its tongue.”)

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One Dog in Four is Fat

Nationwide surveys suggest that as many as one dog or cat in four seen by veterinarians is overweight or clinically obese.

"Feeding too many calories is much more prevalent in the pet population of Western societies than all other nutrient deficiencies combined," says William Burkholder, a clinical nutritionist at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Teaching Hospital in College Station, Texas, and one of only a handful of board-certified veterinary clinical nutritionists in the United States.

Overweight pets are not just academically interesting to veterinarians, Burkholder says; they are more likely to suffer from other diseases much like overweight humans. "Dogs and cats do not get coronary artery disease because they eat too much fat. Their metabolisms don't work that way," Burkholder says. "But fat dogs can get hypertension and congestive heart failure because they are overweight, and fat cats are predisposed to diabetes and fatty infiltration of the liver, which can be deadly."

Carrying too much weight may also increase the severity of hip, back and knee problems. Diagnosis of joint disorders is often what brings an animal's weight to the veterinarian's and owner's attention, he says.

Pet dogs and cats add excess pounds as easily as people for many of the same reasons-too much food and too little exercise, Burkholder says. And pets can lose weight the same way people do eat less and exercise more.

Burkholder suggests owners of overweight pets enlist their veterinarians' help to set up a weight reduction program. Working with a specialist trained in veterinary nutrition may help in some cases, but it's not essential.

Specific reductions in calorie intake should be based on individual animals' needs, Burkholder says. Cutting back an animal's food by 20 to 30 percent is not uncommon. However, reducing calories alone may not be enough.

"They won't lose weight until you start them on some sort of persistent daily exercise," Burkholder says. "We're not talking about making athletes out of them, just 20 to 60 minutes of persistent daily leash-walking."

Patience may be one of the most important ingredients in trimming your pet down to its ideal weight, Burkholder says. Observation and rechecks for as long as six or 12 months may be necessary to get an animal back to its ideal weight.

Dogs obesity

Exercise and Diet for Weight Loss

Obesity can cause or complicate many other conditions, such as arthritis.

Q. My 7-year-old yellow Lab, Ramsey, has gained 14 pounds since he was neutered almost two years ago. He weighed 101 pounds for surgery and now weighs 115 pounds. I was trying to get him to lose about 5 pounds before surgery to ease the load on his hips and shoulders. He walks daily. My conventional veterinarian recommended reducing his food even more, which I am not comfortable with. A homeopathic veterinarian gave us some remedies, but there were no visible results from using them. My dog's thyroid checks out okay. I am at a loss as to what to do next.

A. Obesity may be the most common disease I address in my daily practice. You are already several steps ahead of most owners because you recognize your dog is overweight and the importance of correcting the situation.

Obesity can cause or complicate many other conditions, such as arthritis and cardiopulmonary disease, by adding more stress to the already injured body systems. Conversely, painful arthritis and cardiopulmonary disease can contribute to obesity by discouraging the exercise necessary to slim that couch-potato figure. Genetics and hormonal conditions can also cause some dogs to be overweight. Hypothyroidism (low thyroid) is one of the most common contributing factors. More extensive thyroid testing may be needed if Ramsey's situation does not improve.

The most important fact to remember when pursuing a weight-loss program for your dog: Calories burned must exceed calories eaten. You can reduce food, fat and calories or increase exercise. Ideally, it is best to combine the two approaches.

To reduce calories, first eliminate all extra calories - no treats, table scraps, handouts from the neighbors, cat food, or extra food in the bowl because he looked at you with those big brown eyes. Everyone has to know because one cheater can ruin the entire attempt.

Next reduce the calories in the primary diet. You can do this by switching to a lower-calorie version of the food or to a diet food recommended by your veterinarian. Many diet foods have high levels of fiber to maintain a similar volume to non-diet foods and make the dog feel full with fewer calories. It is important to restrict diet foods to the amount recommended - eating too much diet food is still overeating.

Remember that the "light" designation means only that the food has fewer calories than the regular version, not necessarily that it is a diet food.

Some dogs will need vitamin, mineral and fatty-acid supplements to maintain coat quality and appearance while eating diet foods, so check with your veterinarian.

Try feeding two or three small meals each day, rather than one large meal; this may help reduce begging. Another trick is measuring the food allotment for the day, then giving half for breakfast, with the rest fed throughout the day in place of treats and rewards. Be sure you accurately measure the amount.

Increasing the exercise level is also simple if you can find the time. Gradually increase the level and duration of activity as Ramsey's exercise tolerance allows. Slow walking is probably not adequate for most dogs. Brisk walking, jogging and running off-lead (in a safe place) are best. Dog-friendly treadmills have recently become available. Swimming is an excellent alternative, especially for arthritic and lame dogs. Encourage exercise whenever Ramsey begs and seeks attention; assume he wants activity, not food.

You may need to address arthritis and pain to help Ramsey comfortably attain a reasonable level of exercise. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and carprofen and other arthritis treatments can be helpful. Check with your veterinarian about the need for these medications and proper dosages. Many overweight lame dogs magically lose their pain and need for medications once they approach a weight more suitable for their frame size.

the Beef

Want to know what your dog's eating when the label says beef or barley? If you know the standard ingredient definitions recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, you can. Some of the key definitions follow:

Animal Origin Ingredients
Meats, listed on the label as beef or lamb, refer to skeletal muscle (flesh) and muscular organs, such as the heart, tongue, and diaphragm. Poultry, such as chicken, duck, or turkey, includes flesh and skin, with or without bones. Fish, including whitefish and salmon, refers to the cleaned tissue of whole fish or pieces of fish.

By-products from mammals include non-rendered (non-heated) parts other than flesh. This can include the lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, fat, stomach, and intestines. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, and hooves. Poultry by-products are necks, heads, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines, but not feathers (except those that may be unavoidably included under accepted processing practices).

Meat, fish, poultry, or by-product meal, preceded by a source, such as lamb meal, refers to the process of rendering (heating) and grinding the starter ingredient. This removes most of the moisture and fat and reduces the particle size of the end product.

Meat and bone meal includes rendered mammal tissues and bone, excluding blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, and stomach and rumen contents (with the same exception as for feathers).

Other protein sources may include dried egg product without shells, caseinate (milk solids), and whey, the fluid portion of milk.

Grain Ingredients
Barley must be at least 80 percent barley but may include up to 3 percent damaged grain, 6 percent foreign material, and 20 percent other grains.

Brewer's rice is the dried residue resulting from the manufacture of malted grain or beer. It may contain up to 3 percent hops (the flowers of the hop vine are used in beer-making).

Gluten of any grain is what's left after removal of bran, germ, and starch.

Ground corn includes the kernels and cobs, while ground whole grains include the bran, germ, starch, gluten, and oils. Soybean meal is a by-product from soybeans after extraction of the oil.

Fat and Oil Ingredients
Flaxseed or linseed meal and fish oil are sources of omega fatty acids.

Vegetable oils, such as corn, canola, and sunflower, contain more fatty acids than animal fats and tallow.

Fiber Sources
Beet pulp is the dried residue from sugar beets, with or without the sugar removed.

Pomace is the pulp of fruits and vegetables. Peanut and soybean hulls (pure cellulose that's indigestible fiber) increase the bulk of the finished product or dilute the calories in a reduced-calorie food. Bran of any grain is the outer coating of the kernel.

Mill- runs (middlings) of any grain are a by-product of milling, mostly hulls.

Additives
Digest is hydrolyzed (broken-down) animal tissue sprayed onto the outside of dry dog food for added flavor. Corn syrup also increases palatability with a sweet taste and acts as a preservative, inhibiting bacteria.

Gums, including guar, xanthan, carageenan, and pectin are plant extracts, used as stabilizers or thickeners. BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are synthetic preservatives.

Tocopherols and ascorbate are vitamin E and vitamin C, used as natural preservatives.

Other possible additives include coloring agents, glucosamine and chondroitin (joint health supplements), probiotics (bacteria or yeast to aid digestion) and L-carnitine, which may help with fat metabolism.

Break the Monotony

Dogs don't stay bored for long. Left alone in the house for eight hours or more, they are bound to find something to chew on. Unfortunately, their choices could be your new shoes or the television remote.

But you can interveneand protect your valuablesby limiting access to dog-proofed areas inside your home. At the same time, you can curb boredom in your home-alone dog by providing plenty of healthy edibles while you're gone. The key is to select treats that satisfy a dog's got-to-chew tendencies, provide a tempting taste, and keep a dog busy in a non-destructive way, says Susan Greenbaum, a professional dog trainer who operates Barking Hills Country Club, a canine training center in Milford, N.J.

Dog treats come in a variety of shapes, tastes, and sizes. You may need to try several to identify the few that make your dog drool with delight.

Consider these choices to dish out to your dog before you leave:

Edible Snack Bones: These edible bones come in a variety of flavors, including hot dog and bacon-cheeseburger, and in different sizes to please a Great Dane down to a petite Pomeranian. The key is that these bones do not contain any plastic. Each bone takes a half hour to two hours or longer to devour, depending on the chewing voracity of your dog.

Dental Chews: Several manufacturers make treats that serve as dental aids to remove surface tartar and fight doggie breath. Some come in the form of snack treats and others are shaped like a thick, small toothbrush, doubling as a chew toy and a dental aid.

Rubber Toys That Hide Treats: Stuff the insides of these rubber, chewable toys with your dog's favorite treat. Your dog will happily spend hours trying to nose and lick out every last bit.

Flavored Ice Cubes: Fill an ice cube tray with water and chicken bouillon and freeze overnight. Then serve these frozen pupsicles to your dog.

Supplement Your Athlete's Diet

Athletic dogs work hard year-round and need more fuel than the average couch pooch to maintain good health. When winter blows in, active dogs burn even more calories to keep themselves warm. Your dog is active and requires extra calories if it spends more than two hours a day participating in activities such as Frisbee chasing, ball fetching, hiking, obedience or walking. Your dog is super-active and needs even more extra calories if it participates in highly strenuous activities, such as sledding, skijoring, herding, agility, police work, conformation or field events.

You can determine whether your dog eats enough calories based on its demeanor, appearance and weight. Does your dog seem depressed or lethargic? Does it seem less energetic than normal? Is it ravenous at mealtimes? If so, you may need to feed it additional food or higher energy foods.

Check your dog's ribs and examine its body outline from an overhead perspective. If you see extra padding over its ribs and no sign of its waist, you are probably feeding too much. Cut down on the dog's portions or bulk out its meals with lower-calorie foods, such as brown rice. If its ribs are starkly evident and its waist a little too pronounced, it needs more calories. Finally, invest in an accurate scale and weigh your dog on a regular basis. After a while, you'll be able to pinpoint an ideal weight for your dog. Note that this weight may vary according to the seasons.

You'll need to adjust the amount you feed on a weekly or even daily basis. The energy a dog requires varies with climate, amount of exercise, stress, breed and the quirks of each individual dog. Most veterinarians recommend you feed your athletic dog two to three meals each day, with the largest meal served at least an hour after the exercise session. A large meal before strenuous exercise can cause indigestion, cramps and other health problems.

You can provide the additional energy your active dog requires during the cold weather two ways: Feed more of the food you already give your dog, or feed it foods that are more tightly packed with nutrients.

To provide the highest level of energy, look for fatty foods. Fats yield more than twice as much energy as similar amounts of carbohydrates or proteins, and smaller amounts of food can supply a larger amount of energy. To help process these additional fats, your dog will also need higher levels of protein. In addition, you may add supplements to your dog's diet to boost its energy levels and counteract the effects of vigorous exercise.

How much fat and protein should a dog have in its daily diet? In general, high-energy homemade canine diets range from 15 percent to 25 percent fat, and from 30 percent to 40 percent protein; commercial high-performance diets offer 10 percent to 18 percent fat, and 24 percent to 28 percent protein. Whether you are feeding an off-the-shelf diet, making it yourself or some combination of the two, you can easily raise the fat levels your dog's diet.

Two kinds of fat can be added to your dog's diet: fat derived from animal sources, which are saturated fats, and fats derived from plant sources, which are polyunsaturated fats. Animal-derived fats offer the highest levels of energy and are the best high-energy supplements.

Plant-derived fats, easily available in vegetable oils, will make your dog's skin and coat pretty, but they won't add the desired energy jolt. Plant fats contain fatty acids, which are vital for healthy coats and shiny skin.

If your dog is active, but not super-active, try feeding it larger amounts of its regular diet before switching to the high-energy diet. If that doesn't seem to satisfy your dog's energy needs, try adding a little bit of fatty meat, such as chopped or ground beef heart, hamburger, fatty chuck, sirloin steak, lamb or pork, to its meals or increasing the use of fattier cuts of meat in your dog food r ecipe.

If your dog is super-active, you'll have to add larger amounts of high-octane foods to its meals. One way is to save the meat drippings from your meals of roasted beef, chicken or turkey. (Be sure it does not contain sugar, artificial preservatives or chemicals, or high sodium levels.) You can also make special arrangements with your organic meat supplier to purchase fresh, pure poultry fat or beef tallow. Poultry fat is much preferred by owners of canine athletes because it is highly digestible and also contains the fatty acids that contribute to a shiny coat. Be careful when adding fat to your dog's diet, though. If the dog eats solely the fat or too much of the fatty meat and not enough of its other food, it will lack necessary protein and carbohydrates.

Just a little extra whammy in your dog's diet will have it bright-eyed and raring to mush, even on cold winter mornings. Hmm, maybe you'd better rev up your diet, too.

Six ways to clean tear stains

Look Into Your Dog’s Eyes

Six ways to clean tear stains and discharge from your dog's eyes and surrounding hair.

1. Morning and night, use a damp (not dripping) washcloth to clean the hair around your dog's eyes. Designate this washcloth as your dog's.

2. Avoid soap, which stings and irritates.

3. To remove excess buildup of matter in the hair under the eye, use your fingers to carefully sprinkle a teaspoon of baby powder into the hair under the eyes. Then, brush it in using a toothbrush or flea comb. The powder will help prevent dirt or other substances from reaching the hair follicles.

4. To keep the eyes clean, use eye drops or eye care products for dogs that contain sterile saline.

5. Ask your groomer to regularly (about every two to four weeks) clip the hair around the eyes, using thinning-shears, so they don't touch the eye or scratch the cornea.

6. To remove discoloration, use boric acid powder, available at drugstores and through mail order catalogs, or mix 1 part salt to 3 parts water and clean the area using a cotton swab. It's not recommended to use hydrogen peroxide; it can get into the eyes

Home-Grooming?

10 tips to minimize grooming mess.

Here's are 10 tips to help keep the mess to a minimum:

1. A quality vacuum is a must for home grooming. You've got to suck up the hair immediately or it will migrate through the house and so will any fleas in the hair.
   
   
2. Adhesive, washable or squeegee hair pickups are handy for the hair you couldn't get with a vacuum.
   
   
3. Use an apron or smock to keep hair off while grooming and keep you dry while bathing the dog.
   
   
4. Have a set of grooming clothes you can wear without worrying about dirt, hair or odor.
   
   
5. Use absorbent cotton towels for drying, placing under a soaked dog or making a crate cozy for a damp dog.
   
   
6. A roll of paper towels is helpful for spills and accidents.
   
   
7. A lined trash can is handy for disposing of cotton balls and general clean up.
   
   
8. A restraint for the grooming table and tub is also helpful because it's safer and keeps the dog in one place.
   
   
9. Use a disinfectant/deodorant, bucket, sponge and mop to clean up.
   
   
10. When finished, machine-wash the towels, clothes and apron with hot water. Never mix dirty, hair-covered grooming items with your regular clothes unless you want them covered in hair.

Dogs Grooming

10 Brushing Tips

Tips for grooming your dog.

Try these 10 tips to get the most from brushing and combing:

1. Match the brush to your dog's coat type. Use a curved wire slicker or pin brush for long haired breeds (such as Lhasa Apsos and Old English Sheepdogs), a regular wire slicker on medium or short coats with dense undercoat (Terriers, German Shepherds Dogs and American Eskimos) and a mitt or rubbery curry with smooth-coated breeds (Labrador Retrievers and Basset Hounds).

2. Spray on coat conditioner such as mink oil before brushing to help loosen knots and tables in long coats.

3. Brush and comb your dog before bathing. Tangles become tighter and more difficult to remove when wet.

4. Brush systematically. Professional groomers often begin with the dog's hindquarters and leave the head and ears for last. The theory: If a dog can't see what's happening, it will be less likely to object. Develop a brushing pattern, and use it every time. You won't lose y our place or miss a spot, and your dog will learn what to expect.

5. Brush the entire coast down to the skin but do not brush the skin. Scraping the brush against your dog's skin can cause "brush burn"irritated, red sking that can require veterinary attention. Brush gently on tender areas, such as the tummy and inside the legs.

6. Concentrate on one section and one layer of the coat at a time. Part the coat by pushing it back with one hand and brushing the hair down a little at a time with the other. Use quick, dep strokes.

7. Take your time. Brushing out a coat, especially heavy-coated breeds such as the Cocker Spaniel, can be hard work and time-consuming.

8. Comb after brushing to remove remaining tangles and knots.

9. Clip badly matted short coats and let them grow out. Spare your dog the pain and irritation of hours of detangling.

10. Praise and reward your dog. After all, this is a team effort!

Dog Books

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Types of Dog Allergies

Inhalant allergies

Allergens are substances in the environment that cause the immune system to react as if invaded by a foreign body. If all dogs reacted to these substances, they would not be allergens, they would be toxins.

These allergens cause mast cells in the skin and basophils (specialized white blood cells) in the blood to release antibodies that contain histamines, serotonin, and leukotrienes. These antibodies are responsible for allergy symptoms.

Some inhalant allergies are seasonal. Dogs may be affected by inhaling grass pollen in spring and summer or ragweed pollen in late summer and early autumn. If this is the case, the dog will start to scratch and bite his body, lick his paws, shake his head, and rub his face along the carpet for relief from the itch when pollen grains are swirling in the air.

However, many dogs suffering from allergies itch somewhat year-round because they are also affected by household dust, mold spores, and other irritants.

Treatment for inhalant allergies ranges from keeping Lassie comfortable with cool baths in shampoos or rinses containing aloe vera, oatmeal, or eucalyptus to drug therapy to interrupt the itch cycle until the skin can be healed and the allergen has (hopefully) diminished.

Inclusion of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in the diet can also help keep skin supple and healthy. Many dog food companies add these fatty acids to their premium foods. Supplements such as Missing Link provide not only the Omega oils but also a balance of vitamins and minerals necessary for good skin and coat health.

Environmental controls include frequent vacuuming and dusting of the areas where the dog spends time and keeping his bedding dust-free.

Some dogs may get relief from antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), clemastine (Tavist) or chlorapheniramine (Chlortrimetron), but owners should ask their veterinarian for proper dosage for their pet and may have to try more than one before finding the formula that helps.

Steroids such as prednisone interfere with the immune system function so that the body no longer considers the allergens to be invaders. Steroids should be used carefully and sparingly as they may cause liver problems and, in older dogs, can trigger a form of Cushing’s disease. Steroids also increase appetite and thirst, cause more frequent urination, and can increase aggression in some dogs. However, small doses of predisone can be invaluable in treating a dog with chronic or acute allergic reactions when all else fails.

Dogs with allergies can scratch and bite themselves into skin infections that need treatment with antibiotics. Prednisone is often prescribed for these dogs to get the itching under control while the antibiotic deals with the bacterial infection.

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Fleas

Some dogs become allergic to flea saliva. If this is the case, the bite of a single flea can send a dog into a paroxysm of chewing, especially around his tail and on his belly and inside hind legs. Dogs with flea bite allergy are often frantic to ease the itching and may chew themselves raw.

Top on the list for avoiding flea bite dermatitis is to control fleas. First line of defense is regular grooming of the dog, right down to the skin, to find fleas or flea droppings. Flea products are much safer for dogs and dog owners these days. Veterinarians have an arsenal of flea products to choose from, including once-a-month treatments and pills and shampoos, sprays, and premise foggers with growth regulators and genetically-engineered pyrethrin (daisy) ingredients. Many over-the-counter flea products also contain growth regulators and pyrethrins.

Some dog owners swear by garlic and brewer’s yeast to keep fleas away, but no evidence exists to prove these plant products are valuable preventives. Other dog owners plant herbs such as pennyroyal, southernwood, or wormwood around dog kennels or near doorways and use herbal flea collars, brush lavendar or eucalyptus oil into the dog’s coat once a week, or sprinkle dried leaves of lavendar, rosemary, sage, or eucalyptus in the dog’s bed to keep the little bloodsuckers at bay, but the jury is still out on effectiveness.

While waging all-out war on fleas, dog owners should also use the same treatments that work for inhalant allergies to reduce the itching and ease the discomfort of irritated skin.

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Food allergies

Some dogs that have allergies to other components of their environment will also exhibit some dietary problems, but whether these problems are true food allergies is often difficult to ascertain.

If food allergy is suspected, veterinarian can prescribe diets with protein and carbohydrate sources and other nutrients that the dog has not been exposed to. Lamb and rice used to be the combination of choice, but most premium dog food companies now have a lamb and rice diet, so hypoallergenic diets of fish and potatoes or venison and rice have taken their place.

Dr. Lowell Ackerman, a veterinary dermatologist, recommends home-cooked diets when food allergies or intolerances are suspected.

“Any suitable protein source may be mixed with rice and/or potatoes to create a hypoallergenic meal,” Ackerman wrote in Skin and Haircoat Problems in Dogs. “The meal is prepared by mixing one part lamb, rabbit, or venison (or other protein source to which the dog has never been exposed) with two parts rice and/or potatoes. All ingredients should be served boiled and fed in the same total volume as the pet’s normal diet. Once cooked, the meal can be packaged in individual portions, frozen, and then thawed as needed. This diet is not to be fed long-term. It is not nutritionally balanced to be a regular diet. It is only fed for one or two months at a time as a test diet.”1

When trying to isolate a food allergen, the dog must not get anything but the prescribed diet. If the dog tolerates the food well and the symptoms decline or disappear, other foods can be gradually reintroduced to determine which ingredient is the culprit. If the symptoms are not alleviated in four weeks, another hypoallergenic diet can be tried, and if it is not successful, further diagnostic tests are indicated.

Guide to Skin and Haircoat Problems in Dogs

Skin and Coat Care for Your Dog

Guide to Skin and Haircoat Problems in Dogs

Dog Allergies

Symptoms of dog allergies

The symptoms of dog allergies are usually like those of any other nasal allergy. They include:

• coughing and wheezing
• red, itchy eyes
• runny, itchy, stuffy nose
• sneezing

Some people with dog allergies also have skin reactions. For instance, their skin might break out where a dog slobbers on them. Others with more severe allergies might develop hives on their face or chest. People with asthma as well as pet allergies can have especially serious symptoms.

Causes of dog allergies

You may have heard that some dog breeds trigger allergy symptoms while others don't, or that short-haired dogs are safe while long-haired dogs prone to shedding are not. But on the whole, experts say that isn't the case. In fact, one dog and another of the same breed can give off very different levels of allergen.

It's not the dog's hair or fur that's the real problem. Instead, people are usually allergic to the dander -- flakes of dead skin -- as well as the saliva and urine. So no matter how long or short the hair, any dog can potentially cause an allergic reaction.

You might wonder why dog dander has such an effect on you. People with allergies have oversensitive immune systems. Their bodies overreact to harmless substances -- like dog dander -- and attack it as they would bacteria or viruses. The sneezing and watery eyes are just the side effects of your body's attempt to destroy or flush out the allergen.

Testing for dog allergies

Your doctor can do either a skin test or a blood test called a RAST (radioallergosorbent test) to find out if you have dog allergies. Even if you're pretty certain that you're allergic, testing is always a good idea. Some people who assume that they have dog allergies turn out not to have them. Instead, they're allergic to the pollen or mold that the dog is carrying in on its coat from outside.

While allergy tests are helpful, they're not always conclusive. So if you own a dog, your doctor might want you to try living without it for a while to see how you do. To get a good sense of your symptoms, it might take some extended time apart. It often takes months before the level of dander in the house drops down to a level resembling that of a house without a dog.

Treating dog allergies

Standard allergy medicines can help control the symptoms of pet allergies. Your doctor might recommend:

• Antihistamines , which block the effects of a chemical that triggers allergy symptoms. They're sold over the counter -- like Claritin or Benadryl -- or by prescription -- like Allegra or Zyrtec. Some antihistamines are available as nasal sprays -- for instance, Astelin.
• Decongestants , which reduce swelling in the nose and relieve congestion. Examples are OTC Sudafed and prescription Allegra-D.
• Other medicines, which affect allergy or asthma symptoms in different ways. Prescription steroids -- such as Flonase or Nasonex sprays -- are a common treatment for allergies.

Allergy shots are another option for people with dog allergies. They don't work for everyone, and a full course of treatment can take years. But they can really help some people. Talk about the pros and cons with your doctor.

Controlling your environment

Most allergists agree that although medicine may help, the best way to control dog allergies is to avoid contact with dogs. Here are some tips:

• Keep your distance. Don't touch, pet, or kiss a dog. As best you can, avoid going to homes with dogs. If you have to stay in a house with a dog, ask if it can be kept out of the room in which you'll sleep for a few weeks beforehand.
• Use your medicine. If you know that you'll be coming into contact with a dog soon, prepare by starting up your medicine a few weeks ahead of time. By taking medicine preventatively, you can stop an allergic reaction before it starts.
• Be wary of visitors who own dogs. Dog dander can cling to clothing and luggage. So even if your house guests leave their dogs at home, they can bring the dander with them -- and that can cause you a lot of trouble.

Of course, some of the above advice won't help that much if you already have a dog in your home. Even then, there are still things you can do:

• Clean fanatically. Dog dander can get everywhere. So you need to sweep and mop the floors, vacuum rugs and clean furniture regularly. If possible, get a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Regular vacuum filters can't catch the allergens and just send them back into the air.
• Make your home easier to clean. Pull up the carpet. Get rid of the rugs and drapes. Ditch the dusty, overstuffed furniture. Reducing the number of items that can catch dust and dander can help with your symptoms.
• Filter the air. Central heat and air conditioning can push dog dander into every room in your house -- even those that the dog isn't allowed in. A central air cleaner -- as well as filters on the vents themselves -- can help.
• Keep the dog out of your bedroom. Since you spend a third of every day in the bedroom, it's key to keep it as free of dog dander as possible. A closed door won't completely seal out the allergens, but it will help.
• Don't give the dog free rein. Protect yourself by making other areas of the house dog-free too. Depending on your climate and surroundings, you can also consider keeping the dog outside as much as possible. Will bathing your dog have any effect on your symptoms? Experts aren't sure; some studies have shown that baths reduce the amount of airborne dander, while others haven't found a difference. You can certainly try out weekly baths and see what happens. Just make sure that someone without dog allergies is doing the actual bathing.

• You may find that these techniques help. But if they don't, you have to consider more drastic measures -- like giving the dog up. It's hard to do, but you have to think realistically. It's unfair to people with dog allergies if they can't be in their own homes without enduring a runny nose and relentless sneezing fits. Uncontrolled allergies can also contribute to asthma, which is a serious disease.

  So if you or a family member has dog allergies, talk to a doctor. Getting control of your symptoms will not only make you feel better, but it will help protect you from becoming sicker.