Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 3/8/2006

Question
My dog rubs her face all over the house. We know she has allergies but we feed her ZD Ultra for allergies and she doesnt eat anything with wheat, flaxseed, dairy in it, she is allergic to cat and people dander, cedar, and a lot of other things, but I saw the results of her blood tests and the numbers seem to be low on all her allergies, none had a higher then 2 rating, so I would think her allergies are not that bad most of the time, but why does she always rub her face everywhere.  Her allergies really spike up when its normal allergy season.  She also breaths very heavy and I am worried that it could be due to her allergies, the doctor said its possible but did not seem to be too concerned.  Could it cause undue stress on her heart to breath so heavy so much?

Greatly appreciate your input!

Lori  

Answer
Face rubbing is typical of allergies.  MAny times the allergy tests will not be very strong, especially if those allergens are not present at the time of the test.

You did not mention any treatment other than diet change for treatment of allergies.  Most allergic dogs (greater than 75%) are atopic.  That means that it is a pollen. mold, or insect type of allergy that affects the skin.

Frequent bathing, Omega3 fatty acid supplements, and often steroid therapy may help relieve the itching on the face.  Check with your vet.