Dust Mites And Dog Allergies

Dog Skin Allergies Caused By Dust Mites

Among the most common dog skin allergies are inhalant allergies. Over 25 percent of dogs in the US suffer from some form of dog allergy caused by dust mites, molds, mildew and pollen.

Dust mites are microscopic insects that cannot be seen by the naked eye. They belong to the arachnid family of insects which include spiders, chiggers and ticks.

Dog Skin Allergies In High Risk Environments

Certain environmental conditions encourage the growth of dust mites and they can be found in moist, warm areas such as inside your pillow, mattress or cushions. They feed on dead human and animal skin flakes known as dander which can cause dander allergies. Dust mites are not harmful in themselves in that they do not bite and spread disease. They only become a source of irritant when humans and animals develop an allergy to them.

Dust Mites A Common Cause Of Dog Skin Allergies

Dust mite feces and proteins in their bodies can cause dog food allergies. Such fecal matter are found in large quantities in places such as sofas, mattresses, carpets and pillows.

They may be invisible but as many as 19,000 dust mites could be found in 1 gram of dust although up to 500 dust mites are more commonly found to be living in a gram of dust.

It is impossible to get rid of dust mites as the home environment provides ideal living conditions, thus the most common dog allergies are caused by dust mites.

Reduce Chances Of Dog Skin Allergies

You can take certain steps to reduce the dust mite population by changing bed sheets and cleaning carpets and upholstery regularly to reduce chances of dog allergies occurring.

Small populations of dust mites do not cause dog allergies but large populations heighten the risk of dog allergies. It has been found that over 43 percent of US households in specific locations have dust mite levels that cause allergies both in dogs and humans.

If you suspect your dog to be suffering from an allergy, seek professional treatment from your vet who will run tests and prescribe proper medication for treatment for dog allergies to relieve your dogs' discomfort.