Beet Allergies
Just like humans, dogs can be allergic to certain foods, such as beets. Dogs with beet allergies can suffer from a number of symptoms. Fortunately, veterinarians can usually diagnose the primary problem and recommend alternative diets. There are also topical solutions available for relieving a dog's symptoms.
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Significance
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Dogs can develop itchy skin from beet allergies. Their scratching often causes severe redness of the skin, which can become greasy and smelly. A dog can also lose patches of fur around the affected skin. Both the odor and the missing fur can be an embarrassment for a dog's owner in public.
Identification
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Beet pulp is found in most pet food. Dogs that have allergies to beet pulp are often reacting to the sugars. However, they may also have sensitivities to salts and chemical preservatives as well.
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Effects
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Dogs can also suffer from an upset stomach, watery eyes and ear infections as a result of beet allergies. The dog may rub his ear on the carpet, scratch his ears frequently or even bite his paws.
Treatments
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A veterinarian will often prescribe cortisone sprays to relieve a dog's itching. Witch hazel sprays can also be effective, as can antihistamines. In more severe cases, a blood test may be required to more accurately diagnose the source of the dog's problem.
Considerations
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Ultimately, a pet owner will probably need to exclude beet or beet pulp from his dog's diet. One way to do this is by purchasing hypoallergenic brands of food for the dog.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit pair of brown dogs image by Janet Wall from Fotolia.com
