Allergy-Prone Dog Breeds

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name's Dr. Pam Nichols. I'm a vet at the Animal Care Center in Bountiful, Utah. I'd like to talk to you today about a couple of breeds that you need to be really cautious of when you go to purchase or take home. There are a few dogs out there that have really severe allergies. And allergies in dogs may sound like just a nuisance like we feel, sneezy, runny eyes and itchy skin, in dogs they can be life threatening and debilitating to the point that euthanasia is an option in many of these patients. Dogs that have a lot of allergies fall into a few categories. Probably the most common that I can see is the West Highland White Terrier or Westie as the name is. They're little white terrier dogs that are extremely active, friendly, affectionate dogs, but if you happen to get a Westie from a breeder that has not selected for dog's that don't have allergies, you can be in for a lot of trouble. These puppies itch, their feet itch, their faces itch, they lose hair, they shed profusely, and in general they have a very poor quality of life from a very, very young age. Allergies can start to manifest themselves by about six months of age and by two years old these dogs are ready to be put to sleep if appropriate treatment is not taken. And treatment can be very expensive as can diagnosis. So be careful when buying Westies, be careful when buying Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers. Dogs that get allergies tend to not only get skin infections, but they get ear infections and these can be extremely painful and again, really expensive to treat. So consult your veterinarian before you buy a specific type of dog."