Doc Truli's Top 10 Dogs Predisposed to Allergies
Lolita, APBT, eats Hills Z/D & runs 7 miles daily!
No solid data for ranking in order of severity exists. However, let’s group the Mastiff Breeds all together, or they might just take over the list!
1. Mastiff (Bulldoggie-type Breeds):
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- French Bulldog
- English Bulldog
- English Bull Terrier
- American Bulldog
- Neopolitans
- Bullmastiffs
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- Cane Brasiliero
- Boxers
- Etc. It almost does not matter which continent, Bulldogs itch!
2. Shih Tzus and Lhasa Apsos
This elegant Shih Tzu enjoys hypoallergenic dog shampoo.
- These breeds are so allergic to grasses, dust mites, molds, pollens, etc (allergy syndrome called “atopy”) that they actually have less than a 50% chance of allergy desensitization shots working. Other dog breeds have a 75% allergy cure or control rate with monthly allergy shots.
- You know your Shih Tzu or Lhasa has allergies if they lick their paws, or the paws are stained a reddish brown from stealth licking they sneak when you are not looking (like when you are sleeping.)
3. Bichon Frise (many of these little tykes actually break out each time they are groomed. Then you are in a catch-22. Can’t get too dirty= allergy and infections. Can’t irritate the skin with a bath, blow-dry and brush out! The solution? Ask your veterinarian about allergy treatment of a dermatology referral.)
4. Retrievers
Elmo the LabraDoodle chews his nails. Itch much?
- Labradors
- including Labradoodles and Goldendoodles
- Goldens
- Chessies (Chesapeake Bay Retrievers)
- Flat Coated Retrievers
- even the Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retrievers have way too many allergies. “Hot spots” anyone!!!!
5. Chinese Shar Pei
6. Spaniels, especially those ears! Recurring wax in ears? Allergies are likely underlying your inability to cure your dog’s problem with the ears. (Be sure to ask your vet about the allergies, instead of just another visit to only take care of the secondary ear infection.)
- Cockers
- American
- English
- Clumbers
- Field
- Springers
- Brittanies
7. Yorkshire Terriers
- If your Yorkie has thin fur, flaky skin, itchiness, and a greasy coat, odds are, yeast, bacteria, allergies probably plague your little lapwarmer.
8. Wheaton Terriers
The atopy accessory-the
9. German Shepherd Dogs
10. Parson’s Russell Terriers (Who are we kidding? Jacks. Do you know the story why the name changed? When they became AKC eligible for registration, the AKC requires the breed founder’s last name to be used for the breed name. The breed founder? Jack Parson, of course.)
Thanks for the helpful information! I’m enjoying your stories!
Very nice stuff about dog allergy, I think this will useful to dog owners and can take good care of their dogs
nice post
Thanks
Oliver
Well, I have to admit this site has gotten closer than any other as far as what I am looking for.
My Boxer, (8 months, male, brindle), has developed a small bloody bump on the side of his face.
It is not infected, (we are using an anti-microbial on it), and while it is not getting any bigger, it is not
going away either. It almost seems like it is right where a whisker should be, and I did not notice it
until our most recent trip back from hard play at the dog park with some of his friends, (the fav game is Lets Nibble on da’ Face).
Now, I went into my vet, (I sort of have an account set up for this), and what I wanted was for her to flush it and clean it. What I got instead was a horror story of what if it is cancer, and then the equally horrible story of lets spend a hundred dollars on testing.
All I wanted was for her to flush and clean it. She did not even do that. Is there something I am not communicating correctly here?
Dear Brien,
You are obviously still hankering for answers after seeing your veterinarian. VirtuaVet was born to provide the in-depth explanations and examples and stories that your regular veterinarian may not have time to tell you about in order to help you make decisions, feel better about your decisions, or get the most out of your veterinary time and money.
So, how big is this bump that there is anything there to “flush and clean?” I’m picturing something 2 mm to 1 cm big. Am I off-base here? Some good hydrogen peroxide household strength and a little triple antibiotic ointment is good basic dog first aid for a non-deep wound. You can probably accomplish basic wound care at home. I do not know your situation, but I know I have pet parents who cannot hold their dog, cannot bend their knees, are allergic to the ointment for the dog, or a host of other personal reasons they need help with first aid. If you need assistance, then make it clear to your veterinarian that you need help with the cleaning/flushing.
As you know, Boxers are notorious cancer growers. Some of my Boxer patients get every bump biopsied. I have found some shocking and unexpected cancers, that we caught way early, because a persistent pet parent made me perform surgery when I probably would have gone the wait-n-see route. Most Boxer parents, however, learn to meter out their cancer panic and not freak out at every bump.
Basically, if the bump on your dog is greater than about 5-8 mm, it can be aspirated if your pup will sit still for a few seconds. There’s a chance the aspirate will be non-diagnostic because of a small sample size, but a greater chance an in-clinic test can nail the diagnosis without need of anesthesia and a pathologist.
Let me say the caveat: I am only going by what you’ve told me. Your veterinarian is there with you and can only advise what they feel is best.
If you can talk openly with your veterinarian, let them know your concerns. A gentle question like,”Is there any way to diagnose this lump without surgery?,’ or, if you are not able to communicate with the veterinarian, then,”Does a lump like this warrant a second opinion?” or,”Is there a specialist for dogs that deals with this sort of problem?” These questions let your veterinarian know you are serious able your dog’s health, but you are not going to follow their advice without more research and perhaps a second opinion.
Good Luck, let me know how it goes,
Doc Truli
This is the first site that I have come across which lists what breed types are prone to allergies. My husband and I are the proud owners of two dogs which have severe food allergies; testing has indicated our Boxer mix is allergic to Pork, Rice, Peanuts and the mite that is in grains. Our Jack Russell is allergic to Beef, sweet potatoes, some other foods as well as bees and some pollens. Our Jack Russell is pretty much symptom free and only has an occasional flare up which is easily treated with benadryl. Our Boxer is another story! We are in the process of getting updated allergy tests and will be trying the sublingual drops on her. Giving her shots is totally out of the question; it took is 7 tries just to get enough blood for the allergy testing. She is one strong, feisty girl. These dogs are like our kids, so making them more comfortable is our goal. It would be so much easier if they were allergic to the same foods. They both are currently on the Taste of the Wild Dog food; the only draw back is just about ALL dog foods contain rice. Do you know of any good quality grain free dry dog foods that don’t contain rice, beef, pork and/or sweet potatoes?
Nope. Dry dog food is consisted to promote Damp Heat according to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) theory. What that means for our dogs is, dry kibble could contribute to recurrent bacterial dermatitis and otitis, otherwise known as “Damp Heat” conditions. Urinary Tract infections are also Damp Heat. Consult with a veterinarian trained in TCVM to discover the correct diagnosis for your dog. If you feed dry dog food, purchase the best you can discern. Understand there are specific guidelines and laws that the food companies must follow when labelling the food. These laws do not preclude designing the label to look attractive to consumers while still offering “mystery” quality. See the right sidebar on this website for links to the US government information the food companies must follow.