With their bright grins and wiggle butts, corgis are an endless joy from puppyhood through the senior years. They get people talking wherever they go and eagerly share in the excitement that surrounds them.
Although it seems like nothing could ever take the pep out of their step, there’s one thing that does: allergy symptoms. When allergies rear their ugly head, you’ll instantly notice your corgi’s natural cheerfulness disappear, leaving you wondering just what to do to help them out.
Fortunately, you can help control their allergy symptoms with the leading remedies. To get started, simply use this guide to learn all you need to know about corgi allergies.
Do Corgis Commonly Have Allergies?
Corgis have a thick double coat that makes them more susceptible to skin allergies than other breeds. The dual layer of fur traps allergens close to the skin, eventually causing symptoms to arise as their system overreacts to the prolonged exposure.
Mild to acute symptoms can arise due to food allergies as well. As with other breeds, corgis can become intolerant or outright allergic to certain ingredients in foods, although proteins are the most common trigger.
Acute allergic reactions are a risk, too, of course. Bee stings, for example, may result in an anaphylactic response, which can prove fatal without treatment. These serious reactions are rare in dogs, but the risk is higher in dogs with existing allergies to certain substances.
Corgi Allergy Signs and Symptoms
Most allergies cause mild to moderate symptoms that indicate your corgi’s system is reacting badly to an allergen, like pollen, mold, or food ingredients.
Common allergy signs and symptoms in corgis include:
- Itchy hives
- Facial swelling
- Skin redness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sneezing
- Ear itching
- Runny eyes
More often than not, allergies cause intense itching and hotspots. Your dog may feel like they have a greasy coat and even experience hair loss as a result.
Acute reactions, on the other hand, are a medical emergency. The resulting sudden drop in blood pressure, breathing difficulties, and shock can quickly turn fatal without prompt treatment from a vet.
How to Help Your Corgi Avoid Allergy Symptoms
You can keep your dog’s allergy symptoms to a minimum by:
Finding Out Which Allergens are the Problem
First and foremost, you need to figure out just what allergens are causing your corgi to experience a reaction. To start that process, you’ll want to follow an elimination diet.
To do that, simply switch your dog to a hypoallergenic food, like Jiminy’s Good Grub Entree, to eliminate traditional proteins from the mix. Then, eliminate all treats, table scraps, and the like for about three months. After that, you can gradually add foods back into their diet one by one to see how they fare.
As for environmental allergens, like dust, pollen, and mold, you may need to have your vet do an allergy test on your corgi. The results will indicate which substances trigger a reaction in your dog, so you can help them avoid exposure to them.
Going to the Vet for Antihistamine Remedies
Despite your best efforts, it’s not always possible to keep your dog from coming into contact with allergens. This is especially true if they’re allergic to common allergens, like grass, dust mites, or fleas.
Fortunately, a vet can help control the resulting symptoms on an ongoing basis by prescribing antihistamine remedies. These medications help halt the allergic response in its tracks to keep symptoms from arising or getting worse.
Focusing on Boosting Prebiotics and Probiotics
A healthy gut microbiome can serve as a buffer against occasional exposure to food allergens. To build up the microbiome, you just need to give your dog a boost of prebiotics and probiotics on a daily basis.
You can do that quite easily by switching to insect-based dog food made using whole ingredients. The insect protein provides the kick of prebiotics needed to feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. While the rest of the whole ingredients serve as probiotics that reseed the healthy bacteria to keep their populations high.
Keep Your Corgi Clean and Well Groomed
You can maintain your corgi’s healthy skin and coat by keeping them well-groomed always. Daily brushing sessions help remove allergens from their fur, so they’re not kept trapped next to the skin.
On top of that, plan regular visits to the groomers for a bath, brush, and blowout. The professional grooming process eliminates excess fur to help thin the coat. Plus, their efforts remove the remaining allergens from their fur to minimize exposure even more.
You have to stay diligent if you want to minimize the allergy symptoms your corgi has to deal with. But, as soon as you see their playful, spirited demeanor return, you’ll know it’s all worth the time, money, and effort.