Can eggs cause hives in dogs

Dog Hives (Urticaria | welts): Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

What Are Dog Hives (Urticaria)?

Hives, otherwise known as urticaria by medical professionals, are one abnormality you may see. They occur when your dog is allergic to something, such as an insect, medication, or food. Recognizing hives in dogs and understanding the cause is essential to relieving your dogs discomfort and preventing dog hives in the future.

What do dog hives look like?

• Dog hives look like raised bumps on the skin, usually about the size of a nickel.
• Hives are usually red in color; however, you may not notice redness if they are on a very furry part of your dog. In this case, your pets hives may only look like fur-covered bumps. Sometimes, its difficult to see the raised bumps, and you may only feel them when petting your dog.
• Dog hives can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, tongue, neck, legs, chest, abdomen, or back. They can affect just one area of the body or the entire body.
• Dog hives are very itchy. This may be the first thing you notice before seeing or feeling hives on your dogs skin. Your dog will likely be trying to scratch, lick, or bite the areas affected as it will be itchy.
• Hives usually happen very fast within minutes after exposure to whatever caused them.
• You may notice excessive drooling and a swollen/puffy face if the hives affect your dogs throat or mouth.

What causes hives on a dog?

Dog hives are almost always related to exposure to an allergen. Once exposed to an allergen, mast cells in your dogs body release a substance called histamine. Histamine causes blood vessels to dilate, which leads to raised welts on your dogs skin.

The most common allergens causing dog hives include:

• Insect bite or sting, or ingesting an insect (photo recommendation: dog playing with bee)
• Vaccinations
• Acute allergic reactions to medications (chemotherapy, vitamin K, antibiotics)
• Food allergies
• Environmental allergies (grasses, trees, mold, dust mites, etc.)
• Contact allergens such as shampoos, insecticides, cleaning products
• Ingesting or skin exposure to toxic plants

Much less common causes of hives in dogs include prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures (hot or cold), strenuous exercise, parasites, or significant psychological stress.

Insect bites/stings, food, and medications are the most common causes of hives in dogs.

How are dog hives diagnosed?

As a pet parent, it can be worrisome to see these skin rashes, but luckily, for your vet to diagnose your dogs hives. Your vet will use a combination of your history and their physical examination findings.

Its essential to think about anything new your dog may have been exposed to. Did you see them playing with a bee? Were they recently vaccinated? Did they start a new medication or a new food? During the physical exam, your veterinarian will look at your dogs skin to evaluate hives and where the hives are located.

If your veterinarian is having trouble diagnosing your dogs hives or the reason for their hives, they may perform additional diagnostics, such as blood work, skin cytology, skin scrapings, or fecal analysis.

How to treat & get rid of dog hives?

Treatment for hives in dogs can be simple or more extensive, depending on the cause, severity, and duration of the allergic reaction.

To get your dog quick relief from the swelling and itchiness related to hives, your veterinarian will usually administer an injection of diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) and a corticosteroid. Once your dog is feeling better and discharged from the hospital, your veterinarian may also recommend that you continue giving your dog Benadryl two to three times a day at home for a couple of days.

To prevent hives from reoccurring, you need to understand what caused them in the first place so that you can avoid the allergen in the future. If there is no apparent cause for your dogs hives (such as insect bite, medication, or vaccinations), it may be more challenging to understand how to prevent hives in the future. Environmental and dietary allergies are two possible causes of hives that may require further diagnostics and treatment.

Environmental allergies

If your dog has recurrent hives or has other signs of allergies, your veterinarian may recommend testing for environmental allergies with serum allergy testing or intradermal allergy testing. With these results, your veterinarian can create a plan to desensitize your dog to these allergies with allergen-specific immunotherapy.

If you determine that you cannot eliminate the allergens in your dogs environment or pursue allergen-specific immunotherapy treatment, your veterinarian may recommend:

• Giving your dog daily antihistamines (such as Benadryl, zyrtec, or hydroxyzine)
• Giving your dog other prescription-strength allergy medications such as apoquel or cytopoint
• Starting daily skin health supplements, such as omega-three fatty acids.
• Frequently bathing your dog with medicated high-quality shampoo

Food allergies

Allergies that stem from food can also cause recurrent episodes of hives in dogs. The most common cause of allergies in dogs include chicken, beef, dairy, and egg 2. Recurrent episodes of hives can also be related to dietary allergies. To diagnose a food allergy, your veterinarian may recommend a diet trial for 6-8 weeks with a prescription food or an over-the-counter diet with a different protein source, like fish or venison. If your dog responds positively to a food trial, you can continue the special diet long term.

Are dog hives dangerous?

Dog hives are rarely life-threatening. However, there are a few less common situations where hives can affect your dogs breathing and become dangerous.

• Hives in the face, neck, or throat can cause severe swelling that impacts breathing, which can become life-threatening.
• The presence of hives anywhere may indicate your dog is having or about to have an anaphylactic reaction, which causes constriction of airways and difficulty breathing. 3 Besides hives, other signs of anaphylaxis include vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, drooling, blue gum color, and collapse.

If you notice that your dog has hives, pay particular attention to how they are breathing and for any other concerning changes in their behavior. If you are concerned your dog may be having severe allergic reactions, take them to the emergency room immediately to rule out a medical emergency.

At-home remedies for dog hives

If possible, take your dog to the veterinarian if you notice they have hives, especially if this is a first-time problem. If your dog chronically or intermittently has hives and the issue has previously been discussed with a veterinarian, some at-home remedies may help relieve the allergic reaction.

• If the hives are not affecting your dogs face, neck, throat, or ability to swallow, you can administer Benadryl by mouth. Always discuss if this is appropriate for your dog with your veterinarian first and receive instructions about dosage and frequency.
• If the hives were caused by a contact allergen (such as grasses/trees or chemicals) or insect bites you can help relieve itchiness by bathing with a gentle oatmeal-based dog shampoo can help your dog feel more comfortable.
• Apply a cold compress to the hives or the most severely affected areas of your dogs skin. Be careful never to apply a cold compress for more than 10 minutes at one time, and always wrap the ice or cold object in a towel before applying it to your dogs skin.

10 Foods That May Cause A Skin Rash (and 10 Foods to Calm It)

Skin rashes from eating certain foods are worrisome. The itchy, red, bumpy rash appears on your face, neck, or around your mouth soon after you eat. A skin rash can pop up on your hands or arms when you touch certain foods. You may wonder if you should eliminate certain foods from your diet. So, what foods make skin rashes worse? What foods will help calm this type of breakout?

Your diet might be the cause of your skin rash!

Theres a growing awareness that the food you eat affects every part of your health. If you have a food allergy, you may be prone to skin rashes. Research studies found that your diet can set off eczema. Eczema is a word used to describe a group of skin conditions that cause inflammation, itchiness, red, dry, or bumpiness of your skin.

Most of the time, eczema refers to a condition called atopic dermatitis. If you eat food youre allergic to your body goes into overdrive. Your immune systems overreaction releases mast cell chemicals that cause a hypersensitive reaction like histamines.

A reaction can happen minutes or hours after eating the food. Some delayed reactions occur as long as a couple of days later.

Gut and skin connection

A recent study found that scratching your itchy skin irritated by eating foods triggers your immune cells in your small intestine. The scratching sets off a gut reaction. This situation is why there may be varied reactions in people with food allergies. Your food allergy can set off atopic dermatitis or stomach problems or both. You may get a skin rash from foods without a stomach reaction, but some researchers suggest that if you have one result, you are prone to the other response. So, what are common food allergy symptoms? Here is a list you may encounter if youre allergic to certain foods:

• Hives
• Itchiness or eczema (atopic dermatitis)
• Tingling around or inside your mouth
• Red skin
• Swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat-see your doctor right away
• Wheezing, trouble breathing-see your doctor right away
• Dizziness, lightheadedness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Watery eyes
• Abdominal cramping
• sneezing

Ten foods that worsen your skin rash

Theres an increasing number of food allergies, especially in developed countries. If you think you have a food allergy, contact your doctor or allergist. They will ask for your medical information, a blood test, and a skin prick. It takes all of this information to figure out if youre allergic to food. Blood tests alone arent as practical. Certain foods are the most common ones to cause allergies. Here are the top ten foods that can give you a skin rash due to an allergic reaction.

1. Peanuts

Peanut allergies are widespread. Sometimes peanut allergies are life-threatening, causing anaphylaxis or trouble breathing. Even a small bite can cause an allergic reaction for some people.

A peanut allergy is your immune system mistaking the peanut proteins as dangerous. Your immune system releases mast cell chemicals such as histamines into your bloodstream, giving you an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction may occur minutes after youre exposed to peanuts. Skin rash symptoms to peanuts include stuffy nose, skin reactions like hives, swelling, or redness over a large area.

2. Tree nuts

Tree nut allergies are increasing, and the reactions can be acute. Part of the reason for the growing number of tree nut allergies is that theyre being used more and more in baked goods and processed foods. Studies found that nine tree nuts cause the most allergic reactions. These include:

• Walnut
• Pistachio
• Cashew
• Pecans
• Hazelnuts
• Pine nut

The Food and Drug Administration added other tree nuts as potential allergens. These include:

• Beechnut
• Butternut
• Chestnut
• Chinquapin
• Coconut
• Ginkgo nut
• Hickory nut
• Lychee nut
• Pili nut

Tree nut reactions can be life-threatening. The same study reported that 70% to 90% of all food-related anaphylactic deaths are from tree nuts. They can also cause severe atopic dermatitis.

3. Cows milk

Cows milk is another common allergy that causes skin rashes. If youre allergic to cows milk, your immune system will overreact to the protein in milk from the cow. Further, if both parents have atopic dermatitis from a milk allergy, the chances of a child having this allergy increase 40% to 60%.

4. Eggs

Egg allergies are more common in kids than adults. But there are cases of adult-outbreak egg allergies. A reaction may happen within minutes of eating an egg. Symptoms include skin rashes, hives, congestion, or digestive problems. These can range from mild to more severe reactions such as hives-red welts on your body. Many people have an egg intolerance which is similar to an allergy, but not life-threatening. It can last a persons entire lifetime.

5. Soy

Soy allergies that cause eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is more common in children than adults, but if you had a soy allergy that caused skin rashes when you were youngergood chance youll be allergic to soy as an adult. Allergic reactions to soy may include a flushed face, hives, or tingling inside your mouth. Eczema symptoms are red itchy skin, scaly areas on your skin. Some people have more severe symptoms such as swelling of the lips, face, tongue, or throat.

6. Wheat

Wheat allergies are especially common. Studies show that an allergic reaction to grain occurs when your body makes antibodies to the proteins that are in wheat. Gluten is one protein that causes this type of immune response. Studies reported that wheat allergies worsen atopic eczema in some adults. Wheat can be found in a variety of foods and even everyday items. Places youll find wheat include:

• Bread, pasta, crackers, cereals, cookies, and cakes
• Condiments, salad dressings, sauces, soy sauce
• Deli meats, hot dogs, other processed meats
• Stamps, envelopes
• Play-doh
• Cosmetics
• Bath items
• Medications-used as a binder
• Pet food
• Chewing gum

7. Seafood

Many adults in the United States have a seafood allergy. Its more common in adults than in kids. Kids that have a seafood allergy will typically grow out of it as they get older. Allergic reactions to seafood can cause hives, tingling in your mouth and throat, swelling, or stomach upsets like vomiting and diarrhea.

Some people have a more dangerous reaction, causing breathing problems or blood pressure drops that can be life-threatening. Seafood that triggers allergic reactions include vertebrates, which include fish that have a backbone such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, haddock, eels, and rays.

Its easy to get exposed to seafood in unexpected ways, including.

• Asian food restaurants
• Fish and chips restaurants-They use the same oil for cooking foods, so you get contaminated
• Anchovies in Caesar salads
• Worcestershire sauce
• Contaminated barbeques when several types of meats and fish are cooked on the same grill.
• Drinking out of glassware treated with a product called Isinglass. Its used to remove a cloudy film from beer and wine. Its made from the swim bladder of some fish.

8. Shellfish

Invertebrates (no backbone) can also cause an allergic reaction.

• Shrimp
• Lobster
• Mussels
• Crab
• Oysters
• Crayfish
• Mollusks
• Clams
• Octopus
• Squid
• Calamari
• Sea slug
• Prawns

Typically, shellfish allergies cause vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, face, lips, or throat swelling. Reactions are often delayed by a couple of hours.

10. Corn

Corn is a less common food allergy than some foods. Allergic reactions to corn may differ depending on how allergic you are to the grain. Hives or skin rash are common. Corn products are used today in lots of different foods such as

• Jams
• Syrups
• Sauces
• Beverages
• Meats, deli meats, hot dogs
• Cereals
• Candy
• Snack foods

Ten foods that can calm your skin rash

So, now you know what foods can worsen your skin rash, but there are foods that can help calm down your skin rash. Youll be surprised to see the various foods you may not have known could calm down your uncomfortable skin rash.

1. Asparagus

Who would have thought asparagus would help calm your skin rash reactions. Its actually prebiotic with lots of inulin. Inulin feeds healthy bacteria found in your gut like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Asparagus is high in Vitamin B and antioxidants.

2. Fermented foods

Fermented foods are good for your gut, which in turn helps your entire body when youre fighting off a food allergy. Foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, kombucha, sourdough bread, and Greek yogurt are healthy fermented foods to help calm your allergic reactions.

3. Pineapple

Pineapples contain bromelain, a chemical that helps digest acid and breaks down proteins to fight off stomach problems. Its so tangy and sweet, its hard to think this juice can help relieve food allergy symptoms, but it does.

4. Plants and Herbs

There is a growing awareness of how plants and herbs help us stay healthy. Herbs have been used medicinally for centuries, although in the United States, its been more in the last 25 years or so that doctors and scientists are seeing the benefits of recommending herbs and plants for their patients.

Here are three herbs that calm your skin rashes.

• Aloe vera-Aloe has been used to ease skin disease for thousands of years. Its known to heal skin wounds, plus studies found that aloe vera kills certain bacteria and fungi.
• Marigolds-Marigold flowers made into a tincture can be used on skin inflammations.
• Lavender- Lavender has a reputation for being a calming scent. It slows down the release of histamines that cause allergic reactions.

6. Raw onions

Raw onions are prebiotics with strong antioxidant properties. Theyre packed with Vitamin C, which helps your immune system.

7. Apple cider vinegar

Some are surprised to learn that apple cider vinegar is another healthy food that can calm skin rashes. ACV kills micro-organisms plus antioxidant results. It also helps with reducing your weight, lowering cholesterol, and controlling symptoms of diabetes.

8. Ginger

Ginger is packed with antioxidants that help elevate stress. Its especially helpful to lower your blood pressure, help with chronic diseases and aging.

9. Dandelion greens

These recognizable plants are some of the best detoxifying plants. Theyre full of fiber, antioxidants, prebiotics. Dandelion greens contain vitamin A, iron, Vitamin B, and calcium.

10. Garlic

Raw garlic isnt just a smelly plant. Its full of inulin, which helps your guts good bacteria. Its full of vitamins. Selenium and a powerful compound that kills diseases. Its a powerful healing plant. Eating it can help you soothe your skin rashes.

Final Thoughts on Eating Well to Heal a Skin Rash

Food allergies can be stressful, especially if youre worried about what kind of allergy reaction youll have. Some food allergies are life-threatening, so you need to be aware of what you eat. If you accidentally eat the food, you will need to be prepared to treat yourself or get treatment.

Fortunately, there are many foods you can take to help calm down your eczema and any skin rash that may happen when you have an allergic reaction.