Allergy Testing

A sneezing cat may have a cold or other respiratory illness. He may have something stuck in his nose. These are just two of the possible causes for sneezing in cats.

A cold in a cat may be viral, bacterial, or fungal in nature. Each will require a different treatment, best done by your vet. Since sneezing can be caused by many different things, and because you may not know exactly how sick your cat is, you should seek the advice of your vet.

Cats may also sneeze in response to strong chemicals or cigarette smoke. Different cats show different sensitivities to chemicals. Many flat-faced cats are more sensitive to chemicals and may sneeze in response to exposure. Suspect your perfume, cleaners, or insecticide sprays if you cat suddenly starts sneezing.

Allergies may cause your cat to sneeze. Cats are susceptible to the same allergies as humans, such as trees, grasses, pollens, and other airborne allergens. Allergy testing may be required if your cat is bothered by excessive sneezing.

Other uncommon causes of sneezing in cats may be nose polyps, cancer, and ear infections. If you suspect any of these, or if you just cannot determine the cause of your cat's sneezing, take him to the vet for diagnosis.

If your cat sneezes blood, it may or may not be serious, but should be checked immediately. It may be as serious as nose cancer, or as simple as a mild cold.

An uncommon cause for a cat sneezing is dental problems. Tooth abscesses or infections in the upper teeth can travel to the nasal cavity and cause sneezing. Only a vet can determine the exact cause and possible treatment.

Sneezing becomes a problem when it causes the cat to become cranky. Additionally, a sneezing cat makes it almost impossible for the cat, or the owner, to get adequate sleep. This can lead to irritability for both.

A veterinarian is the only one who can decisively determine what is causing the cat to sneeze. Methods of determining the cause may include physical exam, an MRI, blood tests, nasal swabs, polyp biopsy, skull x-ray, and endoscope of the nasal passage, biopsy of the nasal lining.

Treatment for the bleeding depends, of course on the cause. Treatment may include surgical intervention, medicine to treat viral or bacterial infections, and treatment for allergies or asthma, as indicated.

Though a sneezing cat is no joke, there have been some superstitions surrounding cats over the years. Some of these include: cat sneezing once -rain is predicted; cat sneezing three times--the family will catch a cold; and good luck will come to all who hear a cat sneezing.

We spend so much time talking about allergy symptoms and allergy remedies that we often overlook the most basic question of all - that being what is the cause of allergies?

And in using the word, "cause" I do not mean one of the multitude of allergy triggers whether they are environmental triggers such as pollen, dust mites and pets or food allergens such as eggs or cow's milk.

The trigger starts the process of the inflammation and swelling that we see in the allergy symptoms but is not responsible for the tendency of the patient to react in such a dramatic way. Some of that tendency is genetic and some of it is down to lifestyle.

In just about every account of allergy we are told that the cause of an allergy is down to one thing, so let's look at that now and we'll start with an interesting question.

Is Your Immune System Really Broken?

We are told by expert after expert that the body is mistaking your corn or your beef for an enemy; that the immune system has been fooled and that your allergy is down to a mistake or malfunction. And that's what I mean by using such a blunt question. Let's ask some more questions.

If my immune system gets such a simple task so very wrong why is my general health good? Surely if my immune system was so easily fooled I would not be able to fight off germs and viruses that i come across every day. And if my immune system is so incapable why am I still alive?

Or Are You a Tad Leaky?

Whether we are leaky or not comes up mostly in discussing food allergies and the whole complicated area of indigestion and food intolerance. School science tells us that proteins are broken down to their building blocks, called amino acids in the stomach and small intestine. That sounds simple and it is but how come allergy is usually explained by saying that our immune system is fighting food proteins?

Where is the fight taking place? Because food proteins cannot get into the bloodstream according to normal ideas. The protein should be digested before they get into the blood.

But suppose you are just a bit leaky, not enough to wet the carpet, just a tad, then food proteins might be able to leak out of the digestive system into the bloodstream.

There the immune system will find these food particles and take care of them. You can call this a fight or a clean up, your metaphor is your business, but the body is properly, cleverly and correctly removing proteins that should not be in the bloodstream...only to be blamed by everyone looking on.

What is at fault here is not the immune system - that is actually doing far more work than it should. The fault lies with the digestive system for not containing food particles adequately until they are sufficiently digested.

And that is called "Leaky gut".

Leaky gut is commonplace and is easy to diagnose. There are simple laboratory tests which are low cost and non invasive.

It is equally easy to cure, but that is for another day. In my view "leaky gut syndrome" is the main cause of Food Allergy.

Or Perhaps You Are Just Intoxicated?

The word "toxin" means poison, so intoxicated means poisoned. This may not mean that you'll die. Whether or not we die when we take in a dose of a poison depends on how strong the poison is and how much we take.

Have you taken the LD 50?

When testing how powerful a chemical toxin is, doses are fed to laboratory animals. As the dose level is increased the animals die. The amount that kills half the animals is called the LD 50, where LD stands for lethal dose.

How About YOUR LD 50?

If some one consumes the LD 50 level of a toxin they may well die. Alcohol is a good example here and the word intoxicated is used to mean that someone has taken a lot of alcohol. If they consume more than the LD 50 they have a fair chance of surviving and whether they do depends on their liver.

The major job of the liver is to grab the toxins it gets and to change them into something else. This is called detoxification, often shortened to "detox" The word detox does not mean anything to do with street drugs and intoxicated does not just mean, "drunk".

The liver has to do something that sounds fairly magical - it has to take poison and turn it into something safe. It needs enzymes to do this and it needs amino acids and nutrients. Like any good construction worker it needs the right tools for the job.

You could be suffering from multiple toxins in your blood stream from industrial exposure, street drugs or pharmaceutical drugs - all of which have to be detoxified your liver is struggling already.

And on Top of That....

And if we add allergens from food allergies or from other sources we raise the demands on the liver. Like anything else it has a limit and we may begin to get allergy symptoms when the liver is working at full capacity dealing with a list of toxins listed above and has little or no spare capacity.

Removing any of the toxins would help the liver cope with all of its other tasks. Detoxification is a complex step by step process of assessing and helping the liver and other organs of detoxification gradually eliminate toxins from the body. Most references to "detox" are wide of the mark and show little real grasp of the science involved.

This is not rocket science but it is liver science and has to be approached carefully with all the right tools and preparation.

So what does cause allergy?

The 3 theories here all have some merit. The immune system is fighting food particles and the reason it is doing so is that allergy patients are somewhat leaky and toxic.

Rather than simply saying that the immune system is at fault or is over reacting it seems wiser to fix the leak and do some detox. Both of these need a Naturopathic Physician for you to get the maximum health benefits, but it can be done.

Blood tests for colitis and Crohn's disease are a relatively new and exciting development that have added significantly to the screening, diagnosis and management of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Differentiating the two may allow better predictions regarding responses to medical treatments, decisions regarding surgery options and the risks of various complications. Antibodies to various proteins including Baker's or Brewer's yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria like Escherichia. coli (E. coli) are present in the blood of many people with Crohn's disease but rarely in normal people. Antibodies to a normal cell component, a nuclear protein, is present in most people with ulcerative colitis, a few people with Crohn's whose colitis behaves more like ulcerative colitis than Crohn's, and rarely in normal people.

Antibody tests or serologic markers are blood tests looking for markers of diseases. The serologic markers or antibody tests for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are pANCA and ASCA, OmpC, and CBir1 Flagelin respectively. The latter three blood tests for Crohn's are only available through one laboratory, Prometheus Laboratories, Inc.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown cause that only involves the colon. It affects the superficial lining of the colon and rarely causes bowel obstruction (blockage) or perforation (rupture) but frequently causes severe bloody diarrhea, blood in the stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, as well as joint aches or arthritis, skin rashes, eye irritation and occasionally a severe liver disorder known as primary sclerosing cholangitis that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Ulcerative colitis can be cured by complete removal of the colon but not Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease can also cause colitis but usually also affects the very end of the small intestine called the ileum (ileitis or regional enteritis). When Crohn's affects only the colon it may be difficult to distinguish it from ulcerative colitis though Crohn's tends to affect the colon in a patchy manner whereas ulcerative colitis is continuous. Crohn's can affect the gastrointestinal tract anywhere from the mouth to the anus and is not curable by removing the colon. It is also frequently associated with bowel strictures (constrictions) causing obstruction that may require surgery. It also may be associated with fistula that are abnormal connections of the intestine to other organs and the skin or it can result in abscesses or perforation requiring surgery It is important to distinguish Crohn's disease from ulcerative colitis since medical treatments and surgical approaches may differ and the types of complications that can occur can be much different.

Traditionally, the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is highly accurate by the appearance of the colon on colonoscopy or x-rays that confirm the presence or absence of involvement of other parts of the intestinal tract. Diagnosis is confirmed by a typical pattern of inflammation of the intestine lining as seen under the microscope on tissue obtained by biopsy during colonoscopy. However, before blood tests were available about 10% of people with IBD were diagnosed as having an indeterminate colitis because the biopsies could not distinguish between the ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

The blood tests currently available are pANCA, anti-ASCA, anti-OmpC, and anti-CBir1 flagelin antibodies. pANCA is the peripheral anti-nuclear antibody. It is an abnormal antibody to nuclear protein of cells and is highly sensitive and specific for ulcerative colitis. The pANCA anbibody has been further divided into subsets by Prometheus Laboratories Inc. Neutrophil-specific pANCA ELISA (NSNA) is positive in the majority of people with ulcerative colitis (UC) and a small subset of people with Crohn's disease that have disease characteristics more like UC. Immunofluorescent cellular staining of neutrophils (NSNA IFA) and enzyme Dnase testing (NSNA DNase sensitivity) is also done as part of the Prometheus IBD Serology 7. The latter test when present in high levels is significantly associated with development of inflammation of the rectal pouch (pouchitis) created when someone has their entire colon removed for ulcerative colitis that does not respond to medical treatment.

ASCA is anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is Brewer's or Baker's yeast. Crohn's patients have a high prevalence of abnormal antibodies to this yeast. Some have suggested that another yeast, Candida albicans, somehow plays a role in this abnormal response. A few people with celiac disease have this antibody present in their blood in the absence of signs of Crohn's disease. OmpC is the abbreviation for an antibody that develops in many Crohn's patients to the outer membrane porin protein of the bacteria E. coli though that bacteria is not thought to be the cause of Crohn's disease. Just recently Prometheus Laboratories added antibody testing for a specific protein on bacteria that constitutes the flagelin or hair like structure on certain bacteria enabling movement and attachment of bacteria in the intestine called CBir1 flagelin.

Future blood tests may include antibodies against certain sugar (mannose) residues in the cell wall of the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae. Anti-laminaribioside and anti-chitobioside antibodies were recently reported to be present in Crohn's patients who were anti-ASCA negative possibly further strengthening the ability to distinguish them from people with ulcerative colitis. This is also interesting because of suspicions and the lay public interest in the role of sugars or glycans and yeast in IBD. In particular the reports in lay literature of success of carbohydrate specific diet in IBD.

If you have a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease these blood tests may be very helpful in your treatment. If you have unexplained abdominal pain, diarrhea, or blood in your stools then these tests should be considered. If you have a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, these tests may exclude ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Since as many as 10% of people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease may also have celiac disease, celiac blood tests should also be considered. Lactose intolerance is also common in IBD, IBS and celiac disease.

Future helpful information on colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, food allergies, food intolerance, food sensitivity, eosinophilic esophagitis and irritable bowel syndrome will be available from Dr. Scot Lewey, the food allergy expert-the food doc at http://www.thefooddoc.com. Information on colitis and Crohn's disease can also be obtained from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA, http://www.ccfa.org). Dr. Scot Lewey is a member of the medical advisory panel for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of CCFA. For more information about Prometheus Laboratories Inc. see http://www.prometheuslabs.com. A more detailed explanation of the blood tests can be found in a separate article by the food doc and references below.

Abreu MT et.al. Use of Serologic Tests in Crohn's Disease. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Vol.4, No. 3. 2001

Dotan I et.al. Antibodies Against Laminaribioside and Chitiobioside Are Novel Serologic Markers in Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol.131, No. 2. 2006

Mei, L et.al. Familial Expression of Anti-Escherichia coli Outer Membrane Porin C in Relatives of Patients with Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol. 130, No. 4 2006

Stadaert-Vitse et.al. Candida albicans Is an Immunogen for Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae Antibody Markers of Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol 130, No. 6. 2006

Targan, SR et.al. Antibodies to Cbir1 Flagelin Define a Unique Response That Is Associated Independently Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol.128, No.7. 2005

Copyright The Food Doc, LLC, 2006. All Rights Reserved. http://www.thefooddoc.com

Allergy treatment is huge business for drug manufacturers, but this masking of the true cause of theses sensitivities leaves us dependent on expensive chemicals to mask what's happening in our body and the reason behind it. Taking a holistic and natural approach to allergies can yield new insights and produce long-term results that increase our health and well-being.

Ever notice how scientific accidents can change the course of history? Teflon was discovered by Roy J. Plunkett, while he was trying to develop a new gas for refrigeration and got a slick substance instead, which was used first for lubrication of machine parts. Scotchgard, is a 3M brand of products used to protect fabric, furniture, and carpets from stains, and it was discovered accidentally in 1953 by Patsy Sherman. One of the compounds she was investigating as a rubber material, that wouldn't deteriorate when in contact with aircraft fuel, spilled onto a tennis shoe and would not wash out; she then considered the spill as a protectant against spills. Sometimes this same serendipitous occurrence happens in holistic healing

Well the same "lucky" accident happened to Dr. Devi Nambudripad. She was allergic to almost all foods except rice and broccoli. One day she accidentally at a few pieces of carrot while waiting for her rice to cook and her broccoli to boil. It only took a few minutes for an allergic reaction to consume her body. Thinking like a holistic healer/superhero she asked her husband to get her acupuncture needles. She inserted the needles performing a self treatment. She awoke 45 minutes later feeling much different, with high energy instead of the sick, wiped out way she usually felt after an allergic reaction. She looked down to see that she was still holding bits of carrot. Her brain and body had been reprogrammed by the acupuncture treatment while the allergic substance was in her energy field. When she treated herself with other allergy producing foods and had similar results she knew she was on to something.

One technique for allergy detection is called A/SERT (allergy/sensitivity elimination and reprogramming technique). By holding on to a vial containing a potential allergen while simultaneously giving massive amounts of input into the nervous system, in the form of spinal and cranial adjusting, laser, percussion, color and sound therapy, the body has the opportunity to become reprogrammed thus reducing the sensitivity to that allergen. It is important to remember that each patient responds at their own rate. It may take several sessions with a practitioner you choose to show positive results.

Another more conventional approach taken to remove allergy/sensitivities from the body is the elimination diet. You may have heard of this diet in many nutrition textbooks. It entails adhering to a diet that has very few or no common allergens. No dairy, no wheat gluten, no peanuts etc. It is a very stringent diet. After being on this diet for a period of several weeks the suspected foods are added back into the diet one at a time and symptoms are monitored by the doctor and patient. If allergy/sensitivity symptoms recur that particular food is permanently eliminated from the diet. Here is a warning from a fellow compulsive eater... the foods you are most attracted to are usually the ones you are extremely sensitive to. Changing your diet or eliminating certain foods may be emotionally challenging, but your body and your life will be transformed.

Automated random-access immunoassay systems are specifically designed to efficiently carry out the advanced analytical requirements of contemporary clinical laboratories and hospital facilities. These systems ensure stable performance and superior accuracy.

High-end Models from Well-known Manufacturers

Automated random-access immunoassay systems are used to perform tests for thyroid hormones, infectious diseases, bone metabolism, reproductive hormones, anemia, assays for cancer markers, allergy, therapeutic drug monitoring, cardiac analysis, tumor markers and other additional assays. High-end models of automated immunoassay systems, integrated with random-access capabilities, are available from well-known manufacturers including Tosoh Bioscience, J&J and Siemens Medical Solutions Diagnostics. Major models offered include Tosoh 360, ADVIA Centaur, Tosoh 600 II, J & J Vitros ECI and Immulite 2500.

Online Shops for Easy Purchase

To purchase the model of automated random-access immunoassay system that suits your research needs, it is essential to approach established suppliers as they ensure branded products, competitive prices, dedicated customer support and proper service contracts. A web search would help you get the necessary information. Most dealers offer online shopping facilities and attractive prices.

Immunoassay System with Extensive Features

The important advantage of automated random-access immunoassay systems are that they offer flexible operation, precision for successful workload management and optimal productivity. Further, these analyzers are simple and easy-to-use, and enable researchers to obtain accurate diagnostic results within a short time.

The various models of immunoassay analyzers come with advanced capabilities to facilitate efficient performance of research tasks. The core features of the Tosoh 600 II analyzer model include:

• Primary tube sampling
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• Automated sample dilution and pretreatment
• Throughput of 60 results per hour
• Unit dose test cup reagent system
• First result in ~18 minutes (ST Assays)
• Full test menu
• Third generation sensitivity
• Compact size - less than three feet of counter space

Some models come with high resolution touch screen for trouble-free interaction, automatic reflex testing with cascade options, as well as automated monitoring and maintenance. The devices also feature high on-board refrigeration capacity for reagents and supplies, on-board dilution and automatic repeat capabilities. A major advantage is that automated random-access immunoassay systems require minimal maintenance.

When you first start working with an allergist, it is likely that they will ask you many questions about your lifestyle in efforts to establish the most likely causes of your adverse reactions to allergens, foodstuffs that you are allergic to and so on. For example, they will ask about your family background - because as we have already established, problems like eczema are generally believed to have an inherent hereditary element.

In general, there are only two types of allergy testing that are commonly accepted as being scientifically valid for anything other than experimental research purposes.

The first of these is the skin test, which has been in use for 100 years and is still the preferred method of allergy testing even today. In this situation, the qualified practitioner places a small drop of a commercially prepared solution containing the allergen to which the patient is thought to be allergic on the skin before scratching the skin so that the allergen enters the body.

When they do this, the allergist will be looking for a certain degree or level of reaction from the patient to prove that they are sensitive to a particular allergen. However, because the initial allergen solution is very weak, it is quite common for the allergist to runs several skin tests using slightly stronger allergen solutions to establish the degree of adverse reaction the patient will suffer.

The allergist is artificially inducing an allergic disease in miniature. If the initial test on the outside of the skin is not effective for establishing exactly what it is that is causing some kind of negative reaction, a similar test will be run by injecting the allergen solution under the skin.

The alternative form of allergy testing is known as Radioallergosorbent testing (RAST), which is a test for specific allergic antibodies in the blood, a test which is gradually improving in scope and accuracy. However, because RAST is considerably more expensive than skin testing and because the results often take days or even weeks to arrive, it is still skin testing that is by far the most popular form of allergy test.

The Shiba inu does suffer from allergic skin disease. All itchy Shiba inu dogs need an elimination food trial to rule out food allergy. Food allergies are common. The most common food allergens are beef, wheat and dairy products but there are many others. Preservatives get the blame but are rarely responsible. The immune system only recognises large molecules like proteins. Food allergies often start as soon as the dog starts solid food. If your dog has an itchy anus and scoots + has ear infections all the time and this all started in the first year of life, London to a brick it is diet related. Food allergy dogs often rub their face after eating as the lips are itchy. Food allergy dogs need a proper food elimination trial.

The Shiba inu also suffers from canine atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is an allergy to pollen, dust mites and household spores. It is rare for this to start in the first year of life (although not impossible). In the early stages, these dogs seem itchy even though the skin looks completely normal. The skin is dry due to a skin barrier defect. Sphingosine is missing from the protective ceramide layer in the outer skin. Allergens cross the skin and water escapes. The dogs start scratching but there never seems to be a reason. The skin may be a bit dry with dandruff but nothing else seems to be wrong. Sadly this progresses and severe rashes develop as the Shiba inu gets older. The rashes tend to be where there is no hair cover such as between the toes, groin, abdomen, arm pit and inner surface of the ear. Atopic dermatitis is frustrating. You can have skin prick tests and blood tests and currently the only cure is desensitisation with vaccines of diluted allergen. This works in 70% of dogs. For those that can't afford such testing, prednisolone is the only cheap option. Cyclosporine works well but is expensive. Some natural treatments can really help and avoiding flare factors is useful.

The most common reaction to allergens in dogs are skin problems. The primary symptoms are licking, biting, and scratching. Skin problems can be difficult to diagnose because there are so many different causes. Finding the correct diagnosis leads to the best dog allergies treatment for your pet.

Allergies can be controlled by avoiding the allergens, treating the symptoms, or desensitizing the dog. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, physical exam and lab tests. Treatment can include antihistamines and corticosteroids. Management may include topical sprays, and medicated shampoos.

Food sensitivities cause itching skin, anal itching, ear inflammations, and occasionally vomiting, diarrhea, or asthma-like coughing. Allergies develop over time so don't rule out food because the dogs diet is unchanged. Many commercial foods are available to help. Finding the correct ingredients is trial and error, but once a food is found that doesn't trigger your dogs sensitivities, the new diet is as good as a cure.

Flea allergies are a hypersensitivity to the saliva in the flea bite. One bite causes itching lasting 5 to 7 days. Symptoms are biting, scratching, and hair loss from excessive licking. Topical flea medications work after an adult flea has bitten, so this isn't enough for an allergic dog. Treatment is fleas control. Use chemicals sparingly. Too many can be as harmful as the fleas. Oatmeal baths provide temporary relief of itching. Wash dog bedding with every bath. Limit walks, staying away from trails frequented by wildlife. Your vet may prescribe an antihistamine shot for long-term relief or corticosteroids for immediate relief.

Inhalant, or atopy allergies are the most common. These include allergic reactions to dust mites, molds, and pollens. First step is a combination strategy of reducing exposure to the allergen, and providing relief for itching. A dehumidifier will reduce molds. Cover dirt around house plants with activated charcoal. Control dust and pollens with an air cleaner. Air conditioning reduces dust and pollen exposure.

Treatments of symptoms includes weekly baths with oatmeal or medicated shampoos for temporary relief of itching. Topical sprays and creams are used for localized itching. Antihistamines are relatively safe. You may have to try different ones to find one that doesn't overly sedate your pet. Not all over the counter antihistamines are safe for dogs. Consult a vet to determine which choices are safe and effective, and at what dosage. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation which reduces itching. It's primarily used short term to relieve severe itching and inflammation. Long term use is discouraged because this medication suppresses the immune system. Omega-3 is helpful to some dogs. It's a natural anti-inflammatory that reduces the amount and effects of histamines and other chemicals released in response to allergies. It's very safe and used in conjunction with antihistamines can reduce the need for corticosteroids.

Immunotherapy stimulates the immune system to decrease the body's reaction. Shots contain small amounts or extracts of the allergen based on results of skin testing. The dog's owner gives shots to the pet at home. They are very effective but slow to work, taking 6-12 months to see improvement.

Continued biting and scratching can lead to open sores which can become infected, requiring antibiotics. Seeking dog allergies treatment early can reduce the need for corticosteroids and antibiotics, medications that come with more side effects.

Unlike dogs, we look after our allergies, mainly because we are able to. Where pets cannot recognise and diagnose their own allergy, we on the other-hand can. When treating a dog allergy one should look at whether it's better to prevent or cure allergies. It's up to us to look after our pet's allergy.

It's quite possible, when your dog has an allergy; it's something he/she will have for life. By way of allergy testing your veterinarian can accurately diagnose your puppy's allergy. Allergies in pets can make them itch and scratch too much, which leads to lots of shedding and other skin related problems such as scabbing, raw sores, unsightly ear infections and some unpleasant odors.

While difficult to diagnose, it's important to beware of your dog's signs if you're to provide effective relieve to your dog's allergies. If the symptoms that your dog displays, leads to confusing diagnoses, it's best to seek advice from your veterinarian. Your vet will establish whether your dog suffers from an allergy or a more severe complaint.

The sooner one acts, and starts treating their dog's allergies the easier and less stressful it will be in the long run. Properly treating the symptoms of your dog's allergies will certainly bring relief to your dog, but dealing with the cause of your dog's allergy should greatly reduce distress in your dog.

Some believe using natural diets and treatments offer less harmful side effects than conventional commercial based products. More and more dog owners are looking to natural solutions in the treatment of their dog's allergies. While it's always advised that you seek the advice of your Veterinarian when treating dog allergies, it can also be well worth looking to some alternative methods. In the book, "Veterinary Secrets Revealed" (available at http://veterinary-secrets-revealed.com ), Dr. Andrew Jones focuses on alternative home treatments for dog allergies. According to Dr. Jones, allergies are one of the most common reasons that he sees pets.

A simple change in what your dog eats, plays with or sleeps on, could be all that is needed to put an end to your dog's pain. The use of medicated shampoos or creams on your dog's dry or itchy skin may play a key role in making your dog less susceptible to allergies. Treatment of dog allergies is an on-going process, while prevention is better in the long run. Without a doubt, preventing your dog's allergies is by far, a much better option than constantly trying to cure what ails them.

It's worth bearing in mind that dog allergies can be a long battle, therefore, the sooner one puts an on-going solution in place, the better it will be for all concerned. Remember, it is essential that you be proficient in spotting the signs in order to correctly control and treat your dog's allergies.

House Dust Mites (HDM) are a major source of allergen and found in temperate and humid areas. There is widely published data that shows how House Dust Mites avoidance can reduce exposure to allergens. This article looks at the properties of house dust mite and recommendations for reducing HDM in the home.

Biology of the house dust mite

House Dust Mites are arachnids not insects and related to ticks and spiders such as daddy long legs. Thirteen species of HDM have been found in dust however the two which are the most common and are the main source of the HDM allergen are Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus from the family Pyroglyphidae. The life cycle of the HDM Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus consists of 5 stages. An adult mated female will lay 40 - 80 eggs in her lifetime, when the egg hatches a six legged larva emerges. There are two nymphal stages (which feed and moult before an eight legged adult is developed. The adult HDM has a mouth-like appendage and no eyes or antennae. The duration of the cycle is usually one month and dependent on the climate, ideally 25簞C and 75% RH. An adult HDM can live for one to three months under favourable conditions.

Their translucent body is 300繕m - 400繕m in length and only visible under a microscope with the faecal pellets ranging from 20繕m - 50繕m, it is estimated that the HDM can produce 20 pellets per day. HDM are ~75% water by weight and therefore need to absorb water from the water vapour in the air making relative humidity (RH) a critical factor for survival.

Dust Mite Habitat

HDM primarily feed on organic detritus such as flakes of shed skin, other nutrients are provided by animal dander, pollen, bacteria and mould. HDM survive and reproduce the best in soft furnishings such as carpets with long pile, bedding and plush toys, which contains a large supply of their food source, this stable environmental dwelling is best provided by homes. Indoor humidity is very important and when it is less than 50% they are unable to maintain their water balance and are more susceptible to desiccation.

The HDM selects food that has been pre decomposed by fungi which reduces the fat content of the skin cells. The fungi in turn are using the house dust mite faeces and skin cells as a source of nitrogen (Woodcock et al. 2006) which forms a minute ecosystem in their environment.

Dust Mite Allergies

Allergy is a response of the human immune system to a foreign protein substance (allergen). A HDM allergy is the result of a hypersensitive immune system response to the mite faces. Faecal pellets are easily airborne and when they become suspended in the air they can be inhaled, the allergic reaction will cause sneezing, wheezing, headaches, coughing, eye irritation, fatigue or dizziness and are confirmed as a major trigger for acute asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. Roughly 1-2 % of the world population (65-130 million people are allergic to house dust mites (Collof, 1999)

Dermatophagoides farinae (commonly found in drier regions) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (commonly found in temperate to tropical regions), produce at least ninteen different allergens each. These allergens are further classified depending on their biochemical characteristic by group numbers:

Group 1 allergens (Der p 1, Der f 1), glycoproteins originating from the digestive tract of the mites.

Group 2 allergens (Der p 2, Der f 2), non-glycosylated proteins with a high IgE binding capacity and associated with the mite bodies.

Group 3 allergens are associated with digestive enzymes, Group 4 allergens are sugar associated and so on.

Around 80% of mite allergic patients are sensitive to Group 1 and Group 2 allergens from HDM (Thomas, WR et al. 2004). Examples of other allergens include pollen, pet dander and mould. Allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the 3rd most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old as reported in "Chronic Conditions: A Challenge for the 21st Centrury," National Academy on an Aging Society, 2000

How to control allergen levels in the home

There is no cure for allergies to dust mites. The only way to avoid allergy symptoms when it comes to dust mites is to prevent exposure. The use of a multifactor approach to allergen control has been recommended by, the Report on the Third International Workshop on Indoor Allergens and Asthma (1997) as well as the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (2007).

Maintaining RH below 50% by using dehumidifiers in homes is effective in reducing RH and therefore reducing mite populations. Regular vacuuming and steam cleaning carpets can kill mites and remove surface allergens. Encasing mattresses and pillows with products that have verified allergen barrier properties are effective in reducing exposure to HDM and their allergens.

Many products claim to reduce allergens without independent evaluation of their effectiveness making it difficult for the consumer to make the right choice; however Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) an international standards and certification body helps consumers and retailers identify toys, bedding, vacuum cleaners, dehumidifiers etc. for people concerned about allergies, asthma and indoor air quality. ASL's independent certification standards have been written in consultation with industry, retailer and health care professionals and are the only standards that are accepted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Reputable retailers should ensure that all allergen claims have been conducted in a meaningful way to avoid falling foul of labelling guidelines. Concerned consumers should also seek that all labelling where allergies are concerned have been validated by a third party independent testing authority.

ASL believes that a home allergen reduction plan which incorporates a number of changes is critical for reducing exposure to allergens.

The independent testing and research for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America certification program is conducted by the life sciences company airmid healthgroup ltd (AHG). The airmid healthgroup ltd research spans all disciplines relevant to indoor particulate contaminants, ranging from virology, microbiology, mycology, allergen, dust mite and bed bug research. The airmid healthgroup ltd laboratory offers a complete range of advanced Allergen Testing Services specialising in Allergen Barrier Services, Dust Mite related Testing, Claim verification services and Allergen detection.