Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs

Peanut butter is a widely known and delicious spread that many people use and enjoy within their diet. It has been known by dog owners that dogs enjoy peanut butter as well. Many dog owners do not hesitate to give the dog a taste of peanut butter as a treat or as an easy way for them to take any medications.

Peanut butter allergies occur in people quite often, as many are allergic to peanuts as well as other nuts. People with severe nut allergies often times must carry around an EpiPen if they were to ingest this nut in order to avoid anaphylactic shock.

Although peanut butter is a tasty treat and many dogs do love the taste, there are some dogs that may be allergic to peanut butter. Sadly, many dog owners find that out after giving them a spoonful, as many dogs begin to develop mild, moderate, and even severe allergies right away. Peanut butter allergies in dogs can are caused by dogs being allergic to the peanuts themselves.

Peanut butter allergies in dogs are the results of dogs being allergic to peanuts. If the nut butter also contains xylitol, the dog may become very sick, but this is not due to an allergy. 

Symptoms of peanut butter allergies in dogs will vary; his symptoms may show up over time if he is fed peanut butter as a treat on a regular basis, or immediately, such as in the case of anaphylactic shock. Symptoms may include:

• Red and itchy skin
• Excessive licking of the skin
• Bald spots
• Hotspots
• Difficulty breathing
• Hives
• Swelling
• Collapse
• Agitation

Types

There are two types of peanut butter allergies in dogs. The type of allergy that your dog may have depends on your dog’s immune system and tolerability of peanut butter and peanuts alone. The two types of peanut butter allergies are:

• Atopic dermatitis, or skin allergies
• An anaphylactic type immediate response

The types of allergies your veterinarian may want to test in order to come to a definitive diagnosis of a peanut butter allergy include:

• Plant allergy, such as pollen
• Inhalant allergy, such as mold
• Food allergy from another type of food ingredient
• Dust allergy

Causes of peanut butter allergies in dogs are from your dog ingesting peanut butter, either in small amounts regularly or a one-time amount. Specific causes of peanut butter allergy in dogs include:

• The chemical known as histamine which fights the allergen
• A hypersensitive immune system to the ingredients in peanut butter
• Untreated histamine response to the peanut butter causing anaphylactic shock

If you suspect your dog is having an allergic reaction to a specific food, namely peanut butter, make an appointment with your local emergency veterinarian before it becomes too severe. If you are unsure that your dog is having a peanut butter allergy, your veterinarian may choose to perform specific types of tests in order to come to a definitive diagnosis.

For many types of allergy symptoms, veterinarians tend to wait on specific allergy testing, but if he knows that you are feeding him peanut butter from time to time for treats or in order for him to take any medications, he may want to go ahead and perform an allergy test since a peanut butter allergy can turn into a severe situation, such as in anaphylactic shock.

Your veterinarian may perform blood testing, urinalysis, and biochemistry profile to rule out any other underlying illnesses. He will also ask you a variety of questions about your dog’s diet, agents in which he comes into contact with on a regular basis, how often he has an allergic reaction, and any other questions that will help him come to a diagnosis.

Your veterinarian may choose to do a skin test on your dog to identify a specific allergen, or perform a type of allergy test on your dog which includes a tiny amount of a specific allergen, in this case peanut butter, to your dog’s skin. Your veterinarian may also choose to do blood testing to determine this type of allergy.

In terms of treatment, the only type of treatment that is effective is the avoidance of peanut butter altogether. This is the one thing that will help your dog recover from a peanut butter allergy. Temporary treatment methods may include:

Topical Creams

If your dog suffers from irritated or inflamed skin from the peanut butter allergy, your veterinarian may choose to apply an antihistamine or other healing, topical cream to your dog’s skin to allow it to heal. Once the peanut butter is removed from his diet, the skin condition  will clear up, so these topical medications will only be temporary.

Antihistamines

Your veterinarian may give you a prescription for an antihistamine for your dog if he is having difficulty breathing due to ingesting peanut butter. This type of treatment is solely symptomatic and depends on the severity of your dog’s ability to breathe. 

Emergency Treatment

In the rare case that your dog has a severe allergy and goes into anaphylactic shock. your vet may administer medicine such as steroids and adrenaline. Your dog may also require oxygen and intravenous fluids. Dogs are hospitalised until recovered.

Once you have discovered that your dog is suffering from a peanut allergy, do not feed him peanut butter or peanuts in any form. Avoid all treats or foods that contain peanuts or peanut butter; your veterinarian may also recommend that you avoid nuts altogether.

If your veterinarian chose to perform specific allergy tests, he may have found that your dog is allergic to other items in addition to peanut butter. If this is the case, remove these items from your dog’s diet immediately unless he has been safely consuming them before testing (false positives are common).

Once your dog is home from the hospital, in the case of a severe peanut butter allergy, or home from the veterinarian’s office visit, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions on how to care for your dog at home. He will also alert you to any other symptoms you need to watch out for, including any side effects from an antihistamine or steroid if this medication was given to your dog. If you have a prescription for an antihistamine or a topical ointment, be sure to follow the instructions carefully on how to administer the medication properly.