Canines can be bothered by mold spores

June 7, 2007

6/6/2007

WS

A reader e-mailed me:

" Have you ever come across or know of any information about animals --

especially dogs -- having reactions to mold? I used to think my dogs' problem

was allergies, and the vets had no reason to think otherwise. However, I live in

the Centex homes in Stead (and) they found mold under my house in the crawl

space.

" One dog for the last year or so has had what I can only describe as a cough,

but it is not a cough. It is kind of a gagging noise. That is why the vets have

said allergies -- and Benadryl controls it. ... But now, in the last month or

so, our other dog has been getting the same thing. Called the vet and he said

Benadryl would be fine for him, too.

" I know you are not a vet, but was just wondering if you had seen or heard

anything about this. I imagine that dogs are affected by mold too, just maybe

not the same symptoms as humans. "

I forwarded the question to Werner, a Los Angeles-based veterinary

dermatologist who specializes in allergies and works monthly at Animal Medical

Center of Reno. Here was his reply:

" It is difficult to tell from the e-mail whether or not your reader's animals

are truly suffering from allergies or from irritation due to mold spores.

" Allergy requires sensitization and an excessive immunologic response. It is

unlikely that more than one dog in a household would develop symptoms at the

same time.

" It is more likely that your reader's animals are being irritated by mold spores

or the concentration of particulate matter in the environment. Antihistamines

(such as Benadryl) can dry secretions, and therefore reduce upper respiratory

symptoms in these cases. "

It sounds to me like you've just got to treat the symptoms until you can get rid

of the mold.

Navarro can be reached at www.animalbehaviorconsulting.com or 775-841-7646.

Recommended Posts