Almost everyone knows that man’s best friend can be the cause of allergy symptoms, but did you know that dogs could experience allergies, as well? According to veterinarians, dogs are often bothered by the same types of allergens that can set off you runny nose or itchy eyes. They can even experience similar symptoms. The most common symptom of canine allergies is all-over itchiness. This can be caused by a myriad of different allergens, but the end result is that the dog itches so much that he may scratch or bite until an area becomes bald, bloody or even infected. This localized itching is commonly found around the rear end of a dog. Dogs may also experience “hay fever” type symptoms like wheezing, sneezing, red or weeping eyes and dripping noses. In other instances, they may experience gastrointestinal symptoms that involve vomiting and diarrhea.

So what causes these symptoms? Similar to humans, dog allergies can come from common contact sources, like insect bites, inhaled substances or foods. The most common insect induced allergy comes from the saliva of a flea. A flea infestation is bad enough as it is, but when your animal is allergic, they may become overwhelmed with the itching. Some animals resort to neurotic behaviors, such as excessive licking as a result. It is best to take preventative action to avoid an infestation, rather than to try to treat an allergic reaction to fleas. Talk to your pet’s veterinarian to decide what preventative treatment will work best for your dog and for your area. Other dogs may be allergic to inhaled substances similar to the things that make their owners sneeze. These include pollens, molds, dust mites and other typical allergenic substances. It may be impossible for your pet to avoid such allergens especially during certain times of the year. It is best to keep your house, and your pet’s area, as clean as possible. Some pet owners have also found that increasing the number of baths their animal had offered some relief. These baths not only served to rinse allergenic substances from their fur, but many hypoallergenic shampoos contain ingredients designed to combat itchiness caused by an allergic reaction. Still more dogs develop allergies to certain foods. Most commonly, the offending allergen is a protein substance in their dog food. In order to discover the source of the food allergy, these dogs must be kept on a strict diet of special food prescribed by their vet for 8-12 weeks before reintroducing different proteins one at a time. It can be a painstaking process, but for pets that suffer from food allergies, it can greatly increase their quality of life.

Physicians classify cough’s into tow distinct categories a productive and a non-productive cough. It is important to note that there are variations on each but the classification is productive and non-productive.

What is a Productive cough?

When one has a productive cough, also known as chest cough, it is usually due to a viral or bacterial infection and needs to be treated as such. With this type of cough we expel the phlegm which has formed in our respiratory passages, so that abnormal mucus that should not be there and germs are eliminated from the respiratory tract and breathing becomes easier. The term even seems self-explanatory because as it would describe the cough itself was a productive way to clear our the gunk.

Dry persistent cough

What is a Non-productive cough (Dry cough)?

The other side of a cough is a non-productive cough which is dry, tickling and downright irritating. This cough can for example be caused by phlegm that is so viscous or sticky that it is not loosened and expectorated. Because it cannot be expelled it stays in the lungs and continues to irate. It can also have an allergic or neurotic origin or can be caused by other perhaps more severe diseases.

When dealing with a dry cough it is advised that you look beyond the temporary inconvenience and see if there is a larger issue such as: household environment, chronic asthma, respiratory problems.

Everyone has experienced trouble sleeping or insomnia at one time or another.  It is very common to find it hard to go to sleep and there can be many reason why it can be a problem.

Some causes for short term sleep loss are the following:

Jet lag -Having just completed a trip that required that you cross several time zones – your body has become accustomed to the time zone you just left.  Getting your body acclimatized to your home time zone can take up to a week.

Changes in shift work – Many shift workers find the changes in their regular routine cause them to have sleepless nights.  Any disruption to our daily sleep patterns is a significant contributing cause of sleep difficulties.

Excessive or unpleasant noise – Well this goes without saying that if you are surrounded by a lot of noise such as construction work or perhaps the bar down the street you can find yourself having a hard time going to sleep.

Uncomfortable room temperature – We have all experienced those sleepless nights in the summer when the air conditioner broke down and the fan was just not cutting it.  Room temperature can be a big part of not being able to sleep and that can be if the average temperature is too hot or too cold as well.

Stressful situations in life – Some of the most stressful situations we can find ourselves in are such things as exam preparation or the sickness or loss of a loved one.  Other stresses come from relationship issues and employment challenges – the mind is very good at staying active and as a result it can keep you up.

High Altitudes – Did you know that trying to sleep on top of a mountain is very difficult?  Some say it is because of the lack of oxygen and some research indicates that it may be because of our innate nature to be afraid of heights.  Either way if you find yourself in the Swiss Alps and cannot sleep – there may be more to it than you think.

In general Insomnia is a symptom, not a disease.   You cannot catch insomnia and that means it is something that you have to change your behaviour if you want to get rid of it.

Having troubles sleeping can relate to something called sleep hygiene.  On the components of good sleep hygiene is behavioral therapy for insomnia.  Here are some simple steps you can take to help you with having trouble sleeping:

1)       Sleep as much as you need to feel rested but do not oversleep.

2)      Get lots and lots of exercise on a regular basis.  The best time is  4-5 hours before you want to go to sleep.

3)      Don’t try and force yourself to go to sleep – that does not work.

4)      Try and keep a regular sleep schedule.  If you are constantly changing things around you will have a really hard time getting to sleep.

5)      Do not drink caffeinated beverages or other “Red Bull” types of drinks in the late afternoon (tea, coffee, soft drinks etc.)

6)      If you can try and not smoke just before you go to bed.

7)      Don’t starve yourself by going to be hungry.

8)      Make sure the room you are sleeping in is the right temperature and that the lights are off and that any noise is kept to a minimum.

9)      Have an empty mind – that means don’t go to bed trying to deal with the issues of the day that will keep you up.

These are some of our helpful DIY-Guys.com tips and tricks!