Besides being annoying for your pet, the symptoms of seasonal allergies can also present some challenging health issues. Learning to understand the symptoms of allergies in pets, and what you can do to help, will go a long way toward increasing the health and comfort of your four-legged friend.

 

What Are Seasonal Pet Allergies?

Seasonal allergies in pets, also known as atopy, include all of the usual airborne particulates that stimulate allergic immune responses in humans, including:

  • Grass
  • Trees
  • Flowers
  • Weed pollens
  • Molds and mildew
  • Dust and dust mites
  • Fleas

The sudden onset of the above symptoms may indicate that your pet is sensitive to airborne allergens. Pets with atopy tend to start developing symptoms after they are 1 year of age. Approximately 10% of dogs have some form of seasonal allergies.

Symptoms Of Seasonal Allergies In Pets

Humans generally experience seasonal allergies as upper respiratory irritants; coughing, runny nose, and watery eyes are among the most common symptoms reported. Allergies in pets tend to look different, and can include symptoms such as:

  • Incessant scratching of a centralized location, such as ears, belly, or base of tail
  • Licking and biting at paws
  • Red, scabbed, or oozing skin, or “hot spots”
  • Hair loss
  • Swollen or bleeding paws
  • Watery eyes
  • Sneezing
  • Snoring
  • Vomiting or diarrhea

Bring your pet in to see us if you notice any of the above symptoms.

Treating Allergies In Pets

Atopy is a chronic condition that can be frustrating for pets and their owners alike. While there is no cure for atopy, the symptoms are largely manageable by implementing the following strategies:

  • Grooming – Soak your pet’s paws daily to soothe inflammation. Bathe him or her regularly, with a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner, or as recommended by your veterinarian, to soothe skin and remove allergens.
  • Supplements – Besides providing your pet with the highest quality nutrition possible, consider supplementing with an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Give us a call for recommendations.
  • Cleanliness – Keeping your home as free of dust and allergens as possible is essential in helping to combat the symptoms of seasonal allergies.
  • Steroids – We may prescribe short term oral or injectable steroids to help with the intense itching that often accompanies atopy.
  • Parasite control – Keeping your pet on a monthly parasite preventive will prevent fleas, which can contribute greatly to your pet’s allergy symptoms.

Seven Hills Veterinary Hospital Can Help

Because there are a variety of reasons for atopy in pets, it’s best to bring him or her in to see us so we can diagnose the cause of your pet’s symptoms and put together a treatment plan. Atopic pets sometimes have secondary bacterial or fungal infections, or may suffer from low thyroid hormone, all of which must be treated separately.