Springtime Allergies in Pets

Just like us, your four-legged friends may react to whatever Mother Nature stirs up when the seasons change. At its most basic, an allergy is a hypersensitivity to something in our environment that our bodies don’t recognize. Our immune system fights off the mild allergies, and they tend to manifest as itchy eyes, runny noses, and even skin problems. It’s a dreadful time of year for many of us, our pets included.

What do we do to manage this problem? Sometimes we just “get used to it” and hope it passes. Many times we take prescription or over-the-counter medicines to prevent the problems or to remedy the uncomfortable side-effects. But relief doesn’t seem to last, does it?

Dogs and cats aren’t much different from us, only they can’t speak up and tell us what’s bothering them. But the visible signs are similar to ours: irritated and runny eyes, sneezing, even fatigue. The biggest outward sign is a hot spot. These are the “annoying” licking, itching, and scratching poor Fido experiences, and are our pets’ most obvious response to an allergy.

If you notice a change in your pet, consult your veterinarian or seek advice from your local independent pet store. Because these hot spots are so visible and so uncomfortable for your pet, owners often go in search of answers on this subject every spring. Fortunately, relief for pets comes from similar actions to ours.

The quickest relief comes from hot spot or other topical treatments, meant to help calm the itching or heal a wound. They usually contain mild, natural ingredients, like chamomile to calm the itching, and oatmeal and tea tree oil to help soften and heal the skin. Homeopathic supplements are also available. These help by introducing small amounts of natural ingredients into the body, helping it fight off the allergic response. Sound familiar? It should, as the remedies are often the same as ours, only the ingredients are in safer concentrations for your companion animals.

The similarities don’t stop there. How many of you wash your hands and face more often when pollen season is at its highest? For your pet, keep a towel nearby. Wipe their bellies and the pads of their feet every time they come in the house. Reactions usually occur there first, especially when it’s wet outside, since their soft paws and unprotected underside are constantly exposed to the ground where many allergens lurk.

Veterinarians may also prescribe steroidal treatment or antihistamines to keep immune responses from overwhelming your animal. While these medicines help, your pet can tire easily on these drugs – just like we can. And they may not work as well with continued use. Your vet can also test for a wide range of allergens which may help determine the best course of treatment.

Please don’t use any medicine for your pet without your veterinarian’s advice! Dosages are extremely important, and while many similarities exist between treating humans and pets, some medicines might be unsafe and even toxic. Play it safe – call your vet!

One other aspect to consider: the allergy may not be coming from the outside, but from within. This can happen any time of year, not just in the spring. Food sensitivities are major problems in pets today. You are what you eat, remember?

We vary our diets greatly, but our bodies are designed to process meats and vegetables and grains. Dogs and cats are primarily carnivores, consuming a wide variety of meats as the biggest part of their diet. We usually give our pets the same food every day. Consistency isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a result of the convenience of pre-packaged food. Eventually, their bodies could develop sensitivity to even just one ingredient in their food or treats, but one is sometimes all it takes. We call it “adult-onset allergies” when it happens to us – or just simply getting older!

So what does this last part mean? Along with treating an allergic response topically or with prescribed medicine, also consider changing their food when these problems occur – or even before. A dietary change is never a bad idea, and it’s far easier to change their food than most people think.

Relieve the symptoms quickly, give the body more of what it needs, and it’ll heal from the inside as well as the outside.

John D’Alessandro, IV is the Manager at Perk Valley Pet Eatery in Trappe. He has lived in Limerick Township since 1997.