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Yes, your pet gets seasonal allergies. Here’s how to spot them.

 

Spring is almost here, which means allergy season will be in full swing. Allergies don’t just affect and annoy humans, but they can have serious impacts on your dogs and cats, too. With the weather warming up and new plants in bloom, your more frequent outdoor walks might cause your pet to have seasonal allergies. These allergies are actually very common in pets. 

The tricky part is, the signs your pet has seasonal allergies are not as easy to spot. Signs of allergies are different between animals and humans, but once you know the signs, you can easily spot and treat their allergies. Here are some tips on how to check for allergies in pets and how to treat these symptoms.

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Symptoms or signs your pet has seasonal allergies

There are many different signs that your pet may have seasonal allergies. While coughing and sneezing aren’t common in pets, these are the most common ways to tell if your pet is suffering from allergies:

• Scratching or biting their coat or skin

• Shedding more than usual

• Inflamed or infected skin

• Respiratory issues like difficulty breathing or wheezing that are not common for the breed

• Ear infections or ears with lots of wax (most common in dogs)

 

How to help your pet overcome allergies

There is no true cure for seasonal allergies in pets, but there are ways to decrease symptoms and help your fur baby. One of the best ways to help is by giving them frequent baths during peak allergy season. This helps to remove allergens from their skin and prevents them from getting these allergens into their mouths. For baths, try to use mild and soothing soaps to ease itching.

If your pet likes baths, this is a really good trick for you. If not, even wiping their coat and paws with a wet cloth after time outside can majorly improve their health and fight seasonal allergies. If this does not work for your pet, you can also try:

• Anti-itch sprays

• Flea and tick preventative

• Allergy pills like Benadryl, Claritin (NEVER CLARITIN-D), or Zyrtec

 

Before you try any of these medicated methods, it is important to check with your veterinarian that these approaches are safe for your pet. Some medications like decongestants or anything with pseudoephedrine (such a Claritin-D) can be lethal for dogs. Some medications can also make symptoms worsen if your pet is allergic to specific kinds. If you are still seeing the same or worsening symptoms after using these tips, please see your vet immediately.

 

Try allergy-proofing your house

One thing that you and your pet can benefit from during allergy season is allergy-proofing your home. Allergy-proofing means that you are cleaning in a specific way to get rid of allergens like mold, dust, and pollen. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to clean more than you already are. This just changes the process of cleaning to focus more on allergens in your house that could be affecting you or your pet’s well-being. Taking the steps to keeping your house tidy and free from allergens might make the difference in your pet getting sick. Here are a few things you can do to keep dust and pollen out of your house:

• Regularly wash your pets’ bedding and toys

• Clean high up places that collect dust like curtains, ceilings, windows, cabinets, etc.

• Regularly clean your floors and surfaces by vacuuming, dusting, and mopping

• Store pet food, toys, and food bowls in plastic storage bins to prevent dust from entering

 

Preventing allergens from getting into your home will greatly improve both your pet’s quality of life and minimize their risk of seasonal allergies.

Common seasonal allergies in DFW

 

Knowing the common allergens in your own areas and where those allergens are located will help you to know what to avoid. It is important to check the pollen count in your community before taking your pets outside. Avoiding high pollen count days will help to decrease symptoms of allergies in your pets. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Dallas is the second largest allergy capital in the United States. The most common allergens in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are tree and grass pollen, ragweed, and mold. Here are the peak times these allergies occur:

• Tree pollen: February-June

• Grass pollen: March-September

• Ragweed: August-November

• Mold: all year, peaking in July