Recognizing Pet Allergies
As Spring begins, many of our human clients and readers brace for allergies. If the smell of flowers and the sight of pollen aren’t reminders enough, the commercials and pop-up ads that grace our screens of puffy red noses in meadows will do the trick! But less common in our minds unless we’ve dealt with it directly are allergies in pets.
Just like us, our pets can face a multitude of allergies, from food to the environment. So, how do we recognize allergies in pets, and how do we treat them? Here’s your field guide.
Signs of Allergies in Pets
Many of the allergy signs in pets will look familiar to humans who suffer from them ourselves. Just like allergies in pets, they often manifest as runny noses or discharge from the eyes and mucous membranes.
Other common allergy symptoms in dogs and cats are skin irritation and itchiness. Sometimes, you can’t see the skin irritation because your pets are covered in fur, but if you notice excessive itching or chewing in certain spots, that is typically a sign of discomfort, which may be allergy-related.
What Are Your Pets Allergic To?
Like their human friends, pet allergies can run the gamut from food to environmental. And figuring out where that itchiness is coming from isn’t always easy.
Sometimes, it can be easier to notice when an allergy is food-related. When you introduce something new into your pet’s diet, and an allergic reaction follows, there’s a decent chance that those two things are connected.
Pets can be allergic to just about anything, from veggies and meats to the mites that sometimes make their home in grains. So, if eliminating food isn’t doing the trick, you may need to test for specific allergies.
Of course, the allergen may be environmental, too. Particles in dust can trigger animals’ histamines as can anything outdoors from grass to trees. Again, if the answer isn’t apparent and eliminating items isn’t helping, you may consider an allergy test.
Allergy Testing
There are two types of pet allergy testing: blood and skin tests. We are more likely to do a blood test since it doesn’t require the animal to stay still while we test the many allergens that may be causing them discomfort.
We run blood tests for all of the most common food and environmental allergens, including all the typical dog and cat food ingredients and the many trees and grasses that are endemic to Virginia.
So Your Pet Has Allergies. Now What?
If you discover your pet has allergies, now it’s time to figure out how to deal with them. How you work with your pet’s allergies will largely depend on what it is allergic to and how easy it is to eliminate it from the environment.
Food Allergies in Pets
Often, when your pet has a food allergy, it’s easier to eliminate the allergen from your pet’s life. It takes careful planning and reading of labels, but you may be able to find a food that caters to your pet’s diet.
Check for limited ingredient formulas and read carefully.
Environmental Allergies in Pets
Environmental allergies are more challenging to avoid. One of our clients has a hound dog with a grass allergy. They killed all the grass in the backyard and covered it in mulch!
While that is one way to deal with the issue, it may not work for everyone. And that pup still manages to get into grass sometimes, no matter how hard the owners try to avoid it!
That’s why we offer allergy shots, which help dogs and cats live with allergies they can’t avoid.
Do Your Pets Have Allergies?
Allergies in pets can be uncomfortable for the animals and overwhelming for the owners. Figuring out what’s happening isn’t easy. But here at Old Dominion Veterinary Clinic, your friendly Roanoke vets are here to help you through your pets’ healing journey!