Springtime Itchies

 Ahhh, it’s finally spring! The flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and allergy season has begun! Did you know many pets suffer from allergies, just like we do? The scratching, chewing, and licking are enough to drive any pet owner crazy. But what can we do to help our pets??  

Symptoms of allergies include:

* itching, scratching, shaking head, pawing at ears

* sneezing, runny eyes and nose, frequent ear infections

* chewing licking, hair loss

* vomiting, diarrhea, scooting

* rash

There are different causes for allergies. A parasite, such as fleas, can cause an allergy. There are environmental causes, like an allergy to pollen, dust, mold or even grass. Sometimes, just like people, environmental allergies are seasonal, often worse in the spring and fall. And pets can have food allergies too. Food allergies cause about 10-15% of allergy cases in pets. Animals can be allergic to different proteins, such as beef, dairy, egg, chicken, fish or wheat. We can even test your pet to determine what they are allergic to, which is very helpful in deciding how to treat the allergy.

Your pet might not show any signs of allergies until they are a young adult. It can have a sudden onset, which may come as a surprise to people. Allergies are something that will need to be managed throughout your pet’s lifetime. A good maintenance plan is the key to keeping your pet comfortable.

Some pet owners will try multiple remedies to treat allergies before taking their pet to the veterinarian. Unfortunately, human medications, such as antihistamines, almost always do not work for animals. This can be incredibly frustrating for the pet owner, not to mention a waste of money. We have many different options for all budgets to treat allergies, such as pills, long-acting injections, topicals, food trials, and immunotherapy.  One over the counter thing that will help somewhat is adding fish oil to your pet’s diet. We have fish oil in our online store or right here in the hospital.

St. Francis Vet Online Store

For the average allergic pet, a combination of treatment with an anti-itch drug, a topical, and fish oil for life is a recipe for success. We have had great success treating many allergy cases here. If your pet is suffering (and driving you crazy!) with allergies this spring, please give us a call. We want your pet to feel great this spring!