Can Dogs Have Seasonal Skin Allergies

Guide To Understanding Seasonal Allergies In Dogs

If youre a seasonal allergy sufferer, you know how miserable certain seasons can be. Year-round allergy sufferers, even more so. Did you know your dog may similarly suffer from environmental allergens like ragweed, pollen, and mold too?

This is the beginnings of allergy season for many dogs, said Dr. Sarah Ochoa, BarxBuddys veterinarian consultant.

Managing your pets allergies can be the difference between a happy dog and a miserable dog. Heres the scoop on seasonal allergies in dogs and what you can do to help.

How To Treat Your Dogs Seasonal Allergies

So what can you do to help relieve your pets seasonal allergies?

• Visit the vet the first thing you should do is schedule a trip to visit Germantown Vet. Our knowledgeable staff can help you diagnose your pet and determine if seasonal allergies are the reason for all your dogs symptoms. If so, we can recommend a number of different treatment options.
• Give regular baths giving your dog a bath approximately once a week can significantly reduce the effect of environmental allergens.
• Administer antihistamines your veterinarian may recommend administering an antihistamine for your dog to limit his or her allergy symptoms. Your vet will prescribe a specific dosage for your pets size and its important you stick to that dosagedogs cant handle the same amount of an antihistamine that a human can.

If these treatment options dont work, your veterinarian can suggest more options, such as cortisone or steroid shots to relieve extreme itchiness. Talk to one of the pros at Germantown Vet to learn more.

What Is An Allergy In Dogs

An allergy is a reaction caused by an element known as an allergen. It may be internal or externally triggered and could be unique to a specific dog or more commonly familiar across their breed, age or population.

The immune system responds to the allergen by overcompensating and reacting uncharacteristically to what should be an ordinary environmental or internal issue.

In short, allergies are a misdirected response to foreign substances by the bodys immune system.

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How To Identify Seasonal Pet Allergy Symptoms

Springtime is a fine time for your pet to pick up a seasonal allergy from all the pollen, spores, grass seeds and dust thats flying around. Allergies are no fun at all for your cat or dog as they can cause excessive scratching, and even chewing of irritated skin.

The bad news is that if your cat or dog isnt protected from allergies, their allergic reaction can steadily worsen each year. The good news is you can protect your pet by knowing how to identify the key signs of seasonal allergies and getting them treated immediately. Here are five symptoms to look out for:

Dog Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

A hallmark of seasonal allergies in dogs is that they usually start between six months and three years of age. Some of the signs of seasonal allergies in dogs are similar to hay fever in people, like a runny nose, itchy eyes, eye discharge, sneezing, or coughing. However, this is not nearly as common as in people, and there are many other reasons a dog can have these kinds of symptoms.

Some of these reasons can be benign, like a cold, but some can be more serious. Its generally best not to assume your dog has seasonal allergies if they have these symptoms. Rather, make sure you talk to your veterinarian to rule out other potential causes.

Most dog seasonal allergies manifest as dermatitis , which usually makes them noticeably itchy. You might see your dog licking, rubbing, chewing, or scratching different parts of his body. Commonly affected areas are paws, ears, face, inner thighs, rear, and tummy. You may notice your pups skin getting red and missing fur, or the skin might become greasy, flaky, or even swollen, raw, and bleeding in extreme cases.

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What Is The Cost Of Treating Atopic Dermatitis In Dogs

The cost of treating atopic dermatitis depends on the severity of the disease and the types of treatment required. Some dogs respond well to a daily antihistamine, which might not be as costly as other prescription medications, allergy injections, treatments for secondary infections, and frequent visits to the veterinarian. At that point, costs can average a couple of hundred dollars every month.

For example, Cytopoint, an injection designed to help control itching in dogs with skin allergies, is a prescription-based medication with a cost that varies on factors such as your veterinarian, geographic location, and required dosage. On average, a vial can cost between $35 to more than $130. For dogs larger than 80 pounds, more than one vial will be needed, thus increasing the cost.

Treating Seasonal Allergies In Dogs

You have several options for treating your dogs allergies. A dog dermatologist may prescribe a series of allergen injections, similar to allergy shots humans can get. These shots introduce the allergen in small amounts and increase in dose over time to improve your dogs immune response, possibly eliminating a reaction to the allergen.

If your pet has mild seasonal allergies, over-the-counter antihistamines may prove effective, whereas oral and topical prescription medications may help reduce symptoms. Ask your veterinarian for antihistamine recommendations.

Try treating your pets seasonal allergies through nutrition for a more holistic approach. Therapeutic dog foods and supplements offer vitamins and minerals that provide nutrients your pets diet might lack. To help minimize your dogs allergies, the best thing you can do is limit their exposure to allergens. Wipe down your pets paws, legs, and belly with a baby wipe when they come in from outdoors. A weekly bath with oatmeal or medicated shampoo can be helpful. Be sure the water is lukewarm because hot water can dry and irritate the skin.

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Managing Dog Seasonal Allergies With Medication

One way to manage seasonal allergies in dogs is by using the allergy serum prescribed by your dog’s dermatologist. This requires a series of allergen injections that slowly increase in dose over time. The needle you’ll use is very small, but you can perform these injections at home with professional guidance.

Allergy injections tend to have low levels of side effects, which can make them a good option for dogs with moderate to severe allergies.

If your dog only has mild seasonal allergies, they may respond well to several over-the-counter and at-home remedies, such as antihistamines.

Oral prescription medications are another option. Anti-itch medicine that can work quickly and can be discontinued without negative side effects could be an option for your dog. There are even medications that modulates the immune system’s response to allergens. Both are available via prescription from your local veterinarian and require annual examinations and/or blood work.

Both of these types prescription medications have side effects, so be sure to talk with your vet about how taking them could impact your dog’s health. In general, it’s always a good idea to ask your vet before introducing anything new to your dog’s system especially with over-the-counter medicine so you can give your pet the option and dosage best for their unique needs.

When Is Allergy Season For Dogs

The word seasonal is a bit misleading because both people and dogs can have allergies year-round if they are continually exposed to the offending allergen. This is why you might notice that veterinarians usually prefer to use the term atopic dermatitis. This is also why figuring out whats causing the allergy can be a total game-changer.

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Treatment For Seasonal/environmental Allergies

If allergy testing has not been performed, then the treatment is symptomatic, meaning that it aims to reduce or eliminate your dogs symptoms. Treatments can include:

• Oral medications, such as Apoquel, Atopica, or antihistamines

• Injectable medications, such as Cytopoint

• Frequent bathing

Steroids should not be used long-term in the management of allergies due to the risk of significant side effects.

If an allergy test has been performed, then the ideal allergy treatment for dogs is avoidance of the allergen. This is possible in a few, select circumstances, but most dogs are allergic to a variety of substances that can be difficult to avoid completely.

Other treatment can include an allergy vaccine, also known as immunotherapy, which is given either by injection under the skin or by mouth. The goal of immunotherapy is to make the immune system less reactive to the allergy-causing substances.

The success rate of immunotherapy is 60-70%. This is the best long-term approach to allergy control, especially in younger pets that experience symptoms most of the year. Symptomatic treatment can and should be given while starting immunotherapy. It may be many months before any improvement in symptoms is seen from immunotherapy alone.

Preventative Measures To Avoid Seasonal Allergies For Your Dog

Finally, one further option for managing your dogs allergies is through some preventive measures. Limiting their time outdoors during the worst of allergy season as well as wiping their fur down after being outside can limit the number of allergens on their coat. Regular baths using medicated shampoos and topicals can also do wonders to reduce your dogs allergic reaction.

If your dog is itching more than usual, talk to your veterinarian about their allergy management options so your dog can feel good in their own skin again!

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One Of The Most Common Medical Complaints That We See In Our Office Is Dogs With Skin Infections Hot Spots Or Allergic Dermatitis Also Known As Atopic Dermatitis

Unlike people who react to allergens most commonly with nasal symptoms and/or hives, dogs react with skin and/or gastrointestinal problems. This is because there are a higher proportion of mast cells, which release histamines and other vasoactive substances in the face of an allergic challenge, in the skin of dogs. These problems may range from poor coat texture or hair length, to itching and chewing, to hot spots and self-mutilation, gastrointestinal pain and discomfort, diarrhea, and flatulence. Allergies may also play a part in chronic ear infections. The most common causes of canine allergic dermatitis are flea allergy, food allergy, inhalant or contact allergy, and allergy to the normal bacterial flora and yeast organisms of the skin. To make matters more difficult to diagnose and treat, thyroid disease may add to the problem as well.

In order to overcome these frustrating symptoms, your veterinarians approach needs to be thorough and systematic. Shortcuts usually will not produce results and only add to owner frustration and canine discomfort.

Inhalant and Contact Allergies Substances that can cause an allergic reaction in dogs are much the same as those that cause reactions in people including the pollens of grasses, trees and weeds, dust mites, and molds. A clue to diagnosing these allergies is to look at the timing of the reaction. Does it happen year round? This may be mold or dust. If the reaction is seasonal, pollens may be the culprit.

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Seasonal Allergies

There are many ways that seasonal allergies can be diagnosed and treated, most of which depend on the allergen. These include:

Overall, getting to the root of your dogs allergy can take a bit of educated detective work. The most important thing is to seek help from your vet and not to get discouraged with the process.

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What Should I Give For Flare

Bad flare-ups usually require medication, both by mouth and on the skin, and should involve help from your veterinarian. You might be wondering if its safe to give Benadryl for dog seasonal allergies. Unfortunately,. These drugs can occasionally be helpful in some dogs as a preventative however, if your dog is already showing symptoms, they probably wont help. Its best to talk to your vet about the next step instead.

Your vet can determine the best treatment for your dogs seasonal allergies, but this can take some trial and error with different medications. At first, managing a flare-up can feel quite time-consuming, but take heart: improvement is usually quick. As you and your vet become more familiar with your dogs triggers and symptoms, you can be better about staying on top of them.

When To See A Veterinarian

If your dogs seasonal allergy symptoms persist, even with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter treatments, it may be time to take your pup in. Your vet can perform skin testing to see if they are allergic to a particular allergen, administer allergy shots, and prescribe dog food or allergy medications to provide your pup with relief from their allergies.

If at any time, your dog is throwing up, experiencing swelling, diarrhea, or hives, reach out to your veterinarian as these are more serious seasonal allergy symptoms that need to be dealt with immediately.

Definitely contact your veterinarian if your dog is experiencing these symptoms or if you have concerns about their health and well-being.

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Causes Of Skin Allergies In Dogs

There are 3 key causes of skin allergies in dogs:

This is an allergic reaction specific to saliva in flea bites. This makes affected dogs very itchy, especially at the base of the tail. Skin may become irritated and swollen rashes or open wounds are possible outcomes.

Just as in humans, sensitivity to some foods can cause allergic reactions and itchy skin. Dogs with food allergies typically scratch are around their ears and paws. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea may also be indicate an allergic response to some types of food.

Skin allergies from environmental factors are the most common type of allergic reactions in dogs. These allergies are usually seasonal, and are caused by allergens such as dust, pollen, weeds, grasses and mold. As a result, you may only notice your dog itching at certain times of the year.

The focus of this post is the effect of environmental allergens that cause an allergic reaction leading to Atopic Dermatitis.

• How do you know if your dog has skin allergies or some other medical condition?
• If it is allergies, whats the cause?
• Is my dog breed susceptible to skin allergies?
• If my dog has skin allergies, how is it treated?
• What should you do if you think your dog has skin allergies?

Meet the Enemy: FLEAS

Other Dog Seasonal Allergies Treatment

Frequent bathing with an oatmeal-based soap or other allergy-safe cleanser may help give your dog some relief and remove airborne allergens from his skin and coat. You can also make some changes to your dogs environment to help them avoid known allergen triggers. This may include changing your walking routine , upgrading your homes air filters, and regularly washing your dogs bedding and other washable surfaces in hot water.

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Symptoms Of Seasonal Allergies In Dogs

Just like humans, dogs can be allergic to any number of environmental substances. Some of the most common seasonal allergies that affect dogs are:

A dogs allergy triggers will also be influenced by where he lives. The immune system can only develop an allergic response to a substance it has encountered before. The more frequently the allergen is encountered, the more opportunities there are for the immune system to mount an reaction to it. Because of the way allergies develop, dogs can develop allergies at any age to any substance, even one theyve encountered in the past without any problem.

Though the symptoms of dog allergies can also be caused by other health issues, its useful to understand how your dog might respond to seasonal allergies. The majority of environmental allergies in dogs presents with skin and ears:

• Itchy, flaky, or red skin
• Head shaking or ear scratching
• Smelly ears or ears that appear dirty

Other symptoms to look out for that might indicate your dog has seasonal allergies are:

Every dog will respond differently, and they wont all show their discomfort in the same way, so you should always never try to diagnose your dog without a visit to your vet.

Common Signs Of Allergies In Dogs:

• Itchy skin: itchy dogs donât always scratch. You may notice your dog licking or chewing between their toes or rubbing their stomach along the carpet. Your dog may rub their face and eyes or shake their head.
• Ear infections : Ear infections are one of the most common signs of allergies in dogs. Itchy ears can quickly become hot and moist and create a perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to overgrow.
• Hair loss: Your dog may develop bald spots where they have been licking or chewing their fur, or from secondary skin infections.

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Skin Allergies In Dogs: Causes Symptoms And Treatments

Is your dog experiencing intense scratching and licking? Is their skin red or inflamed?

If so, youre certainly not alone.

Nothing drives your dog nuttier than incessant itching. This can be due to many factors, but the main culprit is usually some form of skin allergy. It is THE most common reason why pet parents seek veterinary care.

Depending on the severity and without pet insurance treatments for skin allergies can add up quickly.

The focus of this post is the effect of environmental allergens that cause an allergic reaction leading to Atopic Dermatitis.

• How do you know if your dog has skin allergies or some other medical condition?
• If it is allergies, whats the cause?
• Is my dog breed susceptible to skin allergies?
• If my dog has skin allergies, how is it treated?
• What should you do if you think your dog has skin allergies?

Well attempt to address all of these issues, but freely admit that we cant offer any definitive diagnoses in this post. Since so many symptoms overlap between each type of canine allergy, we always recommend to book an appointment with our veterinarians. Incorrect assumptions can otherwise can lead to adverse medical outcomes.