What Helps With Grass Allergies
Treating a grass allergy
- Reduce exposure. When you can, try to avoid being around the grass that irritates you.
- Watch the pollen count. If the grass pollen count is high, avoid going outside as much as possible.
- Keep the outdoors out. If youve been outside, change your clothes once you come indoors.
- Use medication.
How many days does an allergy rash last?
A skin reaction from allergic contact dermatitis will go away, but usually takes from 14 to 28 days. If you come in contact with something that can cause allergic contact dermatitis , scrub the skin with soap and water right after.
What helps relieve allergies fast?
Try an over-the-counter remedy
- Oral antihistamines. Antihistamines can help relieve sneezing, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes.
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- Poison Ivy: The Best-Known Itchy Plant.
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- Poison Sumac: Same Itch as Poison Ivy and Oak.
- Wood Nettle: Beware the Stinging Hairs.
- Stinging Nettle: Close Relative of Wood Nettle.
- Babys Breath: Irritating When Dried.
When are grass allergies The worst?
When is grass pollen season? In our pollen counts, we have found that grass pollen levels rise beginning in late Spring during May and last into the summer months. We usually see peak levels earlier in the summer, but grass pollen can stick around well into August.
What foods to avoid if you have allergies to grasses?
Preventing Grass Allergies In Dogs
Just like with human children, catching an allergy early and treating it can help to successfully treat the problem before they are well-established in the dogs system. However, since the outdoors cant be avoided and pollen can reach your dog even if he doesnt leave the house, there are certain measures you can take to help lessen the effects.
First, you can make sure your lawn is mowed often so you dont have long grass, which will carry and produce more pollen. This will help reduce the chances your dog comes in contact with pollen or at least lessens the density in your yard.
During pollen season, you may even need to limit the amount of time your dog spends playing outside. This can be tough during the spring and summer months, but will be worth it to keep your dogs allergy symptoms to a minimum. Keep walks to the sidewalk and bring playtime indoors if you can.
How Can I Manage My Grass Allergy Symptoms
The first step is to get properly tested and diagnosed. Once your allergist knows what specific allergens cause your symptoms, they can work with you to create a plan.
There are over-the-counter and prescription pills, liquids, or nasal sprays that can help reduce or prevent grass allergy symptoms. These medicines include antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal corticosteroids. Most allergy medicines work best when you start taking them before pollen season begins. This allows the medicine to prevent your body from releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause your symptoms.
But if you do not get complete relief from your grass pollen allergy symptoms from these medicines, you may benefit from immunotherapy . Immunotherapy is a long-term treatment that can help prevent or reduce the severity of allergic reactions. It can change the course of allergic disease by modifying the bodys immune response to allergens.
There are two types of immunotherapy available for grass allergy: allergy shots and allergy tablets.
Both forms of allergy immunotherapy are prescribed by your doctor. Talk to your doctor to get started on your allergy treatment plan.
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Diagnosing A Grass Allergy In A Dog
Diagnosing a grass allergy can be a tricky process, and often, a grass allergy is determined by a process of elimination. You should visit your veterinarian immediately if your dog displays any or several of the symptoms listed above to determine the cause. Your vet may prescribe some treatment right away or order a round of allergy testing to give you a conclusive diagnosis.
Often, a grass allergy is misdiagnosed because the pets itchiness symptom can be easily mistaken for dry skin, chronic dermatitis, or caused by another common source. However, if you notice that your dog is only itchy during certain seasons, it will help to tell your veterinarian to make a proper diagnosis. If the allergy does appear to be seasonal, a full round of allergy testing will be ordered.
During your dogs diagnosis, you will need to provide your veterinarian with a full health history of your pup. Your vet will perform a full physical exam to check on your dogs skin and coat and order lab tests to check for the underlying cause of the allergy.
These lab tests may include a complete blood count, a blood chemistry profile, bacterial and fungal swab, urinalysis, electrolyte level testing, and a fecal examination. Because skin infections are so common, your veterinarian still may not suspect a grass allergy after initial speculation.
Causes Of Widespread Hives
- Viral Infection. The most common cause of hives all over the body is viral infections. Research has confirmed this. Other symptoms such as a fever, cough or diarrhea are also present. The hives may last 3 days. This is not an allergy.
- Bacterial Infection. Some bacterial infections can also cause hives. A common example is Strep. Hives are also seen with bladder infections.
- Drug Reaction. An example is a penicillin rash. Most rashes that start while taking an antibiotic are viral rashes. Allergy tests are normal 90% of the time. Only 10% turn out to be a drug allergy.
- Food Reaction. May be an allergy or a coincidence. If the food is a high risk one , consult an allergist. Hives from foods usually resolve in 6 hours. Hives from infections last for days. Only 3% of hives are due to a food.
- Bee Sting. Widespread hives after a sting may be part of a serious allergic reaction. Need to consult an allergist.
- Anaphylactic Reaction . The sudden onset of hives with trouble breathing or swallowing. This is a severe allergic reaction to an allergic food or drug. Most often begins within 30 minutes of swallowing the substance. Always within 2 hours of exposure.
- Unknown. Over 30% of the time, the cause of hives is not found.
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Talking About The Weather
What’s the spring allergy outlook where you live? Will sudden temperature changes trigger an asthma flare? Weather can play a key role in asthma and allergy symptoms and flu transmission. We partnered with Weather Trends International to provide weather forecasting and analysis for people with asthma and allergies.
- Sneezing, and runny, stuffy, or itchy nose
- Red, watery, itchy, or puffy eyes
- Rash, hives, or welts
- Cough, chest tightness, congestion, wheezing or shortness of breath if asthma is triggered by grass allergy
How Veterinarians Diagnose Grass Allergies In Dogs
Your veterinarian will obtain a complete history regarding the symptoms present in your dog, including symptom duration, severity, seasonality, and treatment .
The next step would be a thorough examination of the haircoat and skin. The distribution of hair loss, any lesions on the skin such as pimples, rashes, dry or oily skin scratches due to itching, redness, or skin irritation will help determine the diagnosis.
Treatment can be initiated based on clinical symptoms alone, without any testing needed, depending on the case. If topical or conservative treatments are not effective, further testing may be needed.
Your primary veterinarian can perform serum blood testing for allergies. However, the gold standard of allergy testing and the one test that provides the most accurate result is called an Intradermal Skin Test, which is performed by a veterinary dermatologist. The intradermal test is usually performed under mild sedation. One side of the dogs abdomen is shaved, and specific allergens are injected.
The area is monitored for the presence of hives, indicating an allergic reaction to the specific allergen injected in that location. If the allergens are identified, treatment is designed specifically for the individual pet.
Another option is hyposensitization therapy, which consists of micro-dosing the pet with the allergen to build up resistance over time.
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What Are Grass Allergies
Your dog gets allergies just like you do, from different foods to pollen, dander, and fleas. A grass allergy is caused by the pollen that floats through the air even though we cannot see it. These microscopic spores can be absorbed by your dogs skin and nasal passages and cause an allergic reaction. In addition, your dogs fur can pick up pollen, not just from grass but from other surfaces that have grass pollen on them, such as the ground. As a matter of fact, even if you keep your dog inside during the spring and early summer, you can be bringing in the pollen on your clothes, shoes, and body. Some of the signs are scratching, licking excessively, rash, red and oozing skin, and redness and watering of the eyes and nose. If your dog has a severe reaction, it may produce inflammation of the airway and cause a constriction that makes it hard to breathe. Anaphylaxis due to grass pollen inhalation is not well recorded in dogs, but researchers feel it can be a possible occurrence. Because of this, if you notice your dog sneezing, coughing, and wheezing you need to pay attention and make sure that they are okay.
Recovery From A Grass Allergy
Depending on the severity of your dogs allergy, it may take anywhere from a few weeks to 12 months for your dog to show improvement from his grass allergy. Even if immunotherapy, shampoos, and skin creams do not effectively treat and cure the allergies, they should at least make your dog more comfortable and help to prevent a secondary infection caused by the excessive scratching.
When you find a treatment that works, you will have to resume it for the rest of your dogs life. If you were to stop the treatment, your dogs symptoms would come back and be much more severe than they were previously.
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Hives Occur In The Skin And Are Common
Up to 20% of people will develop hives at some time during their life. In most cases, hives are not due to allergy. Underneath the lining of the skin and other body organs are mast cells. Mast cells contain chemicals including histamine. When these are released into the skin they irritate nerve endings to cause local itch and irritation and make local blood vessels expand and leak fluid, triggering redness and swelling.
Faqs About Grass Allergies
If you suffer from an allergy, you are certainly not alone. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , allergies affect more than 50 million people in the United States each year. Many of these allergies are outdoor allergies that return during certain seasons.
These types of allergies are often triggered by pollen, which is a powdery substance found in plants that is made up of microscopic grains. If you have an outdoor allergy to a certain plant, youre not actually allergic to the plant itself. Rather, youre allergic to the pollen that the plant produces.
One such pollen that you may be allergic to is the pollen that comes from certain grasses. Since grass pollinates in the late spring, which is usually April through early June, this time period is when those who suffer from grass allergies notice their symptoms. In the state of Illinois, grass pollen allergy season is typically May through June but can appear earlier depending on the year and weather. Grass season overlaps with tree pollen season whereas most weeds pollinate in the late summer.
If you want to know more about grass allergies, here are the answers to five frequently asked questions.
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What Is Grass Pollen Allergy
Grass pollen allergy is one of the most common causes of allergy symptoms. Grass pollen allergy is also seasonal allergic rhinitis . This affects 10 to 30% of children and adults in U.S. Grass causes most late spring and summer pollen allergy symptoms during April through early June.1 But in warmer parts of the country, it can be found year-round. It can sometimes overlap with tree pollen and weed pollen seasons.
Grass pollen is light and easily carried by the wind. So even if you arent allergic to the grass near your home, you could still come into contact with grass pollen from other locations.
Pollen Seasons in the U.S.
Can You Suddenly Develop An Allergy
Allergies can develop at any point in a persons life. Usually, allergies first appear early in life and become a lifelong issue. However, allergies can start unexpectedly as an adult. A family history of allergies puts you at a higher risk of developing allergies some time in your life.
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When Is The Grass Pollen Season
In northern regions of the United States, grasses usually pollinate in the late spring or early summer. In southern regions, grasses may pollinate throughout many seasons and could trigger symptoms throughout the year.
These small, light and dry grass pollen grains are released into the air and can travel for hundreds of miles by the wind.
What Happens At Your Appointment
A GP may arrange some allergy tests or refer you to a specialist allergy clinic to have them.
Tests you may have include:
- a skin prick or patch test where a small amount of the allergen is put on your skin to see if it reacts
- blood tests to check for allergens that may be causing your symptoms
- a special diet where you avoid or eat less of a food you might be allergic to, to see if your symptoms get better
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Should I Avoid The Sun Until My Heat Rash Is Cured
If your skin is already sensitive, exposure to ultraviolet rays and possible sunburn could cause you more discomfort. Take control of the problem by covering up and minimizing your time in direct sunlight. Besides, some types of skin can be caused by the sun dermatitis forms when your skin has a response to an irritant or allergen after exposure to the sun. Triggers of such a reaction include sunscreen, cosmetics, perfume and shaving lotion. Visit a physician to assess the cause of your skin reaction and the best treatment.
Can Hives Occur Anywhere Else
Hives can also cause deeper swellings in the skin and mucosa, this is called angioedema. These swellings are often bigger, last longer, may itch less, sometimes hurt or burn and respond less well to antihistamines. Large swellings over joints, for example, can cause pain that feels like arthritis, even if the joint is not involved. Angioedema most frequently affects the face and lips. Although hives and facial swelling can be uncomfortable and cosmetically embarrassing, they are not usually dangerous. Information on angioedema is available on the ASCIA website.
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When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider About Hives
Hives can get better without treatment. Call your healthcare provider if you have:
- Hives or swelling that lasts more than a week.
- Infected-looking bumps .
- Recurring hives .
- Severe itching that might even keep you from sleeping.
- Signs of anaphylaxis, including wheezing, shortness of breath or vomiting.
- Swollen lips or face.
What Can I Give My Dog For Skin Allergies
Examples of antihistamines commonly used for dogs include Benadryl, Chlortrimeton, Atarax, Claritin, Zyrtec, and Clemastine. However, antihistamines are considered to be worth trying in most cases since the side effects associated with antihistamines is low, and they are typically inexpensive medications.
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What Can I Use To Kill Crabgrass In My Lawn
How to Kill Crabgrass If you only have a few crabgrass plants in your lawn, you can treat them with a ready-to-use product like Scotts® Spot Weed Control For Lawns . This spray kills listed weeds, including crabgrass, down to the root without harming your lawn, when used as directed.
When is the best time to get rid of crabgrass?
If you use a post-emergent herbicide during the summer, care for your lawn according to the lawn maintenance tips above. If the majority of your lawn is crabgrass, it may be best not to remove it during the summer. Its best to wait and renovate the lawn in the fall. The best defense against crabgrass is a healthy lawn.
When to apply post emergent herbicide for crabgrass?
Check the weather forecast before using a post-emergent herbicide. Apply the herbicide on a calm, sunny day. Rainfall shortly after application will wash the product away before the crabgrass has a chance to absorb it. For best results, apply the herbicide in the morning after the dew has dried.
How Do I Treat My Dogs Grass Allergy
The best way to deal with your pets grass allergy is to remove the pollen from your dogs fur as soon as possible. After an outing at the park or a walk, one can wipe down the dogs paws and body with a damp cloth. A more extensive care routine would involve washing with a hypo-allergenic shampoo or a natural remedy.
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Who Is Affected By Hives
Anyone can get hives. If youre someone who reacts to many types of allergens, you may get hives frequently. Other people who dont react to allergens may get hives once or a few times in their lives.
There seems to be a relationship between acute hives and conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, especially in children. You might also be affected by hives during periods of extreme stress.
How common are hives?
Around 20% of the population will get hives at least one time. About 1% to 3% of the population has chronic hives.
