Pet allergies … are you missing the signs?
Apr 8, 2024, 5:02 PM | Updated: Oct 10, 2024, 12:50 pm
Your dog could be suffering from spring allergies and you might be missing the signs. A local vet said allergies are year-round for dogs. (Photo courtesy of Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio)
(Photo courtesy of Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio)
Your dog could be suffering from spring allergies and you might be missing the signs.
Local veterinarian Dr. Mona Radashwar said allergies run the entire year for dogs.
“We’ll just see it all year round,” she said. “We also see it in the humans. You know, it manifests with the sneezing and itchy eyes. We see it more commonly in the dogs, just in the skin and the ears and in the anal glands.”
If your dog is scratching more than usual, you should take them in to be seen to figure out what’s causing the reaction.
The most common allergy — food.
“Honestly, we see food allergies a lot more,” Radashwar said. “Like that’s the number one thing we start with is food allergies.”
And the most cost-effective way to figure out what’s wrong is to do a food trial diet. It’s where you avoid one or more foods for a period of time to see if the allergy symptoms go away.
What is not a common allergy symptom in dogs? Sneezing. A lot.
“We see the sneezing for allergies, really less. So in that case, I would say, try Zyrtec and let time pass and see how it goes. But if you want to get to the bottom of it and figure out exactly what is causing the sneezing, then there is allergy testing available,” Radashwar said.
Local vet says blood tests can identify allergies for pets
Just like with humans, there are blood tests that can identify what pollen or environmental allergen is causing the irritation. Radashwar said once the allergen is discovered, your four-legged baby can try a specific vaccine that goes in the mouth.
But can dogs suffer from high pollen counts like humans?
“Yeah, sure. We’ll do one of these blood tests or go to the dermatologist and they’ll do the intradermal,” Radashwar said. “And they’ll put all the antigens in the skin and see which one swells up the most.”
And so then, you have a profile about what your dog is allergic to,” she continued.
But what are you going to do if your dog is allergic to pollen?
Radashwar said, most commonly, dog owners just ignore the symptoms.
If you suspect your dog is suffering, call the vet and follow their advice. If you can fork over a few hundred dollars or more, get the blood test and offer your pup some relief.
You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.
