Sunday, May 13th, 2018
It’s springtime once again and with it comes flowers blooming, bees a-buzzing and birds a-chirping. Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing that comes with it. Yes, you guessed it – It’s allergy season! Commonly triggered by environmental allergens such as the sprouting of trees, grass and the release of pollen by different types of flora; pets are just as susceptible to seasonal allergies as their human counterparts. Add environmental pollutants in the mix and you have one big bag of allergy pie just itching to hit us and our pets right in the face.
Not to be confused with food allergies, seasonal allergies are caused by changes in the environment rather than by a change in a pet’s diet. It is problematic, more so if pet-owners are unaware of its symptoms. Luckily, we’ll be shedding some light on this today. Your favorite Pet Nanny has come up with a list of signs to help you determine if your pet might be suffering from seasonal allergies.
Scratching/Biting
The most common sign for allergies in your pets is irritation on their skin, often referred to as dermatitis, which causes severe itchiness. This causes them to seek relief through intense scratching or biting of the irritated area. They might also be excessively rubbing themselves against furniture or other parts of the house.
Inflamed/Infected Skin
As a possible result of chronic scratching and biting, your pets’ skin may become inflamed red and overly tender. Hives and rashes can form particularly around their neck, belly and feet. This could then further result to open wounds getting infected if left untreated.
Excessive Hair Loss
Another result caused by skin-irritation is excessive hair-shedding or developing bald spots around the irritated areas. Look out for patches and always keep their exposed skin moisturized. To help relieve these symptoms, sometimes giving your pet a proper bath and grooming can easily do the trick. If you happen to be busy on a particular day, why not give Pet Nanny a call and we’ll have one of our professional pet-sitters will happily handle it for you?
Paw Licking
Pets will compulsively lick their paws if they have allergies because their body’s natural reaction to histamines is to push them out through their extremities such as their feet, face and butt.
Face Rubbing/Butt Scooting
More signs of histamine reactions in dogs are when they rub their faces on objects like pillows or scoot their butt across the floor or carpet. They may also resort to licking their anal parts in search of relief.
Ear/Eye Infection
If their eyes or ears turn red, become puffy, and/or release a foul odor and discharge, it’s most probably a sign of infection caused by allergies. Often, pets will scratch or shake their heads out of discomfort or pain coming from infected areas. This causes a lot of stress to our pets which actually just leads to more stress if left unattended. Let our pet-sitters help your pets get comfortable when you’re away, and hopefully make you feel more at ease.
Respiratory Issues
If your pet is having difficulty breathing, or chronically coughing and wheezing, it could mean the allergy has affected their respiratory organs and will need to be attended to as soon as possible. While not as common as skin irritations, this may occur and if left untreated, could lead to worse respiratory ailments such as sinusitis and bronchitis.
Seasonal allergies affect both humans and animals alike. As soon as spring hits, environmental allergens will come knocking in quick. Keep yourself informed and be prepared for the possibility of caring for allergic pets. As soon as any of these symptoms pop up, get your pet to a licensed vet for a proper diagnosis. Regular care is especially important for pets suffering from allergies because stress can worsen their symptoms. If you’re ever in need of assistance with your pets’ daily routine and maintenance, Pet Nanny provides professional pet sitting services that we can tailor to the needs of you and your pet. Contact us at 734-981-6108 or use our on-line contact form and we will be in touch with you shortly.
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