Pets suffer from springtime allergies too

It’s not just humans who can suffer from seasonal allergies. Our pets are vulnerable too, but they have slightly different triggers.

Dogs are more prone to allergies than cats by their curious nature. Only 1 in 20 animals coming to Ringwood Vet Clinic with allergy symptoms are cats. The rest are dogs.

The clinic sees at least one dog a day with irritated skin or a stomach upset due to allergies. In spring, this number can jump to 5 or more cases a day with pollen in the air. 

Dogs can react to pollen, the saliva of biting insects, and food. On the rare occasion that a cat presents with allergies, it’s usually a reaction to flea saliva or something they’ve eaten.

The chief culprits

The most likely seasonal allergy triggers are pollen, plants, and insect saliva and stings. 

POLLEN

Dogs don’t get hay fever but they can get a very uncomfortable springtime itch, and even red, watery eyes. Dogs like to explore, get up close, sniff, and roll in stuff. In spring, pollen is everywhere a dog wants to go.

Not many cats react to pollen as they don’t explore outdoors in the same way.

PLANTS

Cats and dogs may react to some plants and grasses. Every animal is different. If your dog seems itchy or a rash appears after a daily walk, try a different park and see if a certain kind of grass is to blame. 

The silver inch plant (below) is the number one skin-offending plant in Australia. It’s commonly found in back yards in Victoria and is guaranteed to upset your pet’s skin if they come into contact with it. If you find this in your garden, you may want to get rid of it or keep your pet away. Keep an eye out for a raging red rash.

Cats and dogs are highly allergic to the silver inch plant (Tradescantia zebrina).

BUGS

Cats and dogs can react to the saliva of some insects. Dust mites, fleas and ants are the worst perpetrators. Then there are the usual suspects like bee stings or mozzie bites.

In the warmer months, flea allergy dermatitis can rear its ugly head. It’s important that pets are protected with a suitable flea treatment if they are allergic, so they don’t suffer awful skin conditions. Only expose your pet to the lowest dose needed. Check that the treatment doesn’t have unnecessary ingredients that could trigger a reaction. 

Ringwood Vet Clinic often give dogs a chew rather than a topical treatment if they have sensitive skin, which provides up to 3 months of protection from fleas, depending on the preventative of choice. Cats can be given Comfortis tablets.

What are the symptoms of an allergy?

Be on the lookout for excessive scratching and licking, especially around the belly, ears and paws. Your pet might start to focus on an area of their body where they usually don’t.

Look for inflamed and broken skin, little pimples, moist dermatitis that leads to hair loss, excessive licking causing a brown stain around paws, areas of thickened, leathery skin, and repetitive ear infections. A lacklustre coat and flaky skin are also potential allergy symptoms.

Infection often follows excessive scratching as broken skin can let bacteria in, exacerbated by saliva from licking.

Gastrointestinal signs of allergies can be vomiting, diarrhoea, soft poo, excessive gas, or a change in toileting habits. Remember that a digestive problem doesn’t always mean it’s a food allergy.

Suspect an allergy?

Unexplained skin problems, odd scratching and licking behaviour, or a change in eating or toilet habits, are all potential signs of an allergy. Bring your pet for a visit and Ringwood Vet Clinic will do some sleuth work with you to figure out what’s going on.

ALLERGY TESTS

The clinic will ask a number of questions and, in some cases, complete an allergy panel using blood samples. This test is almost always used for itchy dogs, but it’s available for cats too. 

The allergy panel checks for a raft of plant and insect triggers, including grain storage mites, flea and ant saliva, dust mites, and a spectrum of trees and grasses. Food allergies are not covered.

Tests are sent away for analysis and it takes about 2 weeks to get the results.

Treating the symptoms

Ringwood Vet Clinic stock an array of medical and supportive treatments to help calm the itch. For seasonal allergies, the clinic often uses Cytopoint, an injectable drug that controls itchiness. It’s a safe, effective treatment that provides up to 4 to 6 weeks of relief from dermatitis. It’s only available for dogs.

Cytopoint has very few side effects and is much safer than steroids. Some dogs only come in for a handful of shots in spring and early summer, when their pollen allergies are worst.

Topical creams and conditioners will ease symptoms in dogs with irritated skin. We can also support them from the inside out by supplementing their diet with omegas (like fish oil or flaxseed), a good supplement like Wellbeing Essentials, or feeding a prescription allergy diet. 

A healthy coat, skin and nails are your pet’s best defence against the environment.

Act early to manage your pet’s allergies

Humans can tweak their environment if they feel uncomfortable. Our pets rely on us to do it for them.

Sometimes it’s hard for owners (and health professionals!) to connect the dots. Know your pet’s habits. Be on the lookout for changes in behaviour (scratching, licking, eating, toileting) or decline in the condition of their skin and coat. If you notice obvious, unexplained changes, book your pet for a check-up. 

Don’t wait until a mild skin condition becomes a full-blown infection which triggers other health problems. Early intervention is key.

Pinpointing and managing allergies can be a complex journey, but in many cases, it’s fairly straightforward. Ringwood Vet Clinic have many ways of supporting you and your pet in finding gentle, sustainable solutions to seasonal allergies.