Summertime brings out a special kind of excitement every year. With beautiful trees budding, flowers blossoming, and long, warm sunsets, summer truly makes its mark. However, along with this amazing mosaic comes a plethora of possible allergens. You have probably seen pollen floating in the air in the summer, some days thick as fog. Perhaps you suffer from seasonal allergies and know that they can become much worse in the heat.
The veterinary team at Animal Skin and Allergy Clinic points out that you cannot forget your pet when it comes to seasonal allergies. Not only are there various types of pollens floating around from summer plants, but there are stinging creatures thriving in the summer that can cause an allergic reaction in your pet. We offer pet allergy testing to determine the cause and develop treatment plans to alleviate discomfort. The good news is that summer seasonal allergies can be easily treated so your pet does not have to suffer all season.
As summer approaches, make sure to watch for these signs and symptoms of pet allergies:
- Excessive scratching, licking, or biting
- Hair loss or rashes on the skin
- Red, watery eyes
- Ear infections
- Nasal discharge
- Red, irritated or scaly skin
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Vomiting or diarrhea
If you notice that your furry loved one is experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, please contact Animal Skin and Allergy Clinic for help.
What Causes Pet Allergies?
Oftentimes, our pets spend much more time outside during the summer months. Their prolonged time outside means increased exposure to various summertime allergens. For pets that spend most of their time indoors in the summer, they still have increased exposure, as allergen concentrations are simply higher overall.
Common causes of summertime pet allergies include:
- Plants that release pollen
- Stinging or biting insects
- Fleas
- Wasps
- Hornets
- Bees
- Fire ants
- Air pollution
- Ozone alerts can be common on hot days
How Can I Help My Pet?
It will be important to schedule an appointment so that highly sensitive intradermal skin testing can be performed to pinpoint the cause of your pet’s discomfort. This type of testing, offered by Animal Skin and Allergy Clinic, is the gold standard for pet allergy testing and is not available at every veterinary clinic.
Prior to your appointment, there are some things you can do to help your pet feel better:
- Limit your pet’s exposure time
- Go for walks at the time of day when pollen counts are lower–this is typically early morning or later in the evening
- Try not to let your pet stay outside too long
- Try to prevent your pet from laying in or rolling around in the grass
- Wipe their paws after they have been outside
- Groom your pet regularly or at least bathe them
- Keep your pet’s bedding clean
- Keep windows closed on high pollen count days
Summer season pet allergies are common but with the right treatment plan, pets can be just as excited as we are for the summer!
