Is Your Dog Suffering From Seasonal Allergies

For some of us, seasonal allergies are a true annoyance and a tough time of the year to endure. Unfortunately, the pooch also has to suffer a thing just like their human parent, often known as dog’s seasonal allergies.

Besides indoor chemicals from house cleaning products or perfume, dogs may get allergies to nature such as pollen, feather, dust, mold, and so on. In this article, you will learn more about the reasons your dogs may get seasonal allergies, how to diagnose the symptoms, and suitable treatments.

Now let's dive in!

Seasonal allergies in dogs often occur when they encounter allergen outdoors, especially when they inhale, touch, or even swallow the thing they are sensitive to.

Just like our human seasonal allergies, this type of allergy in dogs happens at a particular time of the year, usually in the fall and summer. This is often when the weather is getting nicer; many of us walk our dogs to the park to enjoy the atmosphere. However, this is also a sensitive time when there are many available allergens in the environment, such as grass pollen, fresh grass, mold mites, and dust mites.

Your fur buddies may experience the same allergy symptoms as humans, yet most of them are through their skin.

Here are some significant signs to firstly diagnose whether your dog is suffering from seasonal allergies or not.

• Scratching or even biting their coat or skin more than normal
• Having red, inflamed, or infected skin
• Shedding excessively
• Licking paws compulsively
• Having ear infections or red, waxy ears

Since most dogs experience through their skin, you should take your four-legged friends to the veterinarian when noticing them scratching, rubbing on the floor, licking, or chewing themselves more than usual. Also, when having seasonal allergies, dogs tend to be less active. Some who have severe allergies can suffer painful infections as well.

The best practice to keep dog seasonal allergies at bay is to limit their chance of exposure to allergens. Here are some practical ways you can apply to prevent or help your dog deal with seasonal allergies more stress-free.

Avoid or at least minimize walking your dog in the early morning or late afternoon because of the highest pollen levels at these times. Temporary stay away from fields and parks, have some indoor activities, or walk on the pavement around the neighborhood only during sensitive months.

Whenever you and your dog return home, wipe your dog’s paws, legs, and even body with a hypoallergenic grooming wipe from a pet store or a moist cloth to remove the excess pollen from the fur and skin. This will reduce the chances of your dog carrying pollen on his body, leading to severe allergy later.

When quickly cleaning your dog with a wipe or cloth, pay more attention to their paws. This place is often more sensitive and easy to be affected by allergens.

Limit opening doors and windows to cut down the allergens that can enter through that. Change the air filter often, and turn on the air conditioner or dehumidifier to help remove moisture from the indoor air, reducing the possibility of mold growing in your home,

Vacuuming your house at least once a week along with cleaning curtains, rugs, and bedsheets where your dog loves laying on.

Don’t let your dog spend so much time in basements, bathrooms, or a laundry room where the environment is damp and easy to grow mold. You can put a small indoor fence in front of these rooms or close these doors whenever you go out.

When having seasonal allergies, a dog’s skin is often dry and itchy. Therefore, you should give your dog a bath more often than usual with the advice from your veterinarian. Using hypoallergenic anti-itch shampoo to rub their fur gently will help a lot. You can put some moisturizing oil into the bath and let your four-legged friend soak in about 10 minutes. This will soothe his skin as well as his mind in those unpleasant months.

Since seasonal allergies occur primarily on a dog’s skin, allergy serum prescribed by a dermatologist is also a common way to deal with this situation. Some anti-itch medicine works perfectly for your dog and leaves no negative side effects after discontinuation.

However, both prescription medications above come with some side effects and require essential examinations or blood work, so make sure you talk to your vet about this ahead.