Are Seasonal Dog Allergies Affecting Your Pet

If you think about the months in the year that we would consider allergy season, especially in the spring and fall, those are the same times that your pet will likely be affected by seasonal dog allergies. Seasonal allergies are the most common type of dog allergy that affects your pooch.

Quite interestingly, there seems to be a genetic link to seasonal dog allergies. So, if your dog’s parents suffered from seasonal allergy problems, the chances are greater that your dog will develop this form of allergies as well.

Dogs develop allergies in much the same way as people do. Exposure to certain factors in their environment over a long period of time can cause allergies to develop. But there is just no way to say for certain that a particular dog will develop seasonal allergies. Just like us, veterinarians have no conclusive way to determine which dog will be prone to suffer from allergies.

Signs and Symptoms of Seasonal Dog Allergies

If you see your dog showing any of the following signs of an allergic reaction, chances are that she is suffering from seasonal dog allergies.

• itching
• scratching
• sneezing
• coughing
• wheezing
• other respiratory problems
• watery eyes
• hot spots
• constant licking

These symptoms may be similar to a flea allergy, so an exam by your vet may be necessary to narrow down the root cause of the reaction.

Possible Reasons For Dog Skin Allergies

If you wish, you can do your own little investigation to narrow down the cause of the itching, scratching, and other signs your dog may be showing. For example, if you know that your dog has never had any previous problems with fleas, then you might rule that out in the beginning.

Look at various clues when trying to determine seasonal allergies in dogs.

Your Allergy Problems

Are you currently suffering from seasonal allergies? If it is allergy season and you are experiencing the effects of this uncomfortable season, chances are that your dog will experience these problems too.

What Affects You

If you do have seasonal allergies, think about what it is that you are allergic to. If you know what it is, then it is possible that your dog may be suffering from a similar allergen.

Weather Reports

If you do not suffer from seasonal allergies, then follow your local weather report. These reports will tell you what the current pollen counts are. They will also tell which type of airborne allergen is the highest on any given day. So for example, if ragweed is the highest today, dogs with an allergy to ragweed will show the most symptoms of an allergy. They will also be the most uncomfortable on these days.

When Is Your Dog Affected

Keep track of when your dog is affected the most. On days that your dog’s symptoms are most severe, compare those days to the weather allergy reports and see if there is some connection.

Types of Pollen

Finally, bear in mind that tree pollen causes the most problems in humans and in dogs. Grass pollen can also be a problem through most of the summer months. For some reason, the pollen from flowers does not seem to be much of an issue.

If you want to skip all the detective work, your vet can perform a skin test to confirm the cause of your dog’s discomfort. Remember, though, vet bills can add up pretty quickly.

Dogs and Allergies is a series of articles discussing the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of various types of dog allergies. Move on to the next article, Symptoms of Common Dog Food Allergies, or go back to the previous article, Dog Skin Allergies.

Best,

Omar Reyes

If your dog is suffering from seasonal allergies, considering giving her antihistamine allergy tablets. These work similar to the over-the-counter remedies that we use to relieve allergy symptoms, just that they are made especially for our pets.