Pets Can Have Allergies Too!

My husband still has his allergies at this time of year, some days are so uncomfortable for him, only lounging around the house will suppress them. Surprsingly, our four-legged friends can have allergies just like us, with very similar symptoms – rashes, sneezing, and coughing. However, symptoms can be very diverse, you should be on the lookout for: an itchy body, red eyes, nasal discharge, coughing and sneezing, inflamed ears, and swollen paws.

Causes

These symptoms are often caused by environmental issues like certain plants, carpet deodorizer, household chemicals, or it could be a food or medicine allergy.

Treatment

To find out the cause of your pet’s allergy, veterinarians can perform skin tests. Treatment of allergies in pets are similar to those in humans. Obviously eliminating the allergen would be ideal, but not always possible in environmental cases. Avoiding grass, eliminating houseplants, using different household cleaners, or isolating your pet from whatever the culprit is, is ideal. A visit to the veterinarian may be necessary for steroid-based medication.

Does your pet have allergies? What have been your solutions?