Worst season for dog allergies – Pups suffer seasonally too

If your dog has redness or irritated skin and is frequently licking his paws, he is most likely to be allergic to some food, substance or things in his environment. While you might tend to sneeze if you are allergic to something, your dog with an allergy will tend to itch. 

One of the common health issues that are found in dogs is allergies. When you are allergic to something, you can at least tell and explain the irritating symptoms you are experiencing, but sadly your friend with paws cannot. In such a case you need to visit a veterinarian doctor to figure out the cause behind the unusual behavior of your dog and give him some relief. 

Every dog is unique in nature and can be allergic to several things around. Allergies are nothing but damaging responses send by the immunity system to foreign substances or food and are generally not deadly or too harmful. 

Even though allergies are not that harmful one should try to help their dog as soon as they can so that your canine doesn’t have to face the discomfort for a long time. The more the allergies last the more the dog will become irritated and the allergies might become more painful in the worst season for dog allergies!

Causes of allergies in dogs and how it affects them

While there are several causes of allergies in dogs, some of the notable reasons are food, inhaling of fungal spores or pollen, insect bites, getting contact with any particular surface through lying down or brushing up against it, or seasonal allergies. One of the most common allergies that dogs have is seasonal allergies. 

What happens is when a dog gets exposed to some allergen, the immune response of the dog gets triggered leading to the release of histamines. While histamines are common chemicals occurring in the body, an excessive amount can cause discomfort in your dog’s body. Common discomfort found in dogs due to allergies includes itching, inflammation and swelling. There are certain types of allergens that can cause a severe response in your dog’s body. In that case, I recommend you to visit the clinic to get your dog checked thoroughly. 

The time taken by the allergens might vary from pet to pet. Some allergens act up really fast and some slowly. There are also many other factors that affect the reaction speed of the allergies such as time. The more severe the allergies become, the less they will respond to various treatments, what might have worked in the past might not work now. This would to failure of previous treatment and also might lead to an increase in the severity of the allergies. So, it is advised that the dog should be taken to a vet at an early stage when it is a little pup so that the underlying reasons behind the allergies could be found out and be taken care of. 

Common Symptoms 

Some common symptoms in dogs caused due to seasonal allergies include runny nose, watery eyes, respiratory congestion, hair loss because of excessive scratching of their itchy skin, flaky skin also happens because of the scratching of the inflamed skin, sneezing, licking of the anus and paws, smelly or dirty ears might happen due to yeast infection or some bacteria, patchy skin, etc. 

What months do dogs get seasonal allergies? 

Seasonal allergies mostly occur during the spring, fall and summertime. Spring is the worst season for dog allergies since it is during this time of the year, pollen grains are most present in the air. 

Do dogs get allergies in the winter? 

Winter might not be considered the worst season for dog allergies but it could take its toll on them. Allergies in the winter season can make it hard for your dog to breathe, and it could also damage your dog’s coat and skin. Most of the allergens that happen in winter are airborne i.e., it is being transported in the air. 

It is advised to keep the dog inside your warm homes in the winter so that they could remain warm and unaffected by allergens. They should only be taken out when necessary.

Since in the winter, the air is drier in homes, the allergens could spread from even little amounts of mold & dust mites. So, many dog parents take various measures to protect their beloved pets from this suffering like cleaning the furnace’s filter, keeping the humidity in their homes below 40%, and also cleaning the humidifier regularly. It is also noticed that vacuuming regularly also helps in keeping the dust mites in check. 

Are dog’s allergies worse in summer?

The summer season can also be bad for your dogs because of the increase in the release of pollen. The number of low-lying plants releasing pollen dust increases a lot during summer because of which your dog might be more prone to allergies as they tend to walk or lay near these plants. It is necessary to keep an eye on them all the time. 

Also, just like humans, dogs also tend to be sensitive to stings from bees or wasps, or other insects which tends to rise in the summertime. It is necessary to keep your dog safe from these allergens as they could be lethal if not prevented beforehand. 

How to prevent springtime allergies in your dog?

Food allergies are much easier to handle because if your dog has food allergies you can stop giving him the particular food that is causing the problem. But you cannot do the same thing if your dog has a seasonal allergy. As a matter of fact, you can reduce the exposure & manage the symptoms. Here are some easy ways outs to prevent your dog from getting seasonal allergies:

  • Bathe your dog more often – During the spring season, if your dog spends most of the time in outdoors, he is most likely to catch a springtime allergy. Bathe him often to clean the pollens that might get stuck on his skin. You can use special shampoos and soaps that are specially formulated to prevent infections. But don’t use shampoos too often as they can irritate your skin. Once a week will go perfect!
  • Wipe and wash after coming back from the outdoors – Every time he comes back home from the outdoors, wipe his fur by using a damp cloth & rinse the paws under tap water. This way you can clean the allergens or pollen grains that get stuck to his body. Since spring is the worst season for dog allergies, try to lessen the amount they spend outdoors during the spring season. During spring dogs often tend to lick their paws. This may result in cracked heals. So make sure to take proper care your dog’s cracked heels.
  • Wash dog beddings often – The fur of the dog acts as a magnet which attracts a lot of pollens and allergens during the spring season. Now, this may also get stuck in their bed. In order to keep his bed free from pollens and allergens, wash the bedding frequently with soap. 
  • Clean air conditioners frequently – Clean or change the filters of your air conditioner regularly to reduce allergen built up in the home. 
  • Get a healthy diet for your dog – To reduce the effect of seasonal allergies in dogs, give a good healthy diet to your dog to enhance his immunity system. 

Does your dog have season allergies or food allergies?

It is quite a difficult task to tell whether your dog is suffering from seasonal allergies or he is allergic to some food. Seasonal allergies often occur at a certain period or time of the year, mostly during the spring season. However, if you are residing in a location that is subject to diverse climate or weather changes, your dog might catch seasonal allergies often. 

On the other hand, food allergies can occur at any time of year especially if you have recently changed the diet of your dog. Also if you tend to change the brand of your dog food, it can cause allergies in the dog due to a change in the formula.

Conclusion

Dogs are loving pets that take a lot of caring and love to handle. These innocent creatures look up to their owner to care for them and to understand their every single problem with just a look since they cannot convey their feelings or thoughts to them. It is your duty as a dog parent to look after your dog and take care of all their needs.

Allergies could be really uncomfortable and even painful for them. So as the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”, it is always better to take necessary measures to prevent these allergies beforehand before they become a reason for your loved one’s suffering.

Even then if they do end up with some kind of allergies it is best to take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible before the matter goes out of hand.


Admin Team
Admin Team
Articles: 73