If your pet has an allergy, the condition can significantly affect their quality of life. From constant itching to gastrointestinal (GI) upset, allergies can appear in various ways and be distressing for pets and their owners. Our Arcata Animal Hospital team believes it’s important to be educated about your pet’s health, and we provide information about what allergies commonly affect pets and how these conditions are diagnosed and treated.

What allergens commonly affect pets?

Pets can be allergic to anything they encounter in their environment, and the reaction can range from mild to life-threatening. The majority of pets with allergies develop signs like itchy and inflamed skin, but in serious cases, such as an insect sting or drug reaction, they may have facial swelling or difficulty breathing. The most common allergens affecting pets include:

  • Fleas — Many pet owners are surprised to learn that the most common allergen identified in pets is a reaction to flea saliva. When the bloodsucking parasite bites your pet, it injects a small amount of saliva into their skin, and if your pet has a flea allergy, the result is severe skin inflammation and itching. Affected pets typically scratch, gnaw, and rub constantly in an effort to get rid of the discomfort, which can result in removal of the offending parasites. This means that just because you don’t find fleas on your pet doesn’t mean a flea allergy isn’t responsible for their itchiness. In addition, many affected pets have skin lesions and hair loss at their lower back.
  • Environmental allergens — Numerous pets are affected by environmental allergens, such as grass and tree pollen, mold, and dust mites. The condition, known as atopy, can be seasonal or yearlong, depending on the cause. Most affected pets start showing signs early in life (i.e., between 1 and 3 years of age). Signs include itchiness, inflamed skin, chewing of feet, and chronic or recurrent skin and ear infections. 
  • Food — Pets can also be allergic to ingredients in their food. Triggering ingredients are most commonly proteins, such as beef, chicken, eggs, and dairy products, but grains, such as wheat and soy, can also be to blame. Affected pets typically start showing signs before 6 months of age or later in life (i.e., after age 5). In addition to skin itchiness and lesions, about 30% of food-allergic pets have GI signs, including vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence. 

How are allergies diagnosed in pets?

Identifying the triggering allergen is important in devising an effective treatment strategy, but since many allergies have similar signs, this can be challenging. Diagnostics our team may use include:

  • History — A thorough medical history is important to determine your pet’s exposure to potential allergens, if they have had allergy issues before, and how their condition has progressed. 
  • Physical examination — Our team will perform a head-to-tail examination, evaluating your pet’s skin, looking for evidence of parasites, and checking for other abnormalities.
  • Blood work — Screening blood work, such as a complete blood count and biochemistry profile, can be helpful in assessing your pet’s overall health and ruling out other potential health issues. 
  • Culture — If your pet has a skin or ear infection, we will take a sample for culture to identify the problem pathogen.
  • Skin biopsy — In some cases, a skin biopsy is necessary to diagnose your pet’s condition.
  • Allergy testing — If our team suspects your pet has atopy, we may recommend allergy testing to determine what environmental allergens are causing the problem. These tests are not helpful in identifying food allergies.
  • Food elimination trial — A food elimination trial is the only way to diagnose a food allergy. This involves feeding your pet a strict hypoallergenic diet for eight to 12 weeks, during which time they can’t have any other food, including treats, table scraps, and flavored supplements or medications. If your pet’s signs improve during the food trial, the ingredients of their previous diet can be reintroduced one at a time to determine the triggering food. 

How are allergies treated in pets?

Unfortunately, allergies in pets can’t be cured, but they can be managed effectively, typically using a multimodal approach. Our team will tailor your pet’s treatment plan based on their specific condition, but potential treatments we may recommend include:

  • Flea control — Strict, year-round flea control is vital for all pets with allergies because many pets affected by other allergies are also sensitive to fleas. 
  • Bathing — Regular bathing can remove allergens from your pet’s skin and help calm their skin irritation.
  • Steroids — Steroids are often necessary, especially in the initial stages, to get your pet’s skin irritation and itchiness under control.
  • Anti-itch medications — Many anti-itch medications are available to help alleviate your pet’s discomfort, and our team will determine the appropriate product for your four-legged friend.
  • Avoidance — If possible, avoiding the triggering allergen is the best way to prevent a reaction. 
  • Allergy shots — Atopic pets can be treated with allergy shots to gradually desensitize them to the triggering allergen.
  • Antimicrobials — We may prescribe antimicrobials to address your pet’s skin or ear infection. 

If your pet can’t stop itching, contact our Arcata Animal Hospital team so we can determine if an allergy is to blame and devise a treatment strategy to alleviate their discomfort as quickly as possible.