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Just like us, many of our pets have spring allergies – they are quite common. But determining the cause of those allergies may take a little detective work. The 3 main types of pet allergies are flea, food, and environmental. Just like allergies in people, they may cause your buddy a lot of discomfort.

Our pets’ symptoms of seasonal allergies are similar to what we experience, itchy skin with or without a rash, ear infections, watery eyes, and sneezing. If you see any of these symptoms, it’s time to treat these allergies so your friend isn’t uncomfortable.

If your pet’s allergies are only seasonal (and not food or flea), your vet can set up a seasonal allergy plan with you so your dog or cat can stop itching. This plan may include antihistamines to mitigate the allergy symptoms. If the allergies seem severe, your vet may suggest allergy testing so she can figure out what your pet is allergic to and treat your pet accordingly.

The most common seasonal allergens are mold, mildew, dust mites, and pollen from trees, grass, and weeds. Of these, pollen allergies are usually seasonal, and the others could be year-round.

Allergies are not usually serious, but our pets can get secondary infections from constantly scratching, not to mention how uncomfortable allergies can make them (and us!)

If your buddy has seasonal allergies, try to keep your windows closed during allergy season. Wipe him down with a damp cloth to remove the allergens when he comes in from playing outside. A weekly bath with an oatmeal or medicated shampoo (made especially for pets with allergies) will help. You might consider an air purifier in your home.

It may take a bit of investigating to figure out what your pet is allergic to, but once you do, with treatment, it will keep seasonal allergies from slowing your pet down!