Pet Health Community

Treating seasonal allergies is all about managing the allergies and keeping inflammation to a minimum. And the key is knowing what time of year these reactions occur in your pet. I have many patients who are spring reactors, some that are fall reactors, and a few that react in the winter. So after several years of treatment, if I see a distinct pattern of allergy symptoms, I will encourage pet owners to start treatment in advance of their pet's reactive allergy season.

For starters, I recommend:

-- Using drugs and therapies that have the fewest side effects. Antihistamines typically have very few side effects. But there are many types of antihistamines, so check with your veterinarian to see which one is best for your pet.
-- Increasing how often you bathe your pet. Sometimes just washing all the allergens off your pet can make a big difference for how they will react. However, there is a fine line for how much bathing is too much. Excessive bathing can wash away important oils which protect the skin and coat.
-- Choosing a shampoo specifically for your pet's needs. There are many kinds of shampoos for specific skin conditions, and your veterinarian can help you choose which will work best.
-- Getting your pet's hair cut shorter. I discovered this with my own dog, Ellie, who suffers from seasonal allergies. Once, in the midst of trying to get her allergies under control, I had her groomed with a shorter hair cut because her hair was getting tangled from all her scratching. Lo and behold, she was much better after the grooming. But as soon as her hair grew back, she was miserable again. I had her groomed short again, and sure enough, she once again was relieved. (Of course, I was happy that she was better. But my ego was a little bruised since the groomer did more for her allergies than I could!) I believe this works because shorter hair holds less pollen and allergens. I have suggested it to many of my clients who have also had success with shorter grooming.

Another important measure for seasonal allergy treatment is good flea and tick control for your pet. This may seem unrelated. But remember, once pets already have inflammation in the skin, they tend to be more reactive to other types of allergens and irritants. For example, since I already know that I'm going to be managing my dog's seasonal allergies in the spring, I keep good flea control on her all year around. If she gets a few fleas while her seasonal allergies are flaring up, then she will be so much itchier than she would if she got fleas another time of the year. Once pets have inflammation, their systems are primed to react, which makes it harder to get things under control.

Have your pets ever shown symptoms of seasonal allergies? What have you learned about treating or preventing these symptoms?