Understanding and Managing Allergies in Pets

No pet owner wants to see their pet hurting. Often, the symptoms of pet allergies sort of simmer just below the surface. A pet may be allergic to various environmental triggers, food, or even fleas. The levels of sensitivity to different triggers covers the whole range between barely noticeable to outrageous. Pet allergies are becoming more commonplace. Accordingly, understanding and managing pet allergies is an important endeavor.

Beyond the Sniffles

While some cases of pet allergies can result in respiratory symptoms, the majority center on the skin. You might see a pet begin to lick or scratch themselves more often. Over time, itching can grow more intense. Left alone, repetitive scratching can lead to secondary skin infections. 

In the Food and Air

Environmental, or atopic, allergies result from triggers in the pet’s environment. Grass, mold, pollen, smoke, perfume, and cleaning products can contribute to a pet’s allergy threshold. 

Food allergies may be less common than environmental allergies, but they can be easier to treat. Once we know exactly what creates an allergic reaction in a pet’s diet, we simply remove it. Environmental allergies are all around us, which makes it very challenging to eliminate triggers. 

Flea allergy dermatitis occurs when an animal has an allergic reaction to the saliva in flea bites. Even one bite can trigger a full body reaction. Treating flea allergy dermatitis is relatively straightforward and effective. Your pet’s parasite preventive medicine will help protect them from this possibility. 

The Impact of Pet Allergies

Pet allergies can build over time, which creates a lot of stress on a pet’s immune system. Symptoms will not appear until the allergy threshold has been reached. Allergens build up until a pet’s system launches an attack against them. This is the body’s allergic reaction.

Allergy Testing and Treatment

Allergy testing can detect both food and environmental allergies. Lab results from blood work and/or intradermal testing (skin prick) can help us understand what a pet is allergic to in order to treat them effectively.

Once a pet is known to be allergic to something, we can use a process called desensitization to slowly expose a pet to the exact trigger. Allergy drops or shots are also effective at desensitizing pets to their allergens, and it can take time to develop the right approach. 

If there are no measurable improvements after diet changes or environmental support, we may adjust the treatment plan to include medications, such as corticosteroids or supplements like fish oil that decrease the immune system’s response to triggers. 

Seeking Help

The road to understand and manage pet allergies can be winding and unpredictable. While every case of pet allergies is unique, we are able to assist owners through all of the ups and downs associated with the condition. 

Due to the uncomfortable, painful symptoms that affect pets with allergies, we recommend moving toward diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. Please call us at (916) 737-5670 with any questions or concerns. Our team at East Sacramento Veterinary Center is always happy to help!