If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you know just how miserable it can be to walk outside in the fall and not be able to stop sneezing. Your dog or cat can also suffer from seasonal allergies, although their symptoms can be a little different from our own. Our pets are at a much higher risk of getting ear infections and a secondary skin infection from their fall allergies.
Below are some signs and symptoms that your pet may have fall allergies (symptoms usually occur between August and December, depending on your climate).
Symptoms
Dry, flakey skin
Rubbing eyes and mouth
Licking or chewing on paws, reddish brown staining on the paws indicates your pet is licking!
Red, itchy, or smelly ears
Swelling or redness around the mouth
Scabbing or redness on the belly and in the armpits
Scratching body, shaking head, rubbing on furniture
Watery eyes or nose
Sneezing
The list really does go on! Your veterinary staff always sees an increased amount of red/itchy skin and ear infection appointments in the fall.
How Can You Help Your Pet?
So, what can you do to help your pet before these pesky allergens cause secondary infections?
Clean those ears! Flush and clean ears regularly with a dog/cat ear cleaner. Removing excess wax build up and debris from the ear canal will allow the ears to “breath” and prevent the ear from creating a moist little cavity for yeast to grow.
Regular Bathing. Bathe your pet monthly to twice monthly with a hypoallergenic, skin-soothing shampoo. Water therapy alone is a great way to soothe the skin and remove allergens from sitting on the skin surface, causing trouble. Bathing with a shampoo will provide a more thorough allergen removal from the fur and skin oil build-up. If you have a fussy cat that is impossible to bathe, try shampoo-free pet wipes or warm water on a soft towel. Wipe your cat’s fur gently, once a week to once monthly to reduce allergens.
Epsom salt foot soaks. Our pet’s bare feet are in constant contact with the floor, grass, dirt, road, etc. All of these surfaces are riddled with potential allergens. It’s no wonder why some pets suffer from itchy toe beans. If you catch the symptoms early, you can prevent damaged and infected skin. To remove the allergens from the fur and skin, soothe the skin, reduce inflammation and redness, and prevent infections around the nail beds: try daily Epsom salt foot baths. Add ¼-½ cup Epsom salt to 1-gallon lukewarm water. For more severe allergy cases, consult your veterinarian for advice. They may recommend you use the ¼ cup per gallon soak multiple times daily.
Honey! That’s right, add some locally sourced honey to your pet’s daily meal. Honey has proven immune-boosting abilities, effective antibacterial/antifungal and anti-inflammatory components, contains quercetin which has antihistamine effects, and contains beneficial minerals. 1/4 to 1 tablespoon of honey can soothe a dry throat and help reduce allergy symptoms. Honey is safe to offer to most dogs and cats. It’s important to keep in mind that our animals can have allergic reactions to foods, just like us!
If your pets’ symptoms become worse, do not improve, or you notice yellow scabbing on the skin or strong smelling ears or skin, contact your veterinarian to schedule an appointment.