Has your dog been gnawing crazily on his paws, around the neck, or has teary, red eyes and sneezing incessantly? Dogs, too, have seasonal allergies as humans do, and they also experience discomfort. However, many times their symptoms go unnoticed. As a pet parent, you need to proactively identify any underlying signs of allergies in your four-legged babies for a simple reason that they can’t verbalize their discomforts other than a vehement woof-woof here and there asking for help.
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How Can Allergies Affect Your Dog?
Allergies impact the immune system’s response. Generally, the immune system protects the pooches against any infection they may develop, but it detects the allergens as possible threats to the body in case of allergies. The immune system secretes hormones called histamines, leading to swelling, inflammation, and itching, which are why other signs of allergies surface like watery eyes, puffy lips, sneezing, etc.
So What’s Aggravating The Allergies?
Multiple factors lead to allergic reactions. Below are some common environmental allergens in dogs:
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- Weeds
- Pollens
- Grass
- Fungi
- Flea Saliva
- Mold
- Food Allergies
- Pollutants
This article will walk you through seasonal allergies in dogs. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned here, please contact your vet immediately for a proper investigation and treatment as anything may be causing allergies in your dog, from food to other environmental allergens.
Signs of Allergies To Look For Your In Pup
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- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Watery Red Eyes
- Itchy Flaky Skin
- Ear Infections
- Hair Loss
- Smelly/Dirty Ears
- Scratching
- Shaking one or both the ears
- Respiratory Congestion
- Patchy Skin
- Licking Of Paws
Skin Allergies in Dogs
Environmental allergens are the leading cause of allergies in dogs. Pollens, mold, and dust are all environmental allergens. The American Kennel Club states that skin allergies are the most commonly found allergic reactions in dogs, causing atopic dermatitis. These are seasonal allergies, so you will only see your dog with irritable skin during specific times of the year and not throughout the year.
Paws and ears are generally the most affected areas; however, ankles, muzzle, groins, underarms, wrists, toes, and eyes may also be impacted. Skin allergies are generally not harmful, but there’s only one possible threat attached to them: secondary infections in the body. Dogs lick, bite the affected area to get a sense of relief, but that can make the condition worse and result in bacterial and yeast infections.
