Spring is in the air and for many of our canine and feline patients that means it's time to start scratching and biting again. Allergies are very common in dogs and cats, but instead of getting watery eyes and a stuffy head like we do, they get ITCHY. Allergies can make your pet lick and scratch until their hair starts to fall out. Some pets will scratch, chew or rub their skin until it becomes infected in areas we call "hot spots". Some of them scratch at their ears until they are red and infected.

What can you do to make your allergic pet feel more comfortable?

If your pet has only mild seasonal allergies, you may be able to control the symptoms with antihistamine tablets and soothing shampoos. Fatty acid supplements (very popular right now in human medicine) may also help relieve some of the skin inflammation. Pets with more severe allergies may need cortisone injections or tablets. Cortisone will make your allergic pet feel much better, but because of its side effects, especially in dogs, it cannot be given very often. Too much cortisone will cause your pet to drink, urinate, pant, and gain weight. More importantly, it may hurt the liver or adrenal glands in dogs. Of course, the best possible treatment for allergies is to identify and remove the source of the allergy.

Could your pet be allergic to fleas?

Flea allergic pets typically chew and rub their back end and lose hair right at the base of their tail. We think Frontline Topspot works great for flea control, and this may be all your pet needs if the source of his/her allergies is fleas.

Could your pet have an allergy to a certain ingredient in his/her food?

Food allergic pets tend to bite and scratch all over; there is no pattern to their hair loss. Furthermore, they are itchy year-round, regardless of the season. A trial period of 8-10 weeks on a hypoallergenic diet will help identify a food allergy.

If your pet doesn't seem to have one of the first two types of allergies, allergy testing can be done to find out if he is allergic to various inhaled substances, like pollens, molds, and dust. If the test results are positive for certain allergens, a series of desensitization injections can be used. Pets with allergies to inhaled substances (a condition called atopy) usually chew their paws and rub their face and eyes. The itchiness is seasonal, depending on what happens to be blooming outside. Many pets with atopy will be most itchy when the pollen count is high.

Certain breeds of dogs are particularly allergy prone: Golden Retrievers, West Highland Terriers, and Cocker Spaniels. Don't worry if one of these happen to be your favorite breed; although we cannot "cure" allergies (they're genetic), we can usually relieve the symptoms. Or, you and your pet could move to Arizona, where the pollen count is low and its too dry for fleas