Can My Dog Get Seasonal Allergies?

September 25, 2017

While you might be too consumed with your own seasonal allergies at the moment to notice your dog’s scratching, there might be more to that itchy skin than you think. Your dog could have seasonal allergies, also known as environmental allergies. 

With the change in weather it’s easy to assume your dog’s skin is just drier than normal and that’s why he or she is scratching so much lately. Or maybe you’ve been out in the woods and in contact with poison ivy and mosquitoes, or down by the lake playing in the sand. That stuff gets everywhere!

Does My Dog Have Seasonal Allergies?

If your dog is scratching more than usual and shaking a lot and biting certain areas, it could be seasonal allergies. Right now it’s ragweed and mold season and the air is ripe with pollen and microscopic mold spores that can wreak havoc with your immune system. The thought of it is enough to make you sneeze.

But unlike us humans whose sinuses swell up at this time of year, your dog’s allergies manifest themselves not in his or her respiratory system but their skin. Itchy and irritating, if you don’t take measures to control the symptoms, your dog could get an infection.

Dogs will bite and scratch at itchy areas, often until they break the skin and bleed. This is when infection gets in and yeast can take hold. If not caught in time, these infections can become quite nasty and require long-term care.

Seasonal Allergy Relief For Your Dog

Fortunately, there are a number of remedies your vet can recommend from drops to pills to sprays, wipes, creams and lotions. And believe me, if that sounds like a lot, just think back to the last time you got stung by poison ivy and got prickly heat and how infuriating and insanely annoying that itchy feeling was. Enough to drive you batty. That’s what your dog is going through right now. 

You can also soothe your dog’s itching with some over-the-counter solutions and home remedies. For example, a cooling oatmeal bath with hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo might help soothe the itch, along with hot spot or mild antiseptic sprays. You can also use coconut oil on yeasty infections and some antihistamines like Benadryl are also quite effective.

It’s always a good idea to wipe your dog down after being outside, especially their paws to stop them from tracking allergens into the house and further aggravating them. Apple cider vinegar makes a great rinse after a walk outdoors or use hypoallergenic wipes. 

Your dog can develop food allergies or environmental allergies at any stage of life. But if it’s spring or fall and you notice your canine scratching, shaking, biting, and chewing themselves, it’s more than likely seasonal allergies. Try to limit their time spent outside in areas where ragweed grows and avoid wooded areas where mold is common this time of year. Try some of the remedies recommended above, and give your dog instant relief.

by Natalie Secretan
PuppyDogCapers.com

Photo credit: Kristian Niemi ~ That's the spot!