Although pet allergies are common, they shouldn’t be neglected. Your pet does not need to suffer unnecessarily from allergy symptoms. At Avalon Animal Clinic, our Indianapolis veterinarian can determine the cause of your pet’s allergies to help prevent them or at least manage your pet’s symptoms so he can find relief. Read on to learn more about pet allergies and how they’re treated.
Types of Pet Allergies
Pets can suffer from three types of allergies: environmental allergies, flea allergies, and food allergies.
Environmental allergies can be triggered by substances in your pet’s indoor or outdoor environment. Some pets are sensitive to dust or chemicals in household cleaners or their grooming products, triggering allergy symptoms. Other pets are allergic to pollen, outdoor plants or flowers, weeds, and grasses. Environmental allergies can cause dry, itchy skin, prompting your pet to be constantly biting, scratching, or licking its skin. Ear infections and skin rashes are additional symptoms of environmental allergies.
Flea allergies are the result of sensitivity to flea saliva. Flea bites can cause red, swollen, itchy skin which can morph into skin infections, hot spots, and fur loss due to constant scratching. Fortunately, flea allergies can be easily resolved by ridding your pet of these pests.
Food allergies can be triggered by ingredients in your pet’s food such as beef, chicken, dairy, eggs, or other protein sources. This allergy can occur at any time in your pet’s life. Food allergies can cause digestive issues like vomiting or diarrhea. Changing your pet’s diet can help remedy this situation.
Signs of Allergies in Pets
The following are some common symptoms of allergies in pets:
- Dry itchy skin
- Excessive licking, biting, or scratching
- Frequent ear infections
- Skin rashes or sores
- Tears, sneezing, or difficulty breathing
- Gastrointestinal problems like vomiting or diarrhea
If you notice these or other unusual symptoms, contact your Indianapolis veterinarian. We can diagnose your pet’s condition and recommend treatment to provide allergy relief.
Pet Allergy Treatment
The first step toward treating a pet allergy is diagnosing your pet’s condition. Your Indianapolis vet can perform blood or skin tests to confirm your pet has an allergy and pinpoint the allergen triggering his symptoms. Once you know the cause of your pet’s discomfort, you can eliminate symptoms by avoiding the allergen. If chemicals in cleaning or grooming products are the culprits, switch to products that use more natural ingredients. In like manner, you can alter your pet’s diet to avoid ingredients that trigger allergy symptoms. Your vet can also provide you with medication to manage symptoms caused by outdoor allergens.
See Your Indianapolis Veterinarian for Pet Allergies
To schedule a consultation for diagnosing and treating pet allergies, contact Avalon Animal Clinic in Indianapolis by calling (317) 842-4618.