Allergies Affect Pets Too

By: Gary Richter, DVM, MS

Allergy season is upon us. Many pets, as well as their owners, are experiencing the effects of seasonal pollens, flowers and grasses. Although we may be allergic to the similar things, our pets commonly manifest allergies differently than most people.

Fleas are a common source of problems for dogs and cats. The resultant flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) can be one of the itchiest conditions a dog or cat can get. While sometimes the presence of fleas is very apparent, other times only one or two fleas can cause severe itching. Some animals can tolerate large numbers of fleas, while others scratch for weeks after being bitten by only one. The good news for most animals in the Bay Area is, fleas are more of a nuisance than a major medical issue. In addition, the advent of highly effective flea control products in the past ten years has largely eliminated severe flea infestations in pets.

Aside from fleas, one of the more commonly allergic conditions in animals is called atopy. Atopy is the term used for allergies caused by inhaled allergens. In humans, inhaled allergens most commonly result in respiratory signs. In dogs and cats however, the most common symptom seen is itching. Animals with atopy often scratch their face, feet and belly. They may have seasonal itching or may scratch year-round. Often animals that begin with seasonal allergies progress to year round scratching. Atopy can be difficult to diagnose and may require allergy testing to begin definitive treatment. Once diagnosed however, atopy can be often be controlled with allergy injections that are custom formulated to the individual patient.

Other causes of allergies in our pets are contact allergies to things such as grasses, pollens, detergents, etc. Food allergies causing skin irritation are a relatively uncommon occurrence in dogs and cats but can be severe when they occur. Allergies to specific medications or shampoos also occur infrequently.

Perhaps the most important concept to understand with allergies is the allergic threshold. It takes a certain amount of stimulus to make the allergic animal itchy. Allergic animals are commonly allergic to more than one thing, and the allergic stimuli are additive. For example, a dog that is allergic to fleas, pollen and grasses may not scratch unless he is exposed to all three at the same time. Therefore, controlling the more easily controlled variables (such as fleas) is a vital part of our strategy.

Because allergies are the result of the patient's own immune system over reacting to a given stimulus, allergies are rarely completely cured. They can however be controlled with treatment. Each individual is unique and treatments must be tailored to the pet. Because of this, a successful treatment regimen sometimes takes time. Over time, most pets can be helped.

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