If April showers bring May flowers, then what do May flowers bring?
If you said ALLERGIES, you have my sympathy. Yes, it’s that time of year again, when many of us are constantly sneezing and battling a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. But did you know that dogs can suffer from allergies too? In fact, dogs are allergic to many of the same things that we are, like mould, detergents, perfume, dust mites, and seasonal pollen from trees, grass, and weeds.
When we first brought this little bundle of fluff home, I read all the books I could find and surfed the internet trying to learn everything I could to provide her with a loving home and proper care. But at no point in my research did I learn about allergies. I had no clue that dogs could get allergies, and like most pet owners, I had no idea that the signs and symptoms of seasonal allergies are expressed differently in dogs than in humans.
Think ESP – Ears, Skin, Paws
Allergens are mostly absorbed through a dog’s skin instead of their respiratory system, so one of the most telling signs of seasonal allergies in dogs is itching and scratching. If your dog has smelly ears and itchy, red skin, or if he’s scratching himself, rubbing against objects, losing hair, or licking and chewing on his paws excessively, he might have allergies.
Certain breeds are more likely to suffer from allergies, so be extra aware if you have a Terrier, Setter, Retriever, or a flat-faced breed like a French Bulldog or Shar-pei.
An easy way to remember the signs is to think ESP – Ears, Skin, Paws! If you have concerns, check out this flowchart to help you figure out what might be going on with your canine companion.
If your dog is showing these symptoms, take him to your vet for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Treatment options include topical therapies, oral medications, soothing shampoos, desensitization (allergy shots/drops), and veterinary exclusive pet food like Royal Canin’s Skin Care and Skin Support Formulas designed to help manage environmental allergies and restore a healthy skin barrier.
Find out more at Itchy Pet See Your Vet or on Twitter by following @RoyalCaninCA or #ItchyPetSeeYourVet.
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Disclosure: Compensation for this post was provided by Royal Canin. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own. Your experience may differ.
I did not know that when dogs have an allergic reaction to something they show it in their skin! Interesting, I would have assumed they were just like us!
I would have except I didn’t see any blog post comments
OK found them…I was surprised at all the allergies pets could have
I never knew if a dog is coughing, sneezing or has watery eyes it may mean an allergy! Seems just like us humans
I didn’t realize that the allergines in the air would affect dogs as well.
I didn’t know dogs could be allergic to so many environmental allergens and that it shows through their skin.
I didn’t know that dogs had allergies.
I found out that this product has been proven to inhibit bacterial growth and promote skin healing.
had no idea dogs could be allergic to perfume!
We just got our puppy. So I did not know a lot of this. Thank you for the information. This helps me a lot.
I didn’t know dogs got allergies. The allergens can be any of the same common allergens that people suffer from, such as: mould, mildew, dust mites, insect bites, ragweed or various pollens.
I was surprised at all the allergies pets could have
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very interesting read about all the allergies or fury beloved pets can get.im still trying to get a grip on mine.ive had no problems with my beautiful boy cooper,but ill keep everything in mind.thanks
Didn’t know dogs could be allergic to perfume.
I learned that there are many reasons for animals having itching skin besides having fleas.
Didn’t know dogs could be allergic to perfume – though I’m not a fan either!
None of the things I read were surprising for me-I had a dog that suffered horribly from the time he was a baby to the time he died at 13 years with skin conditions. Constant drive you insane itch and terrible soreness all over his body. Vets tried all diff. pills, creams, diet changes etc… with no avail. Hope this company truly finds a way to get the message out and truly help suffering animals with their products.
I didn’t realize that pets could be allergic to so many things.
I didn’t know dogs can get allergies too!
I didn’t know how many different allergens could effect our pets !
I find it interesting that pets get allergies too.
I knew that fleas could cause dogs to scratch but I had no idea that they could have allergies to such things as sunflowers.
Formulated to offer the same benefits for environmental allergies as Skin Care, Skin Support also has a patented skin support blend that has been proven to inhibit bacterial growth and promote skin healing. – See more at: http://www.royalcanin.ca/index.php/Veterinary-Products/Special-Topics/Itchy-Pet-See-Your-Vet#sthash.X8o76t2F.dpuf
They are trying to source 100% canadian ingredients for their products
I found out that this product has been proven to inhibit bacterial growth and promote skin healing and a lot of valuable information about signs that pets may be suffering with allergies.
I learned a lot from this…I guess I hadn’t much considered allergies in dogs before so I really didn’t know anything about this subject. Thanks for the info!
I learned that dog’s express their allergies through their skin.
I didn’t realize that dogs could have environmental allergies. Also that Royal Canin manufactures a skin product to remedy dog skin conditions.
The most surprising thing I learned is that dogs tend to express their allergies through their skin, unlike humans who will tend to have itchy eyes, sneezing, etc.
I learned dogs can be allergic to the same things that we are allergic too
I didn’t know that antioxidants and essential fatty acids can help with the management of environmental allergies
I didn’t realize dogs were affected by the same allergens as humas.
I learned that my dogs can have an allergic reaction to stuff outside.
I didn’t know that Royal Canin had Skin Support food…It claims to reduce inflammation.
I didn’t realize dogs could be allergic to certain types of trees like poplar, pine, maple, hickory, oak and ash.
I did not know that dogs had allergies.
i was shocked that changing your pets’ food can heal their skin issues
WOW! I had no idea that leaves could be an allergen to my furbaby…most of the other things I could see, but leaves..I learned something today.. 🙂
I was not aware of the wide range of allergens that can affect our pets. Good information, thank you!
I always thought that dogs scratched because of fleas, turns out they can have many different allergic reactions which can cause itching.
I did not know that dogs express dogs their allergies through their skin
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