Fido’s Got The Itch: How To Relieve Your Dog’s Seasonal Allergies

Posted by Billy Francis

The sun’s shining, birds are singing and bees are buzzing in the backyard. While it’s great to see pretty flowers blooming, an excess of pollen in the atmosphere can put a damper on things. Seasonal allergies don’t just have a negative effect on humans. Fido may also suffer symptoms caused by his body having an adverse reaction to foreign substances in the air. Here’s how to identify and treat seasonal allergies in your dog.

Signs of Seasonal Allergies

“Bless me!” Photo by Barbel Recknagel from Pixabay

Fortunately, it’s not hard to tell if Fido is suffering from seasonal allergies. Check out these “tell-tail” signs:

  1. There’s nothing quite like scratching an itch, but doing this excessively can worsen the problem and even lead to secondary infection from bacteria. Look out for an increase in scratching and gnawing.
  2. The vacuum cleaner is already working double-time to keep up with your pup’s shedding, but keep an eye out for even more fur than usual during allergy season. Dandruff can also be an indicator of dry skin caused by irritation.
  3. Dogs lick themselves for cleanliness and out of boredom, but too much paw licking can be a sign of an allergic reaction.
  4. Does your pooch scoot her booty every time she goes outside? She might be trying to tell you that she has seasonal allergies.
  5. The ears are a giveaway to numerous canine health issues. If your dog is flapping his head and frequently trying to scratch inside his ear, allergies could be the reason.

Managing Canine Allergies

“Next time, let’s stick to the trail.” Photo by Rebecca Schönbrodt-Rühl from Pixabay

Mitigating the irritating and unpleasant symptoms of allergies should be high on the agenda for any responsible dog owner. After all, feeling itchy and scratchy all day long can have a negative effect on your pup’s mental health. With a few simple changes to her lifestyle and the adoption of certain remedies, you can drastically improve her life.

Avoiding long grass and high pollen areas on daily walks can help.Photo by Felix Wolf from Pixabay

Out and About

If your daily walk usually takes you through meadows or a neighboring flowerbed, then it might be time to try a new route that avoids areas of high pollen. Another way of limiting exposure is by steering clear of walks in the early morning or late at night.

“You know I’m going to roll around in the mud in like five minutes, right?”Photo by oritslama from Pixabay

Keep it Clean

Bath time! Those two words can send a shiver down the spine of even the toughest of terriers, but a few minutes of discomfort can lead to long spells of itch-free happiness. Bathing Fido with the right products a couple of times per month can help soothe unpleasant symptoms. This hypoallergenic shampoo contains no harsh ingredients and is designed for pets with sensitive skin. Remember, don’t bathe him too much, as this can also make his skin dry. Instead, wipe his paws and fur with a damp cloth or an allergy wipe when he comes inside from the backyard or home from a walk to remove some of the pollen.

“There’s nothing like the feeling of clean sheets!”Photo by Renato Laky from Pixabay

Keeping Fido clean isn’t the only way of reducing pollen contamination in your home. Cleaning your sheets and vacuuming carpeted areas can prevent your clean canine from becoming covered in pollen as soon as he lies down. Replacing your air filter regularly will also lower the amount of pollen inside your home.

“A treat a day keeps the itch at bay!”Photo by @harlow.the.wild.wheaten

Treat and Treatment

Have you made adjustments to your daily routine, but you’re still not seeing any results? It might be time to introduce an herbal remedy. Zesty Paws’ Aller-Immune Bites are designed to support digestive and immune health through a blend of detoxifying apple cider vinegar, omega-3 fatty acids and more. These ingredients promote a healthy response to seasonal allergies. If your dog can’t scratch that itch, spray him with soothing skin tonic spray. This topical conditioner provides fast-acting relief to hot spots and dry skin.

The severity of symptoms varies for each dog. Persistent issues may require an antihistamine prescription from your veterinarian.

Does your dog suffer from seasonal allergies? Leave a comment or tweet us @BringFido!

Banner photo by @birgl.