Pets who suffer from allergies get a double whammy in the spring—Colorado’s longest allergy season, which coincides with the state’s flea season, starting in March and running through September. Tree pollen allergens start circulating in March and often continue into early summer. Cottonwood and cedar allergies can be especially severe in this part of the state, and elm, oak, and maple are other frequent offenders. Grass, ragweed, tumbleweed, and sagebrush can trigger allergies in summer and fall. Winter typically brings relief from outdoor allergens, but your pet can still suffer from allergies to indoor substances such as mold and dust mites.

Dogs and cats most commonly have flea allergies, with environmental allergies a close second. Food allergies, although uncommon, can pop up at any time of year. Since you never know when your dog or cat might have an allergic reaction, ensure you schedule your furry pal’s routine visits with our Pets & Friends Animal Hospital team for year-round preventive care. Read our guide to learn about pets’ allergies. 

Common allergy signs in dogs and cats

You’re most likely to notice your pet’s allergic reactions in their skin, ears, eyes, and anal glands. In addition to the signs described below, cats may have respiratory symptoms, often with nasal discharge, or conjunctivitis. Pets’ allergy signs include:

  • Intense itching that leads to skin licking, scratching, chewing, biting, or rubbing
  • Hair loss
  • Red bumps on the skin
  • Reddened, dark, or thickened skin patches
  • Skin infections and rashes
  • Skin sores and crusting
  • Chronic ear infections
  • Recurrent anal gland issues that cause pets to scoot along the floor
  • Vomiting or chronic diarrhea

Allergy types that affect pets

Three allergy types most commonly affect dogs and cats. Consider these allergens, from most to least common, that can cause your pet to have an allergic reaction: 

  • Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) — This is the first allergen our Pets & Friends Animal Hospital veterinarian will test for if your pet has an allergic reaction because FAD is the most likely cause. Your cat or dog’s immune system can overreact to the saliva that fleas inject when they bite them. This can lead to itching, fur loss, and inflamed skin. 

To win the battle with fleas, you and our team must work together. Our veterinarian can treat any infection your pet’s allergic reaction has caused and prescribe an anti-itching product plus a year-round preventive to protect against future allergic reactions. Our team will also recommend pet-safe home and yard flea-control products to banish these tiny parasites. You’ll also need to vacuum frequently and launder all your pet’s bedding and all other things on which they like to lie such as area rugs and your bed comforter. 

  • Environmental allergens — Pollen is pets’ top environmental allergen, which can affect your cat or dog in spring, summer, and fall. If your pet has been outdoors, wipe their paws before they come inside to help prevent them from tracking pollen through your home. However, no matter the precautions you take, pollen can still get into your home. 

To treat your pet’s allergy signs effectively, we need to determine the exact environmental allergen that triggers their reaction. Our veterinary team can test your four-legged friend’s blood or skin for allergies to tree, weed, and grass pollens as well as to indoor allergens such as dust mites and mold spores. We will tailor a treatment plan based on the results. If your pet is allergic to dust mites, keep in mind that you can never eliminate these pests completely, but you can minimize their effects on your pet through good housekeeping.

  • Food allergies — Although uncommon in pets, food allergies can cause them a lot of discomfort and take a while to resolve. Dogs are most often allergic to beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, or lamb. Less common allergens that affect some dogs include soy, corn, egg, pork, fish, and rice. Cats are most likely to have an allergic reaction to beef, fish, or chicken. They can also be allergic to wheat, corn, dairy products, lamb, eggs, pork, rabbit, whale meat, and barley. Pets can be allergic to more than one food ingredient at a time, and proteins are more likely than carbohydrates to trigger allergies in dogs and cats. 

The best way to determine which ingredient triggers your pet’s allergic reaction is through an elimination diet trial. This food trial usually lasts 8 to 12 weeks for pets with skin issues and three to four weeks for those with digestive issues. The most common approaches are a novel ingredient diet, featuring ingredients your pet has never eaten, and a hydrolyzed diet that includes dietary proteins that have been rendered too small for the body’s immune system to detect. Once you know the ingredient to which your pet is allergic, you can eliminate it from your dog’s or cat’s diet.

If you think your dog or cat has an allergy, contact our Pets & Friends Animal Hospital team to make an appointment.