Over the last two weeks, it seems that every other patient that walks through our door has been affected by skin, ear or flea issues. We can only suspect that some of this may be due to the change in the weather that we have seen. After an unseasonably hot and dry summer, August has proven to be one of our wettest and stormiest. While the farmers in the area have been thankful for the rain, I think that our patients that are affected by allergies are not so fortunate that the grass is greener and the parasites are flourishing.While it is common for people with allergies to have the traditional hay fever symptoms (runny, itchy eyes and nose), our allergy prone, four-legged counterparts suffer far more often with skin and ear issues. Here are three tips to keep your pets comfortable during allergy season:
1.) Consistent Flea Control - We cannot stress this enough. Allergies to flea bites are one of the most common we see in pets. Those that are allergic to fleas only need to be bitten once or twice to become miserable with skin inflammation, hair loss, and secondary bacterial and yeast infections. Be sure to keep all pets in the household on a regular flea preventive, and don't let your guard down against these nasty parasites. Our favorite products this year have been Nexgard for dogs and Advantage Multi or Comfortis for cats.
2.) Wipe your pets hair coat down with a damp cloth after being outside. If your pet is allergic to the grass, pollens or molds outside, it can help to wipe them down after being out to reduce the amount that adheres to their fur.
3.) Do not delay in seeking veterinary attention when your pet is itchy. There are many different options to help provide relief for the itching. We are very fortunate that we have several newer and safer products available to treat allergies. It is better to get control early in the process before their skin barrier is damaged and secondary infections develop.
