Spring is officially here, and everything is already covered in pollen.

Needless to say our allergies will begin to flare up.

The same may be happening with your pet’s allergies.

We inhale the airborne pollen, mold, and dust particles that trigger our sneezing and runny noses.

These same type of allergens usually triggers itching in our pets. You may also notice them sneezing with runny noses.

This happens because allergens are absorbed through the skin. Your pet’s skin can become very itchy, red, crusty, and irritated.

As the itch-scratch cycle continues, a secondary infection can develop.

Some breeds are genetically more likely to develop what is called Atopic Dermatitis or atopy.

Breeds that are more likely to develop atopy include Dalmatian, Golden retriever, West Highland white terrier, Shar Pei, Labrador retriever, Cairn terrier, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Boxer, and Pug.

Atopy isn’t always the cause of itching, though. Flea allergies are actually the most common reason for your pet to be itchy.

Other common causes are parasites, food allergies, and secondary infections of the skin.

The itching seen with atopy is more likely to start between 1-3 years of age and is typically seasonal.

Foot licking is commonly seen with atopy. This can cause secondary infections of the feet. You may notice a rust colored staining to the hair on the feet.

Your pet may have an infection of the ear canal if the inside of the ear flap is red or develops a rough texture or a greasy feel. If the edges of the ear flaps are involved it may not be atopy.

Dogs and cats with atopy should always be on good flea control.

Inside-living pets are more likely to develop atopy because of high concentrations of allergens inside of homes. If your pet is allergic to dust mites and certain molds, the itching may continue year round for them.

Steroids such as prednisone or apoquel usually stop itching pretty quickly. Flea-allergic cats and dogs will also respond quickly to these medications.

Up to 25% of cats that have atopy also have other types of allergies.

Treatment options

Atopy will require lifelong management for your pet.

To help keep them comfortable:

• Use flea control to keep from aggravating the problem.

• Feed them Omega 3 Fatty Acids. The omega 3 will help disrupt the production of inflammatory chemicals within the skin.

• Use medications to reduce the itching such as apoquel, cytopoint, steroids, cyclosporine.

• Use topical therapies like shampoos, rinses, sprays, and wipes. They help to remove allergens from the skin and can treat secondary bacterial and yeast infections.

• Give oral medications. Depending on the severity of infection, these may be needed to get an infection under control.

• Give them allergy shots. These are made based on specific information from allergy testing.

• Wash your pet’s bedding weekly. Keep your pet out of the area when you vacuum, dust, or mow the lawn.

Atopy is not a curable illness, but is treatable.

We now have more therapies to help in treatment and a better understanding of the disease.

Talk with your veterinarian about what to do.