Dog and Cat Allergy Treatments in Altadena
While dog allergies and cat allergies can be triggered by the same allergens that affect people, their symptoms occur a bit differently. The most common allergy symptom in pets is itching, which can lead to other problems including scratching, licking, and chewing at the skin. This, in turn, can result in a persistent skin condition. At Altadena Pet Hospital, having your veterinarian treat both the allergy and the resulting skin problem is essential to providing optimal relief for your pet.
Common Pet Allergens
Ingredients in food, along with various environmental allergens, are often to blame for a pet’s allergic reaction, and can include:
- Timothy grass (and grass in general)
- Cedar
- Ragweed
- Cottonwood
- English plantain
- Dust mites
- Fleas
- Wheat, pork, beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, dairy, and soy
Signs Your Pet May Be Allergic
How can you tell if your pet is itching? Scratching isn’t the only sign. Other signs might include:
- Bald patches in your pet’s coat
- Areas of very red, inflamed skin
- Open sores from scratching and licking
- Hair loss around the eyes, nose, lips, under the front and rear legs, and between the toes
- Skin gives off an odor
- Skin has scaly, flaky patches
- Runny eyes and a runny nose
- Sneezing, coughing
Finding an Allergy Treatment That Works For Your Pet
To best treat your pet, we need to diagnose them accurately. Allergies can be caused by many different things, and therefore require different treatments. Our goal is to relieve your pet’s itching as quickly as possible, which will allow their damaged skin to heal. If your pet has a skin infection, we will need to treat that as well. Overall, allergy care requires persistence and patience, and communication with our practice to let us know how your pet is responding to treatment.
Our veterinarian can help you treat your pet’s condition successfully. Contact us today at (626) 798-0738 if your pet is struggling with itchiness and other possibly allergy-related issues.