Getting a Handle on Pet Allergies

A scratch here, a sneeze there. Something might be wrong with your pet, but you’re not sure what—so why not call our animal hospital in Cary? We have in-depth experience treating itchy, unhappy pets and helping them find relief and comfort in their lives again. Pet allergies are a common occurrence, making countless dogs and cats (and their families) miserable, but they are also manageable with time, patience, and the right treatment.

Don’t let your pet’s itching and scratching spiral out of control. Get help today!

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What Could be Causing Your Pet’s Allergies?

There are a variety of allergens out there that could be irritating your pet. We need to find out what those are and try to reduce or fully prevent your pet’s exposure to these allergens, which may include:

• Pollen (grass, flowers, trees)
• Eggs, wheat, dairy, pork, chicken, beef, and wheat
• Mold
• Dust
• Fleas
• Mites
• Ticks
• Medications
• Cleaners
• Fertilizers

Are Pet Allergies Hard to Treat?

Allergies can be tricky to handle, especially if they have been progressing for a long time. The problem with allergies is that they can cause other health problems, including skin lesions and bacterial infections.

Pets respond to itchy skin by licking and scratching at the spot, but if they keep licking and scratching for days on end, they can damage their protective skin barrier. It’s best to seek treatment for your pet before they get to this point.

Figuring Out a Treatment Plan

Understanding the cause of your pet’s allergies gets us another step closer to treating them successfully.

• First, we want to meet with you and your pet and discuss the changes you’ve been seeing, how long the symptoms have been occurring, what your pet eats, and places they frequent.
• Second, we examine your pet and note any physical abnormalities they have. This will help us decide what testing needs to be done to help with diagnosing.
• Blood testing, skin scraping, cultures, and food elimination trials are a few ways we can diagnose your pet’s underlying allergy.
• Once we isolate the cause, we can move forward with treatment. This may include oral medication and/or injectable medication, supplements, a new diet, and topical sprays or ointments to treat any skin disorders that may have resulted from the allergy.