If your dog or cat suddenly scratches itself noticeably often in spring, suffers from skin inflammation, watery eyes and a red nose, hay fever may be to blame. Because just like people, pets can also develop a pollen allergy. In the following, we explain which symptoms dogs and cats experience in this case and how you can help your allergic four-legged friend.
Key facts at a glance
- Hay fever is caused by plant pollen and can cause symptoms from spring to autumn.
- The typical symptoms of a pollen allergy in dogs and cats include itching and skin inflammation.
- In the case of mild hay fever, it is sometimes enough to pay more attention to personal hygiene and hygiene in the household.
- In the case of a severe pollen allergy, dogs and cats can be treated with antihistamines or cortisone if necessary.
- Desensitization can, in some cases, help control pollen allergy in pets.
Causes of hay fever in dogs and cats
An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system, which mistakenly tries to fight actually harmless substances in the environment. In addition to flea saliva allergies and food allergies, dogs and cats can also develop pollen allergies, among other things. This is also known as hay fever and can be triggered by the pollen of numerous plants. Depending on the flowering time of the plant species responsible for the pollen allergy, symptoms can appear in affected pets in the period from spring to autumn.
At least in dogs, breed also plays a role in terms of the probability of developing a pollen allergy. Dog breeds that are often affected by hay fever include the German Shepherd, the Shar Pei, the Labrador, and the English and French bulldogs. In principle, however, any dog can get a pollen allergy, regardless of its breed.
Symptoms of pollen allergy in dogs and cats
If your dog or cat suffers from a pollen allergy, this results in a number of unpleasant symptoms for the four-legged friend, which can vary in severity depending on the severity of the allergy.
The typical symptoms of hay fever in dogs and cats include the following complaints:
- skin inflammation
- itching
- ear infections
- breathing problems
- teary eyes
- Runny, red nose
- Excessive licking and scratching
Due to the unpleasant itching and the associated excessive licking and scratching, dogs and cats with hay fever often even develop bald patches in their fur over time.
Diagnosing pollen allergy in pets
Of course, the symptoms mentioned can not only be triggered by a pollen allergy, but also have numerous other causes. The possible triggers of the symptoms, which come into question in addition to hay fever, include ectoparasites such as fleas and endoparasites such as worms. In addition, a feed allergy or feed intolerance can also lead to corresponding symptoms.
If the symptoms occur seasonally, this is often a clear sign that the four-legged friend actually suffers from a pollen allergy. In order to determine the allergens responsible for the dog or cat’s hay fever, the veterinarian can carry out skin tests or blood tests.
How are dogs and cats with hay fever treated?
The treatment of pollen allergy depends primarily on its severity. Mild hay fever in dogs and cats can sometimes be significantly alleviated with appropriate care and hygiene measures. However, this is by no means always the case. In the case of a severe pollen allergy, it is probably essential that targeted treatment measures are taken to get your four-legged friend’s symptoms under control.
Medication
Antihistamines or cortisone can be used to alleviate an existing pollen allergy in dogs and cats. Both help in particular to counteract the itching and inflammation associated with hay fever. Of course, the drug treatment may only take place after consultation with the veterinarian and in compliance with his instructions.
hyposensitization
Hyposensitization is another way to treat an existing pollen allergy. Their aim is to gradually get the animal’s organism used to contact with the allergens, so that after a while allergic reactions no longer occur. However, that doesn’t always work. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the treatment will be successful. Incidentally, if you have insured your four-legged friend in our animal health insurance, we will cover the costs of hyposensitization minus the contractually agreed deductible.
Reducing exposure to allergens
Basically, it is of course most effective to avoid contact with the respective allergens. Compared to a food or flea saliva allergy, however, this is almost impossible with a pollen allergy. Nevertheless, contact with the allergens can be reduced by paying more attention to dusting and cleaning your home regularly.
In the case of cats with allergies, it can also make sense to temporarily refrain from going outside if there is a very high pollen count. Dogs’ fur and paws should also be wiped off after a walk to remove pollen from the four-legged friend’s body as much as possible.
Hay fever in dogs and cats – our conclusion
As you can see, dogs and cats can also be affected by hay fever. The pollen allergy leads to extremely unpleasant symptoms in the four-legged friends, which, depending on the severity of the allergy, can represent a massive impairment of the quality of life. If you notice any symptoms in your pet, you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible so that they can determine the exact trigger and ideally treat it successfully.