It’s that time again! Another episode of Furry Fridays! With the seasons changing, its the perfect time for our pets to experience allergies. How do you know if your pet has allergies? There are few signs you can be looking for. From personal experience I noticed that Stiles would roll around on the carpet a lot. Or try to rub up on things. He would also lick his paws a lot and itch his body. I KNEW he was in discomfort. I brought him into the vet and they tested him. They suggested grain free food. Turns out he was allergic to specific environmental triggers outside. We got him on immunotherapy drops for about 6 months and they cleared up completely! Here are some tips and tricks from our trusted friends at the Kokomo Humane Society!
NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dealing with allergies in either people or pets is a pain but with a dog or cat it can seem more complicated. Food allergies are difficult as pet food is so heavily processed that it is difficult to separate out what they are allergic to and then nearly impossible to remove that food unless you go to a prescription food or a limited ingredient food. This is why some people choose to cook for their pets themselves or feed a raw diet. The other type of allergies come from the environment and are really equally difficult to diagnose. If you are having no success with a process of elimination then allergy testing is the next step. That said the first course of action when you have an itchy dog is to consult your veterinarian and try to determine if the allergies are food related, seasonal, or even from objects in your home such as new carpeting or a new cleaning agent. There are many ways to deal with allergies be it pills, shots, diet or simply not walking you dog in the grass. It is no fun for sure but we love our pets and will do whatever we can to keep them comfortable, happy and healthy.
