I'm so glad you came back!  Sydney again. You must know by now how important it is to take care of your pet's allergies.  Week three will not disappoint.  

     If your dog or cat is constantly scratching or biting, causing hair loss or the skin to turn red, another possible cause could be environmental allergens.  You know the ones I mean, they are the same ones that make some humans miserable as well.  I'm talking about pollen, mold, mildew, dust mites, and dander.  Anything that could be inhaled or comes into contact with our skin.  While you humans tend to sneeze or get stuffed up, we dogs don’t tend to have those pesky nasal problems. See, just like you humans, we animals can be hypersensitive to these substances as well. We tend to get itchy skin instead.  Our ears, paws and butt can drive us crazy!

     As with any issue concerning your pet, please contact Dr. Johnstone or Dr. Collins for assistance.  On your own, bathing your pets (which cats LOVE, haha) as well as washing and vacuuming your pets bedding frequently will remove the allergens and help relieve the itching.  It's an old wives tale that frequent bathing strips our skin of essential oils (because once upon a time all our humans had were their own shampoos).  Veterinarians now recommend bathing itchy pets at least every week with special pet shampoos during spring and summer to help wash sticky allergens off the coat and skin.  Be sure to ask your vet which shampoos are best for your furry friend.

     There are also injections, and oral or topical medications that some pets may need to truly find relief.  We hate shots and taking pills, but scratching all the time is much worse!  Here at Liberty Vet there are yummy pill pockets to hide medicine, which is the easiest, yummiest way to take a pill.  When necessary, the Dr.’s at Liberty may even refer us to a pet dermatologist for more severe cases.  But as always, remember to work with your vet to determine the best course of action for your fur baby.

     Keep enjoying the summer and don't let allergens ruin the fun for you or your pet.  Be sure to come back for my final allergy blog next week, where I will cover parasite allergens (yuck!).  Not a pleasant thing at all, but a very important one to cover.  Until then, be sure and check out my video presentation on facebook and remember to visit us at Libertyvet.net!