Dogs and cats experience seasonal and food allergies just like humans do. Fortunately, there are holistic remedies and pet medicines to help treat these symptoms. Consult the following guide to find out how you can care for your pets and prevent severe outbreaks.  

What Causes Pet Allergies?

Seasonal allergies flare up during the spring, summer, or fall when pollen is high. Common symptoms of allergies include a runny nose, watering eyes, sneezing, and coughing. Dogs are more likely than cats to develop ear infections where the ear canals become inflamed and infected. Pay attention if you see your dog shaking their head or losing hair around the ears.

What Are the Treatment Options?

A veterinarian will first need to identify your pet’s allergen. You’ll need to bring your pet in for testing since food and environmental allergens can produce similar symptoms. If your pet does have allergies that flare up during the summer, the vet will likely recommend an antihistamine or steroid as a pet medicine solution.

Ask your vet about any pet medicine side effects you should look out for. Also, avoid getting your pet vaccinated while they’re experiencing allergies because vaccines stimulate the immune system, which can worsen their inflammation.

How Can You Help?

If you’d like to take an all-natural approach to allergy relief, incorporate salmon and tuna oil into your pet’s diet. Fish oils that contain omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation.

Baths will relieve your pet’s skin irritation, especially during the hot summer months. The warm water will also help wash off allergens. If you don’t have time to bathe your pet, soaking their paws is another simple solution. Foot soaking will also prevent allergens from spreading throughout your home.

Waipio Pet Clinic in Waipahu, HI, specializes in pet medicine for dogs and cats, whether for allergy relief or preventative care. You can rely on their veterinarians’ more than 75 years of combined experience and emergency services. To learn more about their offerings, visit them online, or call (808) 676-2205 to make an appointment.