The weather is shifting, the leaves are falling to the ground, and fall allergies have returned for us and our pets. It may come as a surprise to some, but dogs are bothered immensely by the allergens plant release into the air after summertime ends. It is important to know the source of these fall allergies, so you are able to alleviate any issues your furry friend runs into. The two plants that South Jersey Dog Grooming experts have identified in the area are ragweed and goldenrod. Dogs not only breathe in these allergens, but their skin also has allergic reactions when the allergens settle into their fur for an extended amount of time. Luckily, in our region of New Jersey we do experience freezing which fights against allergies and does not allow them to build up. As a result of less allergy buildup, our dogs are given a couple month break from the strains of allergies.
Symptoms you may notice your dog having
- Irritation and Skin Dryness
- Stomach Pains and Diarrhea
- Infection in the Eyes and Ears
- Sneezing and Reverse Sneezing
Fall Allergy Remedies for your Dogs
Medicine: Just like us, dogs can be prescribed an allergy medicine to get them through the fall seasons. These medicines are usually antihistamines to soothe sinus irritation, but others offered are steroids and anti-itch creams. The best option is to go with the antihistamine because it is affordable if you’re only giving them to your pet for three months of the year. If your dog deals with skin reactions year-round an antihistamine will not fix this, and you should consult with your veterinarian about an alternative.
Therapies: This is likely the least common route taken by dog owners, but you can take your dog to have desensitization injections to weaken their allergies. Keep in mind, this is an expensive route to go, and it is only necessary when your pets’ allergies are severe.
Washes: That leaves us with the most common and cheapest remedy on the market. Most owners just go to their local pet supply store to get an allergen shampoo in the fall. You should use this at least weekly on your dog, so the allergens are unable to settle in. This will only have an effect on exterior reactions so you may need to try one of the other two above remedies if your dog is still hurting.