As pet parents, we always want the best for our furry companions, but sometimes they can experience discomfort or health issues that are difficult to pinpoint. One common but often overlooked issue is allergies. Just like humans, pets can suffer from allergies that can affect their quality of life. Understanding the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for pet allergies can help ensure your pet stays happy and healthy.

What Are Pet Allergies?

Allergies occur when a pet’s immune system reacts abnormally to substances that are usually harmless, known as allergens. These allergens can come from various sources, including food, the environment, and even parasites like fleas. Allergies can affect pets of any age, breed, or size, though some may be more prone to certain types of allergies.

Common Symptoms of Allergies in Pets

It can sometimes be difficult to determine if your pet is suffering from allergies because the symptoms often overlap with other health conditions. Here are some common signs of allergies in pets:

• Itching and scratching: Excessive scratching or licking, particularly around the ears, paws, face, or belly.
• Skin irritation: Redness, swelling, hot spots, or rashes can develop.
• Hair loss: Persistent scratching and irritation can lead to bald patches or thinning fur.
• Chronic ear infections: Frequent shaking of the head or a foul smell coming from the ears may indicate an allergic reaction.
• Watery eyes or sneezing: Respiratory issues are common in pets with environmental allergies.
• Paw chewing: This is especially common in dogs and can be a sign of irritation due to allergies, often enviornmental.

Diagnosing Allergies in Pets

Diagnosing allergies in pets can be challenging since many of the symptoms overlap with other conditions like infections or skin diseases. Your veterinarian may perform a variety of tests, including:

• Elimination diets: This is often used to identify food allergies by gradually introducing different ingredients and monitoring your pet’s reaction.
• Skin tests: This can help identify environmental or contact allergens.
• Serum test: In some cases, blood tests can help detect specific allergies. Ask your vet about Nextmunes PAX-test, this is the most effective way to detect which allergens environmental are the causes for your pets symptoms. 

Remember, it’s important to consult with a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis and to rule out other underlying health conditions.

Allergies More Common in the Fall and Winter

Pets can be allergic to environmental factors such as pollen, mold, dust mites, or even grass. These allergies are usually seasonal, but they can also occur year-round, depending on the environment. Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing, and itching. 

Whilst pollen or grass allergies are less common in the colder months, allergies to mold and dust mites are more common during this time since we tend to spend more time inside and we also keep our windows and doors closed, this in turn leads to poorer ventilation which leads to more allergens. 

Treatment and Management of Pet Allergies

While there is no cure for pet allergies, there are many ways to manage and treat the symptoms, making your pet more comfortable.

1. Medications:

   • Antihistamines, corticosteroids, or other medications may be prescribed to reduce itching and inflammation.
   • Flea prevention products can help manage flea allergies.
   • For respiratory symptoms, bronchodilators or anti-inflammatories might be prescribed.

2. Allergen Avoidance:

   • Minimizing your pet’s exposure to known allergens is crucial. For food allergies, this means switching to a hypoallergenic diet. For environmental allergies, regular cleaning, using air purifiers, and keeping your pet indoors during high pollen seasons can help.

3. Specialized Treatments:

   • Immunotherapy, or allergy vaccines as it's also known as, may be recommended by your vet. These treatments involve exposing your pet to small amounts of the allergen to desensitize their immune system over time. Nextmune makes a totally custom made immunotherapy, containing all the allergens your pet is reacting to, in one treatment. So easy to administer that your vet can instruct you how to do them at home.

4. Topical Treatments:

   • Shampoos, ointments, or sprays designed for pets with sensitive skin can help soothe irritated skin. Omega-3 supplements can also be beneficial for pets with chronic skin allergies.
     
     • Nextmune offers a great variety of shampoos and other topical products specially formulated for irritated, allergic skin. 
     • Dr. Baddaky Omega-3 is a high quality omega-3 with higher concentration of EPA and DHA than most other on the market. 

Preventing Allergies in Pets

While some allergies are unavoidable, you can take steps to minimize the risk of your pet developing or suffering from severe allergic reactions:

• Regular vet check-ups: Early detection can prevent severe allergic flare-ups.
• Maintain a clean environment: Dusting, vacuuming, and using hypoallergenic pet beds or cleaning products can reduce environmental allergens.
• Balanced diet: Feed your pet high-quality, nutritious food to strengthen their immune system and reduce the likelihood of food allergies.
• Flea and tick control: Use flea and tick prevention year-round to avoid flea allergy dermatitis.

Some Nextmune products that can be of help

Nextmune is an animal health company specialised in allergy and dermatology. Our products are developed by veterinary dermatologists especially to help treat allergic animals. Here are some of our favourites for this season:

Pets Relief® Allergone

Long-Term Protection Against House Dust Allergens

A powerful solution designed to neutralize house dust allergens, helping reduce allergic symptoms in pets. It contains an aqueous suspension of microcapsules filled with substances that alter the chemical structure of allergen particles, preventing them from triggering allergic reactions. When applied, it forms a polymer film that binds allergens into larger particles, stopping them from floating in the air.

This spray is effective on a range of surfaces like rugs, carpets, bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, soft toys, and curtains. Using Slow Release™ Technology, it offers long-term protection against house dust mites, lasting up to 5 months after a single application. One 400ml bottle covers approximately 40m², making it a convenient, long-lasting solution for managing pet allergies.

Dr. Baddaky Omega-3

Boost Your Pet’s Skin and Joint Health

Key benefits:

• Promotes healthy skin and coat: Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce dryness, irritation, and flaking, giving your pet a soft and shiny coat.
• Supports joint health: Omega-3 fatty acids are ideal for pets with joint issues and help improve mobility.
• Heart and brain health: DHA supports cognitive function, while EPA contributes to cardiovascular health, making it a great supplement for aging pets.
• Veterinarian recommended: Dr. Baddaky Omega-3 is backed by scientific research and provides the right fatty acids for optimal health benefits.

Whether you want to improve your pet’s skin and coat, enhance mobility, or support overall health, Dr. Baddaky Omega-3 is a simple yet effective addition to their diet.

Case: Nugget the Cat

Nugget became very itchy and all the itching lead to her harming herself and wounds started to appear. The vet and Nuggets owner started with an elimination diet and flee control and treated the wounds with out Pet's Relief Derm 10, a wound healing cream. 

They found out that Nugget was suffering from a food allergy but after cutting out what she reacted to from the diet, not all symptoms cleared. Next step was to take a PAX-serum test to see if Nugget also suffered from some environmental allergies. The test was positive for D. farinae, a type of house dust mites. They then started using Pets Relief® Allergone in the home and also started a treatment with Immunotherapy. 

Today, Nugget is free from symtoms and her skin is healthy. Her beautiful fur has started to grow back as well. Check out these before and after shots!