Allergies in pets

Pets can be allergic to several things, including fleas, foods and environmental factors.

Allergic skin conditions

Allergic skin conditions can lead to itchy, red skin, usually caused by a reaction of the immune system to allergens in a pet’s environment.

Symptoms of allergic skin disease in dogs include red skin, scratching, licking and chewing, persistent ear or skin infections, hair loss and runny, red eyes or noses.

In cats, symptoms include itchy skin, over-grooming, hair loss and thinning, rashes, recurring ear infections and thickened skin.

Your vet can diagnose your pet and rule out other potential causes like underlying parasites and diseases. Pets with allergic skin disease require unique treatment plans, and it can take time to find the best combination of treatments for your pet.

Options include: dietary changes, environmental changes, topic or skin barrier treatments, oral and injectable medications, immunotherapy and antibiotics.

Although the condition can’t be cured, it can be managed!

Continuous, proactive treatment is key, and symptoms may change seasonally, so watch out for allergens like pollen this spring.

For further advice on diagnosing and treating allergic skin conditions, please get in touch.

Ear infections in dogs

Allergic skin disease is one of the causes of ear infections, where a dog’s outer ear canal becomes inflamed or infected.

Dogs with ear infections are at greater risk of repeated infections, so it’s important to treat straight away to prevent a narrowing and thickening of the ear canal.

Signs of infection include ear scratching, smelly ears, head shaking, flapping or tilting, redness or thickening in the ears and excessive discharge.

Your vet can diagnose an ear infection in practice, and options include topical or oral treatments, ear flushing and corrective surgery.

Uncontrolled or repeated infections can also lead to chronic pain and deafness, so get in touch with your local Willows branch if you think your dog might have an ear infection.