Pets come in all shapes and sizes, from the smallest kitten to the biggest dog, and everything in between. While most pets get along with Nature perfectly, sometimes they may be allergic to certain foods, pests, and substances. These allergies can cause a variety of symptoms and may make your pet very uncomfortable. In order to help out your pet, it is helpful to know exactly what may be causing their allergic reaction. Continue reading to learn more about the most common pet allergies.
2. Pets come in all shapes and sizes, from the smallest kitten to the biggest dog, and
everything in between. While most pets get along with Nature perfectly, sometimes
they may be allergic to certain foods, pests, and substances. These allergies can cause
a variety of symptoms and may make your pet very uncomfortable. In order to help
out your pet, it is helpful to know exactly what may be causing their allergic reaction.
Continue reading to learn more about the most common pet allergies.
Allergy Symptoms
When your pet comes into contact with a substance they are allergic to, the output of
this reaction can take many forms. Some of the most common for many different types
of pets are itching, scratching, licking, and biting. Some pets may exhibit hair loss,
dandruff or scaly skin, and can even experience stomach pain. When you are unsure if
your pet is having a medical emergency or an allergic reaction, it is smart to reach out
to professionals like BuenaVet. Veterinarians have years of experience in pet allergies
and may be able to help you pinpoint your pet’s allergic triggers
3.
4. Pests
One of the most common pet allergens has to do with living around pests. In most
cases, these pests are either fleas, ticks, or mites, though some pets might be allergic
to larger pests like mice, rats, and raccoons. However, for the most part, the
elimination of fleas, ticks, and mites should be where your efforts are concentrated.
Veterinary clinics are able to readily identify if your pet is suffering from one of these
pests. If they happen to find signs that one of these pests, or a different pest, is
causing your pet’s allergies, you can swiftly deal with this problem. The general
recommendation for eliminating common pests that bother pets is to hire a
professional pest control company to get rid of these critters once and for all.
Chemicals
Another common allergen that many pets may suffer from is when they are exposed to a certain
type of chemical. These could be anything from laundry detergents to certain kitchen cleaning
agents. While these chemicals may not be deadly to the pet, they can cause great discomfort
and an allergic reaction, which could potentially be severe. Similarly, the previous paragraph
about hiring a pest control company should be mentioned here again. Many pest control
companies use chemicals to kill mites, fleas, and ticks, and these chemicals could potentially
harm your pets. Luckily, there are many different pest control companies that use pet-friendly
methods. Be sure to visit homepestcontrol.org to learn about pet-friendly pest control methods
and how they can keep you, your family, and your pets safe and healthy.
5. Food Products
A very common pet allergen that occurs across virtually every type of pet is an allergic reaction
to a food ingredient. Much like human food allergies, many pets can have somewhat severe
food allergies, since they are consuming the allergen instead of just coming into contact with it.
Dogs and cats especially can be allergic to beef, chicken, pork, fish, and many other types of
meats. In addition, dairy products, wheat, gluten, and other food products can produce the
same adverse reactions. To remedy this problem, as you might expect, there are many different
food types for different pets that exclude certain ingredients from them. Simply switching to
these foods can completely stop your pet’s food allergies.
6. Pollen
Many humans suffer from seasonal allergies, and in much the same way, many different pets
can also have this problem as well. During certain times of the year, pollen levels are very high,
creating an allergen-filled world for pets with pollen sensitivity. Much the same as humans,
these allergies can last for as long as the pollen remains at a level that triggers the allergic
reaction. These are usually not a serious threat to pets, generally only causing discomfort. As
with humans, the only way to cure this is to allow the pollen count to go down and wait for the
allergic reaction to be over and done with.
Plants
There are times when pets are free to roam around the yard and then they begin having
allergies. This can be caused by any variety of the grasses or other plants encountered by the
pet. Certain pets are very sensitive to certain grass varieties, and these can cause an adverse
allergic reaction. These reactions are usually very mild, so there is no real need to worry. The
best way to prevent these allergies is to keep your pet out of your yard for extended periods of
time. If your pet really needs the exercise, you can take them on a walk on a trail or along a
road, so long as you keep them from the grass that is making them allergic.