Dogs, cats, and other types of domesticated pets can be allergic to substances in the same way we can, and that’s because immune systems tend to work the same way no matter which species we’re talking about. This can include everything from pet food allergies to pet environmental allergies, and of course for both dogs and cats flea allergy dermatitis is a common source of additional suffering for pets when they get fleas.

Atopic dermatitis is also fairly common among the different possibilities for pet allergies. Atopic means that the animal has a genetic predisposition to having the allergy, and it’s not unlike when people inherit hay fever (pollen allergies) from their parents. Other types of allergies for pets can be atopic in nature too, and as always some animals will have more severe reactions when they are exposed to a particular allergen.

Pet Allergies Symptoms

There are several common pet allergies symptoms that owner can look for as an indicator that their pet may be allergic to something. Look to see if they are itching and scratching, licking or chewing their paws, or rubbing their face. You may also see that they have lost fur, or their skin is reddened or inflamed. Another possibility is ‘tear staining’ around the animal’s eyes or if they are reverse sneezing. With cats you can also be on the lookout for excessive grooming and hairballs. Any of these may be the result of a pet having allergies.

Treat Pet Allergies

The standard approach to treat pet allergies is going to be to give your pet an antihistamine that will make allergy attacks less severe, and they do this by suppressing the production of histamines as prompted by the immune system. Avoiding the allergen may be necessary if any type of histamine blocker medication is insufficiently effective, although it can be difficult with conditions like flea allergy dermatitis to keep the animal away from the allergen source. Antihistamines for pets may be available as OTC medications here.

Can Pet Allergies Go Away

Most of the time a dog or cat with allergies will have had that allergy all its life, and the that will continue. The only option is to see it as a manageable condition. That’s the reality with can pet allergies go away – most of the time that’s not possible, although allergic reactions that come with incidental contact like flea allergy dermatitis will only have them experiencing the reaction when they are exposed to fleas. Those will be the exceptions, but generally when a pet has allergies it’s not going to be a case where later in their life they don’t have them anymore.