Ask a Vet: 5 Things you didn’t know about seasonal allergies for dogs

Allergies are a manageable disease, NOT a curable one

1. • There is a road to good management, but there is no cure for allergies.
   • For seasonal flares, your dog can likely be managed with various anti-itch medications. For more severe and chronic cases, it can take 6 months to a year while working with your veterinarian to develop the best strategy for your pet. 
   • ‘Trial and error’ is necessary to see what your pet best responds to. There is no one way to treat allergies in dogs, and each pet responds differently to certain medications.

Multiple modalities of treatment are most effective

• Whether your dog receives oral medications, injectable medications, or topical shampoos, a mutli-modal approach tends to work best for management of environmental allergies. 
• If your dog has itchy feet, make sure to use wipes to remove unwanted yeast and bacteria that can make the itching worse. If your dog itches all over, they may need an anti-itch injection. If their groin is red and inflamed, they may need an anti-inflammatory.
• Some pets even develop infection of the skin (pyoderma) if the allergy is severe enough. Your veterinarian will discuss with you if oral or topical antibiotics are needed for your dog. Bacteria and yeast on the skin surface become opportunistic when an allergy flare occurs. Failure to control infection will lead to failure in the control of allergy. 
• Many prescribed and over-the-counter products exist. Scroll to the bottom of the article to see the list.

Antihistamines aren’t just for people

• Zyrtec, Claritin, and Benadryl are all typically well tolerated by dogs. 
• For mild allergy symptoms, antihistamines may work in a pinch. For significant itchiness, however, oftentimes these medications are not enough. 
• Your veterinarian may recommend certain antihistamines over others, depending on your dog’s clinical signs. Before grabbing the bottle of Zyrtec or Claritin, ask your veterinarian if this is best suited for your pet’s allergic signs. 

Benadryl: The 1-for-1 rule

• For 1 pound of body weight, your pet needs 1 milligram (mg) of Benadryl.
  • Ex. a 50-pound dog would need 50mg of Benadryl
• While Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is also an antihistamine, it can work to settle your pet while waiting on consultation with your veterinarian.
• Make sure that this is regular Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and NOT ‘Benadryl-D’, which contains a decongestant that may not be well tolerated by some dogs. 
• This can be given every 8 hours, though you should speak with your veterinarian if multiple doses are needed. 

Preventatives matter year-round

• Dogs with allergies tend to be more sensitive to flea and tick bites. 
• Maintaining a consistent heartworm, flea and tick preventative not only protects your pet against various diseases, but also can help control skin reactions should your pet come into contact with bugs and parasites. 
• In the city, fleas are a year-round risk; don’t give up on the preventatives just because it is snowing outside!