BREWER, Maine — You may know from the pollen forecast or your scratchy throats, itchy eyes, and daily sneezes that it's allergy season in Maine.
As your body may be telling you, it's quite the pollen party out there and humans aren't the only ones having a sniffy spring. Our pets can be as well.
"There are seasonal allergies in dogs," says Dr. Jonathan Flash at Brewer Veterinary Clinic.
Dr. Flash says they usually don’t experience respiratory symptoms like humans. Symptoms of allergies in dogs and cats can show up as dermal rashes and diarrhea.
"Your vet can test for local allergens, as well as, on the broader spectrum, other things [for your pets] to avoid," says Flash.
There are several actions owners can take to help control any discomfort their fur babies are dealing with due to seasonal allergies.
Owners should keep the area their pets sleep in clean. They can also change their daily walk routine to avoid high pollen areas.
“Take your time to look over your pets as often as you can," adds Flash. "Check their skin, check their webbing underneath and in between their paws, look for hot spots. I see a lot of owners that don’t pick up on these things until the problem is really general and systemic, and they’re a lot easier to deal with before they reach that stage.”
Besides seasonal allergies, Dr. Flash says he's seen pets have other strange allergic reactions. "I had a lady one-time whose dog was allergic to people. It was a chihuahua that had a [human] handprint reaction on its chest."