A Vet's Guide to Spring & Summer Allergies in Dogs

It’s three o’clock on a hot spring morning. You’re awake. So is your dog; lick lick lick, chew chew chew, scratch scratch.

Sound familiar? This frustrating cycle is a common sign of seasonal allergies in dogs. Just like us, many of our canine companions suffer from an overactive immune response to common environmental allergens. Read on to learn what causes this discomfort and how you can help your best friend.

What are Dog Allergies?

An allergy occurs when a dog's immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless substance (an allergen) as a threat. In response, it releases inflammatory chemicals throughout the body, particularly the skin, causing redness, swelling, and an unbearable itch.

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Key Signs Your Dog May Have Allergies

Your pet's allergy symptoms can be different from our own. Watch for these common signs of an allergic reaction:

• Excessive Itching, Licking, or Chewing: This is the most prevalent symptom, often focused on the paws, belly, ears, and groin.
• Skin Irritation or "Hot Spots": You may see red, inflamed skin, rashes, or moist, painful sores from secondary bacterial or fungal infections.
• Recurrent Ear Infections: Itchy, red, or smelly ears are hallmarks of atopy, an allergic response.
• Respiratory Issues: Less common but possible, some dogs may exhibit sneezing, coughing, or watery eyes.
• Hives: Can occur from insect bites or stings, or contact allergies and are very itchy. Hives have the potential to be more serious and sometimes progress to facial swelling and anaphylaxis

Understanding the Causes of Dog Allergies

When a dog is consistently itchy, many owners first suspect a food allergy. However, this is often a misconception. Veterinary research shows that food allergies account for only a small fraction (about 1%) of all skin diseases in dogs. The vast majority of allergies are caused by environmental factors.

1. Environmental Allergies (Atopic Dermatitis)

This condition is often referred to as atopic dermatitis or atopy in the veterinary world. While we humans tend to get sneezing fits and watery eyes from hay fever, dogs most frequently show their allergic symptoms through their skin.

These are the most common causes of seasonal allergies. During spring and summer, your dog is exposed to a variety of airborne allergens, including:

• Pollen from grasses, trees, and weeds
• Dust mites
• Moulds

Allergens can be inhaled or enter your dog’s body through a defective skin barrier, which allows them to penetrate the skin and trigger an immune response. Dogs with these allergies often have itchy, inflamed skin on their face, ears, feet, armpits, and thighs.

2. Insect Bite Allergies

Rising temperatures bring an increase in biting insects like midges, mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and fleas.

These bites can cause intense itching, especially for dogs with an allergy to flea saliva. Even a single flea bite can trigger a significant reaction in flea allergic dogs, often seen as redness and irritation along the rump, tail base, and inner thighs. Fly, and midge bites often appear as itchy, crusty lesions on the tip of your dog’s ears.

3. Contact Allergies

Commonly, dogs may have an allergic reaction to specific plants or substances they come into direct contact with. These can include certain ground-cover plants like Zebrina, Moses-in-a-cradle, Turtle Vine and Inch Plant. Additionally, new cleaning products, floor polishes, or carpet deodorisers used during a spring clean can irritate sensitive skin.

Avoidance is key to treating contact allergies. Removing certain plants from your backyard can go a long way to helping your pup.

How to Help Your Allergic Dog

1. Veterinary Consultation is Crucial

The first and most important step is to consult with your veterinarian. They can accurately diagnose the cause of your dog's discomfort and rule out other dermatological conditions. They can also recommend effective treatments such as:

• Medicated Shampoos & Sprays: To soothe irritated skin and wash away allergens. 
• Anti-Itch Medications: Prescription medications like antihistamines, Apoquel or Cytopoint can provide relief. It’s important to know that these medications only reduce the itch, they don’t fix the underlying root cause.
• Immunotherapy: A long-term solution by giving regular injections that desensitise your dog to specific allergens identified through allergy testing by a veterinary dermatologist
• Topical & Oral Parasite Prevention: Products like chews, spot-ons, or collars are essential for protecting against fleas and other biting insects.
• Skin barrier support: Topical Essential 6 products can improve dry skin and support the skin barrier. Feeding a diet high in omega 6&3 fatty acids is also recommended by veterinary dermatologists.

2. At-Home Management & Prevention

• Clean and Rinse: After outdoor walks, wipe your dog’s paws and coat with a damp cloth or a pet-safe wipe to remove allergens. Dogs with very dry skin can see improvements when using QV bath oil (yes, the one for babies!) after a shampoo with a pH balanced product for dogs.
• Adjust Your Routine: Consider walking your dog during times of low insect activity, such as midday, to minimise exposure.
• Home Hygiene: Regularly wash your dog’s bedding in hot water and vacuum frequently to reduce dust mites. Find our Spring cleaning tips here.
• Avoid Human Products: Never use human insect repellents like Aerogard or Bushman's, as they contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs.
• Consider Pet-Safe Clothing: Dog shirts can help protect sensitive skin from contact allergens.

3. The Power of a Healthy Diet

A strong and healthy skin barrier will reduce the inflammation and symptoms of allergies and atopic dermatitis. To fix the outside, you’ve also got to work on what goes inside.

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, essential for promoting healthy skin, coat, and overall well-being.

Petzyo’s premium dry kibble and low-fat raw dog food recipes support the immune system, nourish the skin, and fight inflammation, thanks to ingredients such as Flaxseed oil and fish oil, which are rich in omega-3 anti-inflammatories, as well as omega-6 fatty acids for strong cell walls and cellular functions. Salmon & Oceanfish kibble has optimal ratios of omega-3 and omega-6 and is a great choice.

References

• MSD Veterinary Manual, “Insect Bite Dermatitis in Dogs, Cats, Horses and Rabbits” https://www.msdvetmanual.com/ear-disorders/diseases-of-the-pinna/insect-bite-dermatitis-in-dogs-cats-horses-and-rabbits
• MarVista Vet, “Airborne allergies (Atopic Dermatitis)” https://www.marvistavet.com/atopic-dermatitis.pml
• Dermcare Vet, “Contact Allergies” https://dermcare.com.au/disease-info/allergy/contact/