Runny noses, watering eyes and choruses of sneezes are all
signals of the allergy season among humans, but we’re not the only
species that suffers through spring and fall.
Runny noses, watering eyes and choruses of sneezes are all signals of the allergy season among humans, but we’re not the only species that suffers through spring and fall. Dogs and cats can also develop allergies to foods and other irritants.
Unlike their human owners, pets can’t make their own appointments with a doctor. Instead, they must rely on people to keep an eye on symptoms, which are different from those that humans experience, according to Morgan Hill veterinarian Dr. John Quick of the Animal Care Center.
Rather than sneezing and developing runny snouts, most pets with allergies get the urge to lick and scratch their paws.
“Pets with allergies will get redness between their toes, and often times they will chew and lick at their feet enough that there’s actually irritation or hair loss in the area,” said Quick. “Their paws may be moist in between. White haired dogs, because there’s a chemical in their saliva that turns the hair reddish, may turn rust colored at the paws.”
Over time, with chronic irritation, paw skin may become tough or discolored, making them look darker than the rest of the animal’s skin, said Quick. Another tip-off to allergy-prone fur balls is found in their ears, according to Hollister veterinarian Dr. Robert Wilson.
“The skin will get red instead of its regular color, and they may get a bit of extra build-up or shake their head more,” said Wilson.
Dogs and cats, who can suffer from either seasonal or, more rarely, food allergies, may develop similar symptoms for both types of allergies, though food allergies can also cause periodic vomiting or loose stool, according to Wilson. However, allergies are not as prevalent in the animal population as they are in the human population, according to the veterinarians.
About 40 percent of dogs and 20 percent of cats suffer from allergic irritation, said Wilson, but Quick said the number of pets with truly significant allergies is usually lower. He estimated around 10 percent of dogs and cats suffer from seasonal allergies and 5 percent or fewer have dietary allergies.
“You aren’t really going to be sure one way or another until you try a special diet,” said Quick. “It’s a trial to feed a different diet for two to three months with only water, and see if there’s a difference.”
For dogs and cats with allergies, Wilson and Quick can prescribe antihistamines such as Benadryl and special diets such as Hills Z/D Ultra or Purina Pro Plan HA, both of which are highly processed foods with a final particle size is small enough to be undetectable to an animal’s body. These measures treat symptoms, though.
Pet owners, said Wilson, can keep their animals from developing many allergies to begin with by feeding them correctly.
“If you can teach your animal to eat the right things, you can probably prevent a lot of food allergies,” said Wilson. “Most of what I’m seeing is related to food because owners feed too many treats, which have a lot of junk in them that animals can react to. In cats, two of the most common things they react to are dairy products and fish products, so you have to look at what’s in the treat. Pretty much, find a food that works and that they’ll eat, and stick with a stable diet.”
Pets’ allergy symptoms show up in different areas because of differences in human and animal physiology, said Quick.
Allergies themselves are an overreaction of the immune system to a perceived threat, said Quick. The body detects foreign material and attacks it before it can attack the body.
When an allergen such as pollen enters the lungs, a very small portion may end up in the blood stream, where it’s attacked by an antibody, Quick said. The antibody holds on to the perceived threat – pollen in this case – and hooks on to a mast cell, which acts as an anchor, allowing the body to tally its threat level. Should enough antibodies land on that mast cell, it will explode, releasing histamines and leukotrienes, chemicals in the body that cause allergic irritation and swelling, he said.
“In humans, these cells are located in the upper respiratory tract,” said Quick. “In dogs and cats, they’re located in the skin, and they particularly affect the paws and ears.”
If you suspect that your pet has allergies, do not attempt to treat them without the direction of a veterinarian, said Quick. Instead, contact your vet and have him or her conduct a thorough screening because excessive itching can also indicate other problems.
