Pet Allergy FAQs

If your pet is showing signs of allergies, contact our Columbus vet for a checkup. These FAQs from Colorado Valley Veterinary Services explain more about pet allergy causes, symptoms, and treatment.

What types of allergies can pets have?  

Like people, pets can be allergic to ingredients in foods or substances in their environment. Certain chemicals in household products or your pet's grooming products can trigger allergy symptoms. Your pet may also suffer from seasonal allergies, which can be triggered by dust, pollen, plants, or garden flowers. Many pets are also allergic to flea saliva.

What are some common symptoms of pet allergies?  

Pet allergies can cause different symptoms depending on the type of allergy your pet has. Food allergies, for example, can cause digestive issues like vomiting or diarrhea. Seasonal allergies, contact allergies, and flea allergies may cause irritations on your pet's skin. Some common allergy symptoms in pets include:

• Dry, itchy, scaly skin
• Red or inflamed skin
• Constant scratching, licking, or rubbing the affected areas
• Skin rashes and infections
• Hot spots
• Fur loss

How are pet allergies diagnosed?

Our Columbus vet will evaluate your pet's symptoms and perform skin and blood tests to determine what's causing the allergic reaction. These tests can pinpoint the allergen responsible for triggering your pet's symptoms. For food allergies, we'll put your pet on an elimination diet and gradually introduce foods into his system to find out what's causing his digestive issues. By identifying and eliminating allergy triggers, you can prevent your pet from having an allergic reaction.

How are pet allergies treated?

An effective way to treat pet allergies is to eliminate the allergens triggering your pet's symptoms. This may entail finding foods that don't contain the ingredients your pet is allergic to or changing to eco-friendly cleaning and grooming products that are less likely to trigger your pet's allergic symptoms.

For seasonal allergies, our Columbus vet can recommend oral or topical medications to help manage allergy symptoms. Flea allergies can be eliminated by keeping your pet pest-free through routine grooming and flea prevention treatments. Any efforts you make to control pet allergies will result in a happier, healthier pet.

See Our Columbus, TX, Vet for Allergy Diagnosis and Treatment

To schedule a consultation for diagnosing and treating pet allergy symptoms, contact Colorado Valley Vet in Columbus at 979-732-9981. We're here to meet all your pet care needs.