4 Tips for Helping Your Dog With Seasonal Allergies

Just like humans, some dogs are quite susceptible to seasonal allergies.

Pollen and other airborne allergens can cause numerous allergy symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and excessive itching.

The good news is that there are a number of effective options that you can use to help your best friend better manage their allergies and avoid most symptoms.

Keep their Fur and Paws Clean

One of the main reasons that dogs are often susceptible to allergies is due to their constant cleaning and licking.

When your dog goes outside, its coat and especially paws can become coated with pollen and allergens.

As the dog cleans themselves, all of the allergens will get inside their system and lead to various reactions.

To prevent this, you should make sure to bathe your dog at least once a week during prime allergy season, or even more often if possible.

You should also use a grooming cloth or clean, moist rag to thoroughly wipe down their fur and their paws every time they come in from outside.

Treat Symptoms with Allergy Medication

Dogs usually respond well to over-the-counter allergy medications like Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec.

However, the dosage for dogs is different and depends on their size.

For this reason, you should always speak with a veterinarian before giving your dog a pill so you can determine the correct dosage.

It is also important to make sure that whatever medication you use is not a decongestant and doesn’t contain pseudoephedrine as it can be lethal for dogs even in small doses.

Use Topical Creams or Sprays to Provide Temporary Relief

Allergies often cause dogs to constantly scratch themselves or chew on their paws due to itchiness, and all of this scratching and chewing can result in more irritation and worsened symptoms.

If you notice that your dog seems overly itchy, you can try to use a topical anti-itch spray or cream to provide some relief.

Just make sure that whatever product you use is designed specifically for dogs as many human products will only make things worse.

Consider their Diet

Diet and allergies are much more connected than you might think.

Many dogs actually experience itchiness and other allergy symptoms directly because of their diet, and you can also use their diet to help combat these symptoms.

Omega fatty acids are essential for dogs and can improve their coat’s look while preventing itchiness and skin issues.

For this reason, you may want to switch to a food that is higher in Omega fatty acids or add a fish oil supplement to their existing diet.

Seeing your best friend suffering from seasonal allergies is never fun.

Luckily, following these simple tips should be able to help you both prevent and manage your dog’s seasonal allergy symptoms.