Why Pets’ Allergies Are So Bad This Time of Year

Changing seasons can be a beautiful thing. Leaves turn from green, to yellow, to red, and to green again. New flowers smile out of once-dormant flower beds. And if you look just closely enough, the entire world seems to shift into a slightly different hue. (Maybe that last one is just my romanticism talking, but I swear it’s a thing!) 

But as with most wonderful things in life, each new season also brings with it a few annoying downsides. Summer is sweat-rag season. Spring is rainy. Fall, despite all its splendor, can feel gloomy. And don’t even get me started on those way-too-early winter sunsets. Worst of all, each season seems to get us itching and sniffling all over again, as new allergens come out to play — and that’s not just true for humans.

Our pets might not be able to understand Claritin commercials, but they know just as well as we do that seasonal allergies are a thing. Just like we spend certain seasons itching, sniffling, and ripping through box after box of tissues, dogs’ and cats’ immune systems also tend to act up during certain times of year — even during Gilmore Girls “la, la, la” season (aka fall).

The trick is figuring out when that’s happening and how to intervene. Our first expert-backed tip? Don’t look for sneezing or stuffiness. That probably won’t be your first sign.

First thing’s first: Why are your pet’s allergies so bad this time of year?

It turns out, cats and dogs can develop seasonal allergies just like people. The most common allergens include trees, grasses, flowering plants, weeds, mold, mildew, and dust mites. Depending on what your pet is allergic to, their symptoms might become more pronounced during certain times of year, when their specific allergens are at their peak. 

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, our pets are most likely to show symptoms during the spring, summer, and fall. “Seasonal allergies are a component of a lot of skin and respiratory disease in pets,” says Dr. Mark Verdino, senior vice president and chief of veterinary staff for North Shore Animal League. “These tend to ‘flare’ with the seasonal changes. Allergies to indoor triggers like dust and dust mites or to food ingredients are more constant.”

Just like us humans, our pets are more likely to develop certain kinds of allergies than others. According to Dr. Carly Fox, senior veterinarian in the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center's Emergency & Critical Care Service, dogs and cats tend to develop environmental allergies more often than food allergies.

“This is when their body has an exaggerated immune reaction to normal things in their environment like pollen, grasses, mold, and dust mites,” Dr. Fox says. If your pet is allergic to season-specific allergens, their symptoms will spike during certain times of year, as those irritants start to spread. 

“Dogs can also tolerate low levels of allergens for a period of time and then get worse during certain seasons,” Dr. Fox says, “due to a cumulative effect.”  

If, for example, your pet is allergic to tree pollen, their symptoms might be worst in the spring, when pollen levels are higher than ever. On the other hand, veterinarian Dr. Alix Kay Berglund, assistant professor for the University of Maryland’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, says that if your dog or cat is allergic to dust mites, or fleas, which are common year-round, their symptoms will probably remain steady. 

But regarding right now? In the fall, dust mites and ragweed are especially rampant, as is mold (often found in piles of wet leaves). As Bond Vet notes, all three of these things that crop up this time of year can be especially irritating to pets — particularly dogs, who are outside a lot. This can lead to itchy skin, watery/red eyes, chronic ear infections, and more. It’s possible your dog could let out the occasional sneeze, too, but that may not be the main sign of allergies in your pup.

Sadly, our pets can’t tell us when their allergies are acting up, so it’s important for us pet parents to learn the signs.

How do you know if you pet has allergies?

If you’re wondering whether your pet might have allergies, don’t look for a runny nose. Apparently, that’s more often a people thing. 

According to Dr. Verdino, your pet’s symptoms will depend on their specific allergen. Inhaled allergens often trigger respiratory signs, while food allergens more often cause gastrointestinal issues. Predictably, contact allergens tend to show up on your pet’s skin. That said, Dr. Verdino adds, “there is a lot of overlap in symptoms where multiple systems may be affected.”

More often than not, Dr. Berglund says, dogs and cats show allergic inflammatory responses in the skin, through signs like scratching, licking, and redness. “Recurrent ear infections are also common in dogs and cats suffering from allergies,” she adds. In some cases, you might see watery eyes or sneezing, but these signs tend to be less common than itching, ear infections, and rashes. Yummy.

Still, it’s important to note that itchiness is not always a sign of allergies and that allergic reactions can show up as all sorts of other things, like vomiting, diarrhea, and breathing changes. Because of this, Dr. Verdino says, it’s important to consult with a veterinarian for a thorough physical exam.

What do you do if your pet has allergies?

If you think your pet is struggling with an allergy, it’s probably time to talk to your veterinarian. Depending on how severe your pet’s allergies are (think: chronic ear infections), you might also want to consult a veterinary dermatologist.

As you prepare for your vet visit, make a list of all the symptoms you’re starting to see in your pet. Then, if you can, try to observe when they’re at their worst. The answer might be during a specific season or even in response to certain triggers, like spending a lot of time outside. “Your veterinarian may recommend additional diagnostics, like allergy testing, to identify what exactly your pet is allergic to,” Dr. Berglund says. 

From there, remedies generally fall into three buckets:

Reducing exposure

If your pet is allergic to certain foods or environmental allergens like dust mites, your veterinarian might recommend a change in diet or a thorough house cleaning. While you’re already making dietary changes, you might also consider adding oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids to your pet’s diet to reduce inflammation and itching. 

Remedying symptoms

Depending on your dog or cat’s specific allergies, your vet might also prescribe symptomatic treatments like antihistamines, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, Apoquel, or Cytopoint to ease your pet’s inflammation and itching. For an extra boost at home, you can also switch shampoos.

According to Dr. Berglund, “Regular bathing with medicated shampoos can remove allergens from the coat, soothe itchy skin, and prevent secondary bacterial and yeast infections.” 

Increasing tolerance to allergens

If your veterinarian identifies a specific allergy, they might provide immunotherapy in the form of allergy shots to ease your pet’s response to allergens. “These injections are designed to ‘retrain’ the immune system to be less hyperreactive to the stimuli,” Dr. Verdino says.

Basically, allergy shots involve injecting your pet with increasing amounts of their specific allergen. Just like with human allergy shots, the goal is to increase their immune system’s tolerance. The stronger that becomes, the less they’ll want to scratch off all their fur. 

Allergies are not fun for anyone, but with a little help, your pet should be able to stop scratching and go back to enjoying all that each new season has to offer.