Dog Pollen Allergy: What You Need to Know

Pollen allergies in dogs are quite common, we just might not notice them all of the time. A pooch with a mild allergy might even go their whole life without needing any medication or treatment just like some humans don’t. It’s nothing to panic over if you think your pup might be suffering from the pollen in the environment, there are plenty of ways to help them out and treatments to alleviate their irritations.

In much the same way as humans, you will usually notice if your pet has a pollen allergy by their eyes being irritated or their skin being itchy. Many of the symptoms of pollen allergies are similar to when it shows up in humans, you may already know some of the signs to look out for.

If your pooch has an allergy to pollen, the symptoms are likely to become obvious between their first infancy year and when they’re five years old. A pollen allergy is triggered when pollen is inhaled from the environment and acts as an irritant to the dog that is sensitive to it. Manny symptoms involve their upper respiratory area, but it can impact a lot more than just their breathing. Other symptoms to look out for include:

These are the common symptoms of a pollen allergy, but you might not even notice until some secondary issues can take place. If your pup seems to get a lot of ear infections in the summer, this could be down to the fact that they’re scratching a lot from a pollen allergy. Eye infections are common as a secondary issue as well from how irritated they become from being rubbed so frequently.

Just because your dog is showing signs of a pollen allergy doesn’t mean they’re going to be suffering all through Spring and Summer with symptoms. In fact, you can likely work out what type of pollen your pup is allergic to base on when they start and finish showing symptoms.

Just because they’re sensitive to one type of pollen doesn’t mean they’re going to have an allergy to everything. Allergies will flare up in different months because different types of pollen may trigger them.

You will notice as well that some years may not be as bad as others and that all depends on the time of year and the pollen count. Some days will be higher than others which will affect how severe their symptoms are.

If you notice symptoms occurring in your pooch, there are some treatments you can get over the counter to help support them through the warmer seasons. Gentle shampoos can help to wash out any pollen caught in their coat and relieve some of the itching. For skin that has become sore from being irritated, topical treatments like Johnson’s Skin-Eze Cream can help to get them feeling back to their normal self as quickly as possible.

As far as medical advice, you should seek the help of a vet or you can pop into see one of our friendly vets at The Community Pet Clinic for some advice. Dogs can be prescribed antihistamines just like humans to help battle seasonal allergies. Some pups with severe symptoms may even need steroidal help to get them to overcome their pollen reactions.

For things you can do at home to help, a deep clean of their environment including their beds and bedding can clear their surroundings of any pollen that’s settled. Keeping windows closed to stop as much pollen as you can from entering the house can help too.

For everything you need to help your beloved family pet enjoy the Spring and Summer months as much as you, check out our wide range of dog products available in-store and online.