Hay fever is an allergy to pollen. If you experience hay fever, you’ll know how uncomfortable it can be! Unfortunately for your dogs, they can get it too. But it’s important never to give human hay fever remedies to dogs, including antihistamines meant for humans, as they can be toxic for pets.
Always speak to a vet if your dog shows any of the symptoms mentioned in this article.
The symptoms of hay fever, or other allergies, in dogs are similar to those we experience as humans. Although, canine companions (luckily!) tend to get them less often. One big difference is that a dog’s skin is more likely to be affected, especially their groin or abdomen.
You might notice:
In dogs, hay fever and other allergies can look very similar. Your vet will be able to work out the cause of any symptoms.
It’s very important to speak to a vet about your dog’s symptoms. Never give antihistamines or other hay fever medications meant for humans to your dog as these can be very harmful, even toxic in some cases.
Your vet will be able to work out the cause of your dog’s symptoms, give an official diagnosis, and prescribe the right medication. Your best friend will be up to their old tricks again in no time!
After you’ve spoken to your vet, they might advise giving some of the treatments below:
They may also advise you to add extra skin supplements to your dog’s diet during this time, such as omega 3 or 6.
In some cases, your dog may need treatment beyond hay fever medications. This is because, as your dog scratches, bites, and licks their skin, they risk opening it up to yeast and bacterial infections. All skin allergies in dogs come with a risk of these secondary infections.
Just like in humans, hay fever in dogs is most likely to happen in spring, summer, and autumn when the trees and flowers bloom. Other allergies happen year-round. If your dog shows hay-fever-like symptoms at any time of year, they should be seen by a vet.
There are many other allergies which can mimic hay fever in dogs. For example, flea allergy dermatitis happens when a dog has an allergic reaction to flea bites. Or, they could be suffering from environmental allergies to mould. Your dogs can also have reactions to food intolerances and allergies, such as grains or certain animal proteins.
It might be that your dog’s symptoms aren’t related to an allergy, but something else. For example, we often associate sneezing with allergies, but sneezing in dogs can also be a sign that there’s something in their nasal passage that shouldn’t be there. Always speak to a vet who can diagnose and treat the problem.
As well as speaking to your vet, there are a few other ways you can help your four-legged friend. As human hay fever sufferers know all too well, just because we’re inside, it doesn’t mean our symptoms disappear! Pollen can find its way onto us and into our homes without us realising.
With this in mind, you can help your dogs to feel more comfortable by minimising how much pollen they come into contact with.
Try these tips:
Bathing and grooming your pup might feel daunting if you’re a new dog owner or you’re not used to doing it regularly. Luckily, we’ve got helpful advice in our articles on how to groom your dog and how to give your dog a bath. They’re awash with paw-some tips!
There’s research that suggests some breeds such as Retrievers, Setters, and Bulldogs are more prone to developing hay fever. But the geographic region a dog’s in, along with exposure to local plants and lifestyle all play a role in this, too.
For example, in some areas or countries, there are specific allergens that are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than hay fever, such as insect allergens.
Hay fever isn’t the only thing to think about as the weather starts to warm up. As much as we might enjoy basking in the sun, dogs can really struggle in the heat and need extra care.
From how to keep your home cool to spotting heatstroke in dogs, we’ve packed our hot-weather advice article full of top tips to keep your best friend safe, happy, and healthy. For more dog advice, visit Ask Woodgreen.
Remember: If you think your dog may have an allergy to pollen or anything else, always speak to a vet and don’t give your dog medication meant for humans.
Talk to your vet who can rule out other allergies and problems and prescribe the right treatment.
The symptoms of hay fever in dogs can be similar to the ones we get as humans. But a big difference is that your dog’s skin is more likely to be affected, resulting in scratching and potential secondary infections.
As well as contacting your vet, you can keep your dog’s exposure to pollen to a minimum following the advice in this article. Remember to never give human hay fever treatments to your dog as they can be very harmful.
During the summer months, you might like it hot, but dogs don’t. Their needs are very different to ours, so here’s our advice on how to care for your canine companion in hot weather.
Read more about 'How to care for your dog in the hot weather'
It’s important to regularly health check your dog to ensure they’re happy and healthy.
Read more about 'How to health check your dog'
Atopic dermatitis or skin inflammation is a chronic skin disease caused by allergies, more common in dogs than cats. These allergic reactions can be from harmless substances like grass, mould spores and house dust mites.
Read more about 'Why is my dog scratching?'