Treating Cat and Dog Allergies with Dermatology in Raleigh, NC
Allergy season for us means endless runny noses and sneezes galore. Our pets, however, experience allergies as itchy skin. Pet dermatology helps relieve the itch and manage the allergy. In Raleigh, we’re used to seeing a lot of pet allergies, making us experienced in treating them. We aim to find the cause of your pet’s allergic reaction so we can treat both the symptoms and the cause, too.
Common Pet Allergies
Allergies occur when the body’s immune system over-reacts to fight off an otherwise harmless substance, known as an allergen. The body attempts to fight the allergen but ends up causing inflamed and irritated skin for pets. Common allergens that affect our pets include:
- Pollens
- Mold spores
- Trees and grasses
- Dust and dust mites
- Certain materials such as rubber or plastics
- Fleas or other insects
- Food allergies
Symptoms of an Allergy
Pet allergies show up as dermatology problems. If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, they could be suffering from allergies:
- Excessive scratching and biting
- Red, inflamed skin
- Alopecia (hair loss)
- Licking and chewing at their paws
- Dry, patching skin
Second-hand skin infections are common with allergies. If you notice a foul odor from their skin, it likely indicates a secondary infection. In this case, we’ll need to treat the infection, as well as manage the allergy.
Managing Pet Allergies in Raleigh, NC
The first step of managing an allergy is diagnosing it! While we do not perform allergy tests in-house, we can easily send a blood sample to an outside lab for timely results. Once we establish your pet’s allergy, we’ll make a plan to treat any current symptoms and manage the allergies.
Allergy treatments could include:
- Apoquel (tablet)
- Cytopoint (injectable)
- Allergy desensitization (injectable or oral)
- Antihistamines
- Antibiotics
- Medicated shampoos
- Topical treatments
- Fatty acid supplements
- Parasite prevention (if your pet is allergic to fleas or another parasite)
Helpful
Tip
There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to allergy management. Be patient, as it may take a couple different tries to find the right combination of treatments for your pet.
Get Your Pet Some Relief
If you think your pet may be suffering from allergies, make an appointment today! We’ll use our experience and diagnostic capabilities to rule out any other pet dermatology concerns, and then make a plan to treat your pet and help you manage symptoms.