Dogs and cats can be allergic to almost anything, similar to allergies in people. Pets can be allergic to allergens in their household environment, outside environment, or even their food. Symptoms can range from itchiness and ear or eye infections to constant licking, and even vomiting or diarrhea. Many pets suffer from allergies which can directly affect their quality of life, as well as their owner’s.
Ask your pets’ veterinarian about the simple ways you can find out if your pet has allergies and how we can help.
- Common household allergens: flea dirt, other pet dander, dust mites, cleaning products, cigarettes, perfumes.
- Common outdoor allergens: regional plants and pollens, molds, grasses.
- Common food allergies: chicken, beef, corn, soy.
In our office, we routinely see all types of skin conditions. Some of the most common ones include fleas and other parasites. Allergies and skin infections are also pretty common. However, our veterinarians can also treat less common skin conditions, such as autoimmune diseases and skin cancer, along with many others.
The most common complaint when owners bring their pets to the veterinarian for skin condition issues is itchiness. Their pets will scratch, lick, and bite themselves to try to get some relief. Many pets scratch until they lose hair. This often continues until their itching and licking turns into a full-blown infection.
There are many lucky pets that will only have to worry about skin issues once or twice in their entire lives. However, there are many pets that are constantly struggling with skin problems. They might seem to be itchy all of the time; many pets have allergies that bother them seasonally.
Many owners try to help their pets get some relief. They may try things at home for months and even years. Many owners get tired of bringing their pets in every time they start scratching. Many wait a few weeks or months until they decide to come in for an examination.
It is our goal to get your pets some relief as quickly as possible. However, we need to figure out what the problem is first. Here at Roseville Animal Hospital, we offer many dermatologic procedures to get answers. We often do allergy and fungal testing. We also are able to do cultures and skin biopsies when necessary.
Don’t hesitate to contact us at (916) 954-2100 if your pets are having skin problems and need to be seen.