Search Results for "allergies"

As the trees start to pollinate, the spring season starts to dawn and so do those pesky allergies. A time to put the winter cold past us and a look to the brighter days are not so bright for those with allergies. Many pets are affected by spring allergies and it is important to be aware if your pet shows signs so you can lighten its discomfort and help provide brighter days.

According to Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor and a board certified dermatologist at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), an allergy is an exaggerated response in which the body’s immune system overreacts to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens.

Patterson explains that pets can show signs of allergies during only the spring or year-round dependent on what they are allergic to.

“Any cat and horse breed can be affected by allergies,” notes Patterson. “Any dog breed can also be affected, but there are certain breeds that are more susceptible to allergies, including: terriers, retrievers, Dalmatians, Shar Peis, and bulldogs.”

When people encounter allergic reactions, they tend to sneeze and wheeze. Whereas, animals tend to itch and scratch their way to a hopeful recovery, but this can actually promote more severe skin problems.

“An itch may be manifested as licking, chewing, biting, rubbing, scratching, head shaking, and/or scooting,” explains Patterson. “Common itchy body areas include the face, ears, paws, armpits, groin, rump, and anal region. Horses may present with an itchy skin disease and/or hives. Every pet has its own itch tolerance which means the intensity and reason(s) for your pet’s itch may not be the same as another animal. Regardless of the animal, allergic patients are prone to secondary infections that can cause skin discoloration, hair loss, pimples, or scabs.”

If your pet does show any of these allergic signs, it is in everyone’s best interest to contact your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can develop a customized treatment plan for your pet so the itch can be alleviated. However, Patterson comments that allergies can be managed, not necessarily cured.

“Treatments are tailored to the individual based on the extent, severity, and seasonality of signs,” says Patterson. “The ‘absolutes’ of therapy include: routine bathing to remove pollen accumulation, infection control (topical and/or systemic), and flea prevention. Other treatments can be prescribed based on what the patient is sensitive to, and the response to the ‘absolutes.’ It is important to recognize that allergies can be managed, but often are not cured.”

Sometimes steroids are used to alleviate an itch. However, Patterson warns that long-term use of steroids can cause detrimental health problems. “For this reason, it is recommended that the underlying trigger of allergic signs be sought and managed with other less harmful treatments for those animals with chronic problems,” explains Patterson.

The most common allergens that affect pets are fleas, food, pollen, molds, mites, insects, and dander. As there are a lot of factors to consider when diagnosing what your pets are allergic to, your veterinarian can perform tests and personal evaluations based on many factors to help determine the culprits.

“Elimination diet trials are used to exclude food allergies,” notes Patterson. “Skin or blood ‘allergy’ testing is used to select candidate pollens for immunotherapy (oral allergy drops or allergy injections) in animals with an environmental allergy. It is important to recognize that these tests DO NOT DIAGNOSE an environmental allergy as ‘normal’ animals can have ‘positive’ test results. The diagnosis is based on the history, clinical signs, and the process of exclusion.”

Spring allergies are more common in pets than most people believe. Ten percent of the canine population is affected by allergies. It is important to be aware of the allergic signs and notify a veterinarian when the symptoms persist. If you have any questions pertaining to allergies or skin ailments you can call the dermatology department at the CVM Small Animal Clinical Sciences at 979-845-2351 or visit their webpage to review frequently asked questions and answers.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

Many of us look forward to the warm spring weather after enduring the harsh winter months. The spring season brings peaceful fields of blooming flowers and a warm, inviting sun. Unfortunately, spring is also a time when many people suffer from allergies that can make daily life almost intolerable. Just like people, pets can suffer from pesky allergies too. It is important to know the signs of allergies in animals so you can alleviate any irritating sensations your pet may be experiencing.

Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor and chief of dermatology at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), defines an allergic reaction as the body overreacting to substances (like pollen) in the environment that are normally harmless. This hypersensitivity to the environment can exist seasonally or year-round in both people and animals.

While humans suffer through allergy season coughing and sneezing into a handful of tissues, pets deal with allergies differently. An animal’s common reaction to an allergy is observed as itch in specific body areas, which can result in skin irritations and infections.

“An itch may be manifested as licking, chewing, biting, rubbing, scratching, head shaking, and/or scooting,” Patterson said. “Common itchy body areas include the face, ears, paws, armpits, groin, rump, and anal region. Horses may present with an itchy skin disease and/or hives.”

Patterson further explains that every animal has a different reaction to allergies, just like people do.

“Every pet has its own itch tolerance, which means the intensity and reason(s) for your pet’s itch may not be the same as another animal,” he said. “Regardless of the animal, allergic patients are prone to bacterial and yeast infections that can cause skin discoloration, hair loss, pimples, scabs, and/or ear disease.”

According to Patterson, cats and horses can be affected by allergic skin disease. He says that any dog breed can be affected as well, but certain breeds—including terriers, retrievers, Dalmatians, Shar Peis, and bulldogs—are more susceptible.

If your pet shows any sign of an allergy, it is best to contact your veterinarian so they can properly diagnose the cause of itch, which may include allergy.. Your veterinarian can also perform tests to determine the most effective treatment plan to alleviate your pet’s discomfort. Allergens that most commonly irritate pets include fleas, food, pollen, molds, mites, insects, and dander.

“Treatments are tailored to the individual based on the extent, severity, and seasonality of signs,” Patterson said. “The ‘absolutes’ of therapy include routine bathing to remove pollen accumulation, infection control (topical and/or systemic anti-infectives), and flea prevention.”

Patterson also emphasizes to pet owners that allergies can be managed, but rarely cured. For pets that suffer from chronic allergies, treatments may include changes in diet, symptomatic medical therapy, and or allergy vaccines specific to the animal’s environmental sensitivity. Patterson reminds pet owners that indiscriminate use of long-term steroids can cause serious health issues.

However, if a pet’s allergies are left untreated, there can be other harmful effects. Dr. Alison Diesel, clinical assistant professor at the CVM, explains how your pet may suffer detrimental health problems without treatment.

“Allergies if left untreated/unmanaged can cause continued discomfort in your pet,” Diesel said. “Self-trauma to the skin can create wounds that can become secondarily infected. We occasionally see pets that have spent so much time itching and scratching that they are not sleeping well and may even lose weight…In more severe cases, a visit to a veterinary dermatologist may be quite helpful.”

Although many people suffer from allergies, many of us do not recognize that allergies are just as common in animals. If you think your pet may be afflicted with allergic skin disease, your veterinarian can begin the process of helping your pet enjoy both the indoors and outdoors again.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

With the emergence of springtime, comes the arrival of allergies. Although the landscape is lush, many people experience the beauty that comes with the warmer weather as well as the bothersome allergy symptoms. Pets can also be affected by allergies and it is important to be mindful of any symptoms that your pet might be displaying.

“People sneeze and wheeze with allergies, while dogs tend to itch and scratch,” says Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor and a board certified dermatologist at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “The hallmark sign of allergic skin disease is itch that can be manifested as licking, chewing, rubbing, biting, scooting, head shaking, and/or scratching. Typically, the face, ears, paws, armpits, groin, and rump are the most affected sites.”

Patterson explains that animals with allergic skin disease are highly prone to recurring skin and/or ear infections involving bacteria and yeast. Infections can cause increased itch, redness, pimples, blackheads, scabs, dander, hair loss, skin thickening, and odor. Horses many times will break out in hives.

“Animals tend to be allergic to many of the same things people are hypersensitive to such as pollen, mold, dust, house dust mite, and foodstuffs,” Patterson explains. “An exception would be fleas – the most common thing dogs and cats are allergic to. Despite this, many people are in ‘fleanial’ and refuse to believe just a few flea bites can be triggering the itch response in their pet.” Likewise, horse owners may not be aware how just a few insect bites could be responsible for or contributing to itchy skin disease.

Allergic skin disease can be mistaken for many other forms of skin disease. A veterinary dermatologist is trained to work with primary care veterinarians to get down to the bottom of how to best diagnose and manage skin and ear disease, including allergies, in animals. See www.acvd.org for more information.

It is important to understand that allergies can be managed, but not cured, just as with humans. The goal is to reduce the extent and severity of signs, not completely eliminate them.

“Management regimens might include increased frequency of bathing (washing pollens of the skin surface), antimicrobials or antibiotics, flea prevention, fatty acids, antihistamines, change in diet, steroids, and immunotherapy, also known as desensitization or hyposensitization. The use of the latter can be determined through a good step-wise diagnostic approach along with allergy skin testing and administered by way of allergy shots or oral allergy drops,” says Patterson.

When it is time to take your pet in for allergy skin testing?

“Typically, dogs should have allergy symptoms for at least 5-6 months out of the year before considering skin testing for environmental allergies, which include reactivity to pollen, molds, house dust mite, and house dust, in order for the diagnostic tests and treatment to be cost effective over the long haul,” Patterson recommends.

Patterson explains that rainfall cuts down on airborne pollen and may provide itch relief to pets, but at the same time rain may cause plants to produce more pollen over the next few weeks. Indeed, rain fall might worsen flea and mold allergies because moisture and humidity are favorable to fleas and mold. Of course, rain has no effect on food-related allergic skin diseases.

“Given the mild winter and lack of national weather fronts during the 2011-2012 seasons, pollen is likely to be at an all-time high this year. Consequently, there likely will be many itchy pets this year,” says Patterson.

Allergies are certainly not an uncommon thing to see in pets. It is important to be aware of the symptoms and to notify a veterinarian when they persist. For more information please visit https://vethospital.tamu.edu/large-animal/dermatology/allergies/

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

*Photo- The cat was scratching because of allergies

Unlike her high-energy, attention-seeking siblings Canela and Choclo, Chispa the pug is lovingly described by her owner Peter Schulte as more of a “potato kind of dog.”

“She just lies around,” said Schulte, who lives in downtown Houston with his partner Ramiro Flores and their three pugs. “She likes lying outside in the sun or, really, on any flat surface. Once a day, she’ll get a little playful streak and then she’s back to just lounging.” 

Chispa’s only other spurt of energy is when she springs into action as the garbage truck comes down her street. But when her legs started giving out mid-chase, her owners knew that something was wrong.

So, Schulte and Flores spoke to their local veterinarian, beginning a long journey that would lead to two specialty services at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH). 

In the end, Chispa’s veterinary team used an individualized treatment plan and collaborative approach to restore the pug’s quality of life — and her ability to chase the garbage truck as much as her heart desires.

A Sudden Change

Chispa’s owners initially noticed that she was struggling to control her back legs in 2023.

“She was totally fine otherwise, and she was still happy,” Schulte said. “She would try to chase the garbage truck, but her legs would just give up.”

Chispa’s local veterinarian conducted testing but was unable to determine the problem, so they referred the pug to the SATH’s Neurology Service.

“Her veterinarians at A&M quickly allayed our fears that the problem was not as scary or bad as we thought it was,” Schulte said. “There was just a bit of a compression on her spinal cord by a certain vertebra that was causing her to lose control of her back legs every once in a while.”

Chispa’s veterinary team, led by VMBS professor Dr. Nicholas Jeffery and then-resident veterinarian Dr. Emily Dupont, performed surgery to stabilize her vertebrae to reduce their movement and compression of the spinal cord. 

“There was maybe a month or two during recovery when it was tough for her to walk, but she was more than happy to just lie down and stick it out,” Schulte said. 

Discovering A Secondary Problem

During the process of diagnosing and treating Chispa’s spine issue, her veterinarians noticed another potential problem while examining her full-body MRI scan — fluid had built up inside one of her middle ear cavities, in the space behind the ear drum.

Chispa was then referred to the SATH’s Dermatology Service, where Schulte and Flores shared that the pug also had a history of intermittent itching, skin sores and ear and skin infections. Her dermatology team, including clinical assistant professor Dr. Christina Gentry, began developing a treatment plan to narrow down the potential causes of Chispa’s symptoms and find ways to alleviate her discomfort.

“Our goal in the Dermatology Service is always to not only to address the patient’s infection right now but to give owners a strategy to prevent secondary infections by figuring out why this specific pet has infections in the first place,” Gentry said.

An additional benefit of addressing Chispa’s infections was reducing the chance that an infection could spread to the new implants stabilizing her spine. 

“Because Chispa is predisposed to getting skin and ear infections, the concern is that eventually, those bacteria could grow to a high enough number that they could travel through the lymphatic vessels or bloodstream and set up shop in her implants,” Gentry said. “Plus, it’s just not fun being itchy and having recurrent infections.”

Narrowing Down The Cause

When a dog has consistent itching and infections, the most common causes are parasites and allergies. Because Chispa was on parasite prevention, her dermatology team concluded that her symptoms were caused by allergies.

A common problem for dogs in Texas, allergies often occur due to dust mites, pollen and outdoor molds. In addition, some dogs can have allergies to specific proteins commonly included in dog food. Determining the exact allergens affecting a specific dog can be a long and complicated process, but Gentry was dedicated to helping Chispa find relief, no matter how long it took.

“The first thing we usually do is a diet trial using a prescription food that doesn’t have the proteins in it that commonly cause allergies in dogs,” Gentry said. “We feed that diet exclusively for somewhere between six and 12 weeks while we address the infections. If you do that and they’re still getting new infections, then you know the food isn’t the problem.”

While completing the diet trial, Chispa’s skin infections were treated with topical antiseptic medications and shampoos. At the end of the trial, her allergy symptoms were better, but not resolved, leading her veterinarians to conclude that she was allergic to both a protein in her food and environmental allergens.

As a result, Chispa was put on a new routine of medicated baths, medications for environmental allergies, and special food that slowly improved her allergy symptoms. She will most likely continue to have flare-ups occasionally, but the Texas A&M dermatology team is there to help adjust her treatments or provide care whenever she needs it.  

“Sometimes, something changes in the food or the environment and you see these ups and downs, but our goal as dermatologists is to catch these problems when they’re early and then make adjustments to the pet’s therapy,” Gentry said. “I suspect that Chispa will still need chronic care to keep her skin and ears normal. But her owners and I love this dog and are happy that she’s generally moving in the right direction.”

An Unfortunate Predisposition

Although Chispa’s ear infections were largely because of her allergies, she was also predisposed because of her breed. Brachycephalic, or short-skulled, breeds like pugs have narrow ear canals that taper at the bottom, making it easier for bacteria to become trapped inside and break through the ear drum to the middle ear cavity.

“Brachycephalic breeds can also often have a syndrome called middle ear effusion (MEE),” Gentry said. “When their Eustachian tube gets closed, either from a respiratory infection or from just anatomical differences that we see in these smush-faced dogs, the normal, small amounts of fluid that your middle ear makes can’t exit; they just build up over time.”

This fluid build-up can press on nerves that control an individual’s ability to move their pupils, blink, hold their head straight and feel their face, resulting in a constant feeling of dizziness and nausea.

While Chispa was lucky that her suspected infection could be resolved through medication, many brachycephalic dogs that develop MEE with clinical signs or a serious middle or inner ear infection end up needing ear canal surgery at some point in their lives. Surgery can have additional risks in these breeds because they are more likely to develop anesthesia complications from their reduced airway. 

“If you have a pug, French bulldog, English bulldog, Boston terrier, or any other smush-faced dog, any sign of an ear infection should prompt you to seek a veterinarian as soon as possible,” Gentry said. “In these breeds, their middle ear is very close to their inner ear and brain, and we don’t want any infection to spread.”

Fortunately for Chispa, her owners and veterinary team are dedicated to managing her skin and ear infections and keeping the pug as comfortable as possible. Thanks to her new restricted diet, Chispa had the added benefit of losing a few pounds, improving her recovery from her spine surgery. 

“When we came to Texas A&M, we were confident that we could get everything resolved in one spot without having to go to different specialists and different places,” Schulte said. “Chispa had a cast of people looking after her and everybody seemed to really like her. Now, she’s doing great. If she wants to chase the garbage truck, she’ll take off like a stallion, with no issues whatsoever.”

Sprinting through grassy meadows, rolling around on flower-filled hills, and playing in the breezy spring air may seem like a dream for your pet, especially following the chill of winter. But the incoming season brings with it much more than the beauty that the winter season stripped away; it also opens a season of allergies — and itching — that can have your pets preferring the great indoors.

Dr. Christina Gentry, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, prepares owners for the symptoms and necessary remedies of seasonal allergies that are on the horizon.

Look What The Wind Blew In

When the warming weather begins luring owners and their pets outside for walks, it’s important to remember that spring outings expose pets to an influx of allergens that can affect their furry friends’ health.

“In general, at least 10% of the canine population are known to suffer from allergy season,” Gentry said. “This time frame usually coincides with the spring season, as the trees start releasing pollen around Valentine’s Day each year.”

Some of the environmental allergens your pet may encounter in the wild include tree, grass, and weed pollens as well as outdoor molds. While many people associate environmental allergens with the outdoors, they can also exist within your home, in the form of house dust mites and storage mites, which are prevalent year round; the effect of multiple allergen sources can sometimes make seasonal allergies even more extreme for pets. 

In addition, while seasonal allergies tend to peak when plants are in bloom, allergic reactions may persist even after blooming is over because allergens remain on the surfaces of grass and in the home environment, according to Gentry. 

Allergy season can also be extended because of how far allergens are able to travel with the wind.

“Allergens can move many miles,” Gentry said. “We typically think of pollen moving within a region, but there is documentation that red cedar allergens — the cause of winter-cedar fever — can move from north Texas/Oklahoma into Canada with the right wind directions.”

Non-Stop Irritation

Humans commonly react to allergies with upper respiratory signs such as sneezing and eye redness, but these reactionary symptoms are uncommon in dogs, according to Gentry. 

Instead, pets that are affected by seasonal allergies are frequently observed exhibiting the following symptoms:

• Itching
• Scratching
• Licking at the skin
• Biting and chewing at the skin
• Rubbing/rolling on grass, floors, and furniture
• Rear end scooting

“It is important to remember that dogs’ immune systems contact the allergens mainly via a skin route, with the respiratory system playing a much smaller role,” Gentry said. “This is why we see skin and ear signs in dogs with allergies much more commonly than respiratory signs.”

Searching For Relief

Because diagnosing allergies in companion animals can be quite difficult, veterinarians will often start by ruling out all other possible causes of an itch, such as parasites or food allergies.

If these allergens have been ruled out or are being concurrently managed, a veterinary dermatologist like Gentry will move onto allergy testing through methods such as performing a blood draw used for serum testing or an intradermal (into the skin) test after sedating the dog.

“This allows veterinarians to create immunotherapy injections or prescribe oral immunotherapy in order to best combat the effects of the allergy,” she said. “Other tests that are available online using hair or saliva are not accurate and are not recommended in reference to pet allergies.”

Mark Your Calendar

With avoidance of allergens being nearly impossible, since common allergens can be found both indoors and outdoors, the first step in managing seasonal allergies is keeping watch for clinical signs.

“Based on a pet’s history, an owner may already know that the dog has allergies every spring/summer and they should create a proactive strategy with their veterinarian to limit the severity of the clinical signs,” Gentry said.

Gentry also recommends bathing affected pets one to two times per week with a shampoo specified by the pet’s veterinarian to decrease allergen accumulation on the coat. 

“Owners should contact their veterinarian if there are any clinical signs associated with allergy, but especially if there is hair loss, odor, or redness to the skin, as this may indicate a skin infection that is secondary to the allergic skin inflammation,” Gentry said.

By staying on top of bathing and any other prescribed medications, owners can help ensure their pets’ spring is as painless — and itchless — as possible.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu.

Allergies are among the most chronic conditions worldwide, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. Though many of us love companion animals, some pets, especially cats and dogs, can cause allergic reactions in people.

Dr. Mark Stickney, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explained why some people are allergic to cats and dogs.

“People are typically allergic to the dander and saliva of dogs and cats,” Stickney said. “Cats groom themselves more than dogs, so more people are allergic to cats and have more severe symptoms than those allergic to dogs.”

Though hypoallergenic pets have become more popular, Stickney said recent evidence has shown that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog or cat. However, there are several breeds of dogs and cats that are purported to cause less severe allergic reactions.

“A few examples of dogs that may cause less allergic reactions include labradoodles, bichon fries, poodles, and Portuguese water dogs,” Stickney said. “Some examples of cats include Devon rex, Siamese, and Sphynx.”

If being around cats and dogs is a must, Stickney said there are some ways to alleviate pet allergies. Some options include bathing your pet weekly, getting a HEPA filter for your home, designating a “pet-free” room or area of your house, washing pet beds frequently, dusting and vacuuming your house regularly, and washing your hands after handling a pet. Seeing a physician about allergy treatment options also may help.

Additionally, Stickney said some allergic people can consider pets that are not known to cause allergies, such as lizards, ferrets, rats, and birds. However, Stickney reminds pet owners to do their research before getting a new pet.

“None of these animals should be ‘impulse buys’,” he said. “They all have unique husbandry and health care requirements.”

While allergies may affect our choice in pets, everyone can find a pet fit for them, even allergy sufferers.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu .