VET SPEAK: Autumn risks to dogs from allergies, and how to treat them
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I LOVE the beautiful, colourful, autumn season, and the crisp air and walks in the surrounding woods. Our Collies, Moss and Fern, also love the autumn too and chasing each other through piles of leaves.
However, they both have had itchy, watery eyes this autumn. Bathing their eyes with tepid water compresses twice a day has helped a little. However, our wee Moss has had a secondary conjunctivitis, so he had to have some eye ointment applied.
The heavy leaf and tree fall, with leaves and seeds flying around, can cause eye irritations at this time of year, due to contact allergies to leaf and tree pollens.
The damp wet autumn days and heavy leaf fall can also cause and exacerbate allergic skin conditions. So, keep a regular check on your pet’s skin and bathe their skin checking their ears, eyes, legs, paws, and abdomen for any signs of inflamed skin or rashes.
Dogs can have seasonal skin problems and skin allergies due to and underlying “atopic dermatitis”. This can be a debilitating skin condition triggered by a specific allergen. There are an enormous number of potential allergens that a cat or dog can be allergic to, and each pet can be reactive to multiple allergens, so establishing the cause can be extremely difficult. Allergies are one of the most common causes of itchy skin in dogs.
As the weather cools, we see a break in the summer grass and flower pollen load, however, the leaf, tree and weed pollen count stays high throughout the autumn. As leaves and flowers begin to fall, and the autumn winds increase, the tree, leaf and weed pollens start flying. As these pollens increase, so does atopic dermatitis in allergic pets.
Mould spores are everywhere at all times of the year. However, they reach their peak in the wet autumn weather and can trigger allergies, as too can mushroom spores.
Skin sensitivities are usually seen in younger dogs under three. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis include itchy and inflamed skin, hair loss, and repeat skin and ear infections. Allergies can cause itchy, inflamed eyes, and runny eyes and noses.
Affected dogs and cats will constantly scratch themselves, and sometimes self-inflicted scratched skin lesions can then become infected. Dogs often will exhibit a rash and itching on their muzzle and eyes, underside of their tummy, under their fore limbs, in their groin and on the inside of their thighs and on their paws. Occasionally, these rashes can extend to their neck, back, and head and ears. Affected dogs and cats will often scratch or lick incessantly and can become very uncomfortable.
Depending on the severity of symptoms, these allergies can be treated symptomatically: meaning that the flare-ups, and secondary skin infections, can be treated with medication to settle down the itch and infection, along with regular bathing with a dog-safe sensitive, medicated shampoo, topical skin products and oral skin supplements containing Omega 3.
Antihistamines may help a little. Prescription anti-inflammatories may be required.
If your pet has recurrent allergies your vet may advise further testing to find the specific allergens.
Avoiding exposure to an allergen is always the best way to control an allergy, so try to avoid your pet having prolonged contact with rotting piles of leaves. Also, you can wipe your pet down well after walks in the woods with his own flannel and plain tepid water, rinsing off paws and cleaning eyes, ears, and muzzle to reduce and clean off some of the allergens.
It looks like our Moss and Fern may have a mild seasonal allergy to leaf moulds, causing them to have itchy eyes. Hopefully, with careful management we can control this.
If you are concerned about a pet’s skin or allergy symptoms call your vet.
n Alison Laurie-Chalmers is a senior consultant at Crown Vets.
