Can Dogs Have Hay Fever? The Answer is Yes.

Treated with lighter evenings and warmer days, the Spring and Summer months are the time of year we get to enjoy longer, pleasurable walks with our fluffy best friends. However, as the t-shirts and shorts come out so do the tissues! As the pollen count is at its highest especially on warm and dry days.

Resulting in a range of symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, itchy throat and eyes, hay fever is an allergenic condition to pollen, dust, grass and mould and although it is not a life-threatening condition, it can get very miserable at times. But here’s a thought, can dogs have hay fever too?

Just like us hoomans, dogs can also have hay fever and it is said that between the months of April to September, this is when dogs are most prone to hay fever. Whether you live in the city or the country, hay fever is not exclusive to places that are covered in green surroundings like parks, trees and green lands. So unfortunately, this does mean that our city pups can still get the sniffles and sneezing spells.

Symptoms of Hay Fever in Dogs

Whilst both humans and dogs can have hay fever, this doesn’t mean that we present the same symptoms. Hay fever in dogs typically affects the skin making it look flaky, red and sometimes greasy, causing their skin to be incredibly uncomfortable and itchy. The areas to watch out for are their paws, ears, eyes, mouth, armpits, abdominal, legs and groin.

Other symptoms also include;

•         Frequent sneezing
•         Red, watery, itchy eyes
•         Runny nose
•         Pruritus (itching) all over the body
•         Rash on face and paws
•         Bald patches on their skin due to itching
•         Rubbing their face with their paws or on furniture
•         Tendency to scratch or bite parts of their body

How to Treat Hay Fever in Dogs

Unfortunately, hay fever can’t be cured and while there is no solution to permanently get rid of hay fever in dogs, there are a couple of things we can do to make their allergenic condition more comfortable and easier for them.

If you suspect that your dog may have hay fever, your first course of action should be to contact your vet so they can give you an accurate diagnosis and the best course of treatment. The symptoms of hay fever are also associated with fleas and stress so you should contact your vet so they can rule out these causes first.

If your dog has severe hay fever, your vet would typically prescribe creams, shampoos, sprays, supplements or medication to help treat and ease symptoms for your dog. Most often the best ways to help your sniffly pet is to;

•         Monitor the pollen forecast.
•         Wipe your dog’s coat and paws when they come back in from a walk to remove pollen – our Earth Rated Grooming Wipes Unscented are hypoallergenic so they are great for dogs with allergies
•         Walk your dog in the mornings and evenings when pollen count is lower
•         Avoid walking your dog through freshly cut grass or dense, long vegetation
•         Avoid drying your dog’s bedding and towels on a washing line outside which can easily catch pollen
•         Cut your dog’s fur if it’s very thick and long
•         Wash your dog’s bedding on a weekly basis
•         Don’t keep fresh flowers and plants with flowers in the home
•         Keep windows and doors shut when possible
•         Vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
•         Ensure your lawn is cut short
•         Use and air filter system in the home to remove pollen particles

Sadly Dogs Can Have Hay Fever

Whilst removing the source of the allergy is the most effective way in solving the problem, this is impossible with hay fever, but there are many steps we can take in our own home to make their life easier for them.

Making sure your dog’s diet is only composed of hypoallergenic food and treats is also a great way to reduce allergy triggers. At Betty & Butch we offer a wide selection of dog food and treats that are hypoallergenic which helps to regulate allergies for your dog.

All of our Premium Dog Food are not only hypoallergenic but are completely grain-free and contain only the most natural, wholesome ingredients.

Our Single-Protein Dog Treats like our Meat Strips, Beer Tendon Chew, Deer Leg Bone Dog Chew and Camel Skin Dog Chew are all hypoallergenic, as well as our MeatLove single protein range.

Same goes for our Single-Protein fish products like our Seafood Training Treats, Sprats, Haddock Fish Cubes and Cod Fish Fingers.

There are lots of different ways to help your dog deal with hay fever but our best advice would be to use a combination of both - keeping pollen away with the list provided above and offering your dog a hypoallergenic diet to ensure you are doing everything you can to help your sneezy pet with their allergies.