CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Believe it or not, humans aren't the only ones who can have allergies.
For help on the subject, we went back to visit with Dr. Denette Cooke of Cooke Veterinary in Chesapeake.
"One in five dogs suffer from what we call 'hay fever' in people but called 'atopy' in dogs," said Dr. Cooke.
This means your dog is reacting to the increased pollen count. But they don't typically sneeze and cough like we do. So how do you know if your dog is suffering?
"Generally we see it on their feet where they are itchy scratchy, chewing on their feet, generalized itchy scratchy throughout their coat," Dr. Cooke explained. "Bumps crust or scales on their coat. They could also have ear issues like red, swollen ears."
Doctor Cooke also said to look at their eyes. Sometimes they become runny and drainy.
So if you've noticed some of these symptoms, how can you make your pet feel better?
"Bathing them more frequently. That pulls the antigens off the coat, off the skin so they don't have time to react," advised Dr. Cooke.
Using a shampoo with oatmeal in it can also help calm the itch. When that isn't enough, there are other useful medications.
"Antihistamines can be helpful. Generally people don't give them enough; usually, two to three times per day is what is necessary," Dr. Cooke said.
Keep in mind, this could make your pup drowsy. Dr. Cooke said that there are also injections available that are immune boosting to help with allergic reactions.