Hola, hola! Here we meet again! I hope everyone is well and staying healthy. Last year we discussed allergies at one point, but this year Texas decided to love on us and shower us with allergens most of this year! I have seen so many dogs and cats with allergies at my hospital over the last few months, and their parents are having very valid questions and concerns.

Allergies are far more complex than the common “chicken allergy” issues we often hear about. And speaking of “chicken allergies,” these are not as common as you may think.

Itchiness refers to how much is a dog or a cat is chewing, licking and/or scratching. Even though these actions can also be associated with stress/anxiety or discomfort, they are typically associated with itchiness.

Please keep in mind that itching once in a while is considered normal for dogs and cats, but monitoring for trends or changes is important. Allergies range from mild to severe and can be seasonal, nonseasonal or even year-round. While we humans tend to have more respiratory issues when we have allergies, dogs and cats tend to have issues with their skin (including ears).

There are three main categories for types of allergies: allergies to external parasites, allergies to the environment and allergies to food. Needless to say, there are other types of allergies, but we will focus on these three in this column.

In Texas, fleas are one of the most common causes of itchiness with dogs and cats. These critters can also transmit diseases and parasites like tapeworms. It is important to keep our babies on flea prevention year-round, even with strictly indoor fur babies. There are over-the-counter products that may work for some pets, but some of them may not be effective enough. You can get prescribed, medical-grade flea prevention products through your veterinarian, and these can be used year round.

Even though fleas are common around here in Texas, the most common type of allergies seen with our babies are environmental allergies, including with the strictly indoor babies! Cats are not commonly known for suffering from environmental allergies like dogs are, but they can still have them. In order to diagnose environmental allergies, your veterinarian may recommend testing. While this is an ideal approach, most vets rarely test for allergies because we have amazing medical options that can be used instead.

Over-the-counter medications can sometimes help pets with mild environmental allergies (at the correct dose for their weight, of course), but most need prescribed anti-allergy medications. These days we have prescription medications that are safer than steroids, and we even have safe and novel injections that help dogs fight environmental allergies. If your dog or cat is itchy, I recommend you have a thorough conversation with your doctor to see what options may be available for your baby.

Now moving on to the infamous food allergies. Food allergies are actually fairly rare. While they do exist, they are typically not the first thing that come to mind when veterinarians take care of your baby. Even the most expensive of diets can cause food allergies, which means that changing diets may not necessarily help every dog or cat. While chicken is a common protein found in diets, it is once again not usually associated with allergies, because — contrary to popular belief — food allergies are not that common at all. There is also a myth that if a pet has had the same diet long term, there is no way that there can be food allergies developed.

Sadly, these can develop after years, even while on the same diet.

Allergies are not the only causes of skin issues, which is why it is important to discuss your concerns with your veterinarian. It is also important to know that ear infections are very commonly seen with some allergies, so it may be vital to have an ear care routine at home, as well as long-term medical management of allergies. Like with us humans, if we are not taking our anti-allergy medication, the allergies will likely come back. This means that constant communication with your doctor will be vital to prevent major complications seen with allergies.

Your veterinarian may also recommend bathing with certain medicated shampoos, administering certain supplements, or feeding certain diets that are engineered to help with environmental allergies and/or food allergies.

If you are seeing any signs of itchiness or skin/ear issues, please contact your veterinarian right away, before they get worse. Remember that acting sooner rather than later will help both your baby and you. Big abrazos and “see” you next time!

Dr. Josh owns Isla Veterinary Boutique Hospital, 14380 Marsh Ln. Ste. 110 in Addison, next to Tom Thumb. Reach him by phone at 972-738-1111 or visit his website at IslaVet.com.