Pets suffer from summer allergies too

(FOX Providence) - If you're one with bad allergies, then you dread the pollen, dust, and grass that fills the air in the summertime.

While you're stocking up on the tissues and medications, you might want to think about more than just yourself!

Dogs, just like humans can have allergies. But, mans best friend doesn't have the typical symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes.

"Although dogs suffer the same types of allergies, people's organs of allergies are the eyes and nose and we get running eyes and runny nose. The dogs' organs of allergies is their skin. So, often times it will start with just red, hot skin, and then that turns into itchy skin, so they will lick and bite and scratch and rub and roll," said Tiffany Tapp from the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.

It's estimated that about 15 to 30 percent of dogs have allergies. So, it may be time to pay close attention to your pets, and take notice of their quirky behaviors.

"We'll tell owners, if your dog is shaking their head a lot, licking their feet, if they have an odor to them, if they start to loose hair, sometimes dogs will rub on the furniture. Those are all really common signs of allergies."

If your dog is allergic to things like pollen, there is a solution. But, consult your veterinarian for proper medication. Not a human antihistamine - which doesn't work too well in animals.

"We can use a combination of fatty acids and sometimes we will combine it with antihistamines. There is another newer medication called Atopica - which is also used to treat dog allergies."

Dogs aren't the only household animals to watch out for. While it's common to be allergic to cats, our feline friends have allergies too.

"Cats tend to be more secretive about their allergies. They tend to be overzealous groomers. So, a client might just think that their cat is really clean, but really, that licking, licking, licking for a kitty cat is what they show their allergies as."

There's plenty to watch out for if your animal is having an allergic reaction. With a simple allergy test, doctors can determine what pets are allergic to.

"Probably about five to twenty percent of the time that we see a dog with allergies, it is a food allergy. We can also see animals being allergic to insects and that is often seen with pollen allergies. So, a dog may be highly allergic to house dust mites but also to some of the pollens."

Click here for more information on pet allergies.