Pet Allergies in Katy, Texas: Top Tips 

 When our pets are affected by allergies it can make them, and us, miserable. We don’t have to grin and bear it though. At Katy Area Veterinary Medical Group, nearly 25% of all pets we see are dealing with conditions related to allergies. Here are a few tips that should help us all get through the allergy season and even address some of the more troublesome, long-term allergy issues in Katy, Texas.

What about the Allergy Symptoms? 

The signs are usually pretty obvious. Your pet is scratching licking or has abnormal marks on the skin. Allergies may also present as eye redness, swelling or goop. In some cases, you might even see diarrhea or vomiting with some food allergies. In the most severe cases, your pet can go into anaphylactic shock.  

TEST, test, test for Allergies 

The first step as your vet is to find out what is causing the over-the-top reaction: sneezing, coughing, skin irritation, etc. We place your pet on a hydrolyzed-protein or prescription diet. When the symptoms dissipate, we begin to slowly reintroduce food to determine what is causing the severe allergy.  

If it’s not food-related, we can also run blood tests and/or conduct skin analysis. We also work to get you quick turnarounds on those results, so that you don’t have to wonder or worry. Our goal is to determine what is causing the irritation, so we can fix the problem(s) and offer relief.  

Treat Allergy Symptoms 

Many causes of allergies can be treated by removing them from your pet’s environment or diet. We often recommend regular baths with non-allergy-inducing shampoo to take care of the more severe allergens, but also washing the bedding.  

We also prescribe antihistamines to alleviate the allergy symptoms, or corticosteroid to treat severe inflammation and swelling.  

How We Can Help! 

We work with pets in the Katy, Texas area to specifically address allergy issues from the first visit through ongoing check-ups and treatments. Your pet’s health is our top priority, and we also work to make sure that allergies don’t become an urgent or life-threatening issue. We offer quality personalized care because your pets are part of our family too.  You can call Katy Area Veterinary Medical Group at (281) 398-1551 to schedule an appointment today!