Dogs and cats can also suffer from allergies, but there are ways to help our furry friends
About five years ago, Gail Friedman noticed her Parson Russell Terrier was constantly licking his paws and seemed super uncomfortable.
'The poor dog. I would put baby socks on his feet so that he wouldn't lick them or bite at them,' said Friedman, of Oak Brook, Illinois. 'I was constantly changing the socks, washing his feet a lot. Nothing worked.'
It turned out her canine companion, Mr. Friedman, had allergies.
It's a common and tricky problem in pets — caused by various things such as pollen, dust, mold, chemicals and food — but veterinarians say there are several ways to ease their suffering.
What sorts of allergies do dogs and cats get?
Allergies happen when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substance. Cats and dogs react to many of the same things people do, as well as pests like fleas.
There are no definitive recent statistics on how many pets have allergies, but research suggests the problem is growing.
'I probably see allergic dogs and cats every single day, probably multiple times a day,' said Dr. Karen Woodard, medical director at Thrive Pet Healthcare-Elmhurst in Illinois.
About 90% of allergic pets react to environmental triggers, Woodard said, and the rest have food allergies only.
Dog breeds that are especially vulnerable include various types of terriers, boxers and bulldogs; in cats, it's Persians, Siamese and Himalayans.
Pets can even be allergic to other animals — cats to dogs, dogs to cats and either to another species.
'It's possible for them to be allergic to us, just like we are to them,' said Thrive's Dr. Anthea Elliott Schick of Scottsdale, Arizona, immediate past president of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.
How can you tell if your pet has allergies?
Allergic cats and dogs aren't as likely as humans to sneeze and cough. More often, they scratch and lick themselves, shake their heads and develop ear infections.
Woodard said her Yorkie mix, Teddy, had the classic signs — scratching around his shoulders and getting rashes and ear infections starting as a six-month-old puppy. She lived in the South at the time, and he tested positive for allergies to various trees and grasses there.
A common sign of allergies in her feline patients is 'overdoing their grooming,' said Woodard, who's on the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association's board of directors. 'Cats shouldn't be pulling their hair out when they groom. So if you start seeing bald patches on your cat, even though the skin underneath it looks normal, that could be a sign of allergies.'
Even food allergies, often to chicken, beef, lamb or other protein sources, frequently show up on the skin, although pets can have vomiting or diarrhea, too.
Rarely, pets can develop life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, perhaps after being stung by an insect. But most allergies are simply miserable for the animals.
'It breaks my heart because it gets to a point that not only do I have socks on poor Mr. Friedman — which is humiliating for him — he sometimes gets so bad he has to wear the cone of shame,' Gail Friedman said. 'And that's not fair because he can't move around right, he can't sleep right. It's terrible.'
How can you help your pet?
The first step is to get a diagnosis from the vet. This could involve allergy testing, or in the case of food allergies, an 'elimination diet,' which involves feeding limited ingredients the pet hasn't previously eaten.
If the allergy culprit is environmental, there are medications like anti-inflammatory drugs and newer oral and injectable medications for dogs to block chemical signals associated with itchiness. Food allergies may be treated with special diets such as 'hydrolyzed' food, in which proteins are chemically broken down into tiny pieces.
All this can get expensive. Friedman estimates she's spent about $10,000 on testing, medication and care for Mr. Friedman and another allergic dog.
But vets say there are also ways to help pets at home by cleaning their bedding frequently, wiping their fur with a wet washcloth and giving them baths.
Wednesdays
A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future.
Outdoors, 'they're almost acting like little Swiffers, getting allergens on their skin, and it goes through their skin and actually becomes a problem,' Schick said. 'We say bathe your dog, at a minimum, once a week if they're allergic.'
After she's tried nearly everything, Friedman's dogs are still vexed by allergies. But they're doing better.
'I'm going to keep experimenting until we find what stops it completely,' she said. 'All you can do is try.'
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Dogs and cats can also suffer from allergies, but there are ways to help our furry friends
Dr. Karen Woodard check's Gail Friedman's dog, Ms. Roxie, for signs of allergies in Elmhurst, Ill. on May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld) About five years ago, Gail Friedman noticed her Parson Russell Terrier was constantly licking his paws and seemed super uncomfortable. 'The poor dog. I would put baby socks on his feet so that he wouldn't lick them or bite at them,' said Friedman, of Oak Brook, Illinois. 'I was constantly changing the socks, washing his feet a lot. Nothing worked.' It turned out her canine companion, Mr. Friedman, had allergies. It's a common and tricky problem in pets — caused by various things such as pollen, dust, mold, chemicals and food — but veterinarians say there are several ways to ease their suffering. What sorts of allergies do dogs and cats get? Allergies happen when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substance. Cats and dogs react to many of the same things people do, as well as pests like fleas. There are no definitive recent statistics on how many pets have allergies, but research suggests the problem is growing. 'I probably see allergic dogs and cats every single day, probably multiple times a day,' said Dr. Karen Woodard, medical director at Thrive Pet Healthcare-Elmhurst in Illinois. About 90 per cent of allergic pets react to environmental triggers, Woodard said, and the rest have food allergies only. Dog breeds that are especially vulnerable include various types of terriers, boxers and bulldogs; in cats, it's Persians, Siamese and Himalayans. Pets can even be allergic to other animals — cats to dogs, dogs to cats and either to another species. 'It's possible for them to be allergic to us, just like we are to them,' said Thrive's Dr. Anthea Elliott Schick of Scottsdale, Arizona, immediate past president of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. How can you tell if your pet has allergies? Allergic cats and dogs aren't as likely as humans to sneeze and cough. More often, they scratch and lick themselves, shake their heads and develop ear infections. Woodard said her Yorkie mix, Teddy, had the classic signs — scratching around his shoulders and getting rashes and ear infections starting as a six-month-old puppy. She lived in the South at the time, and he tested positive for allergies to various trees and grasses there. A common sign of allergies in her feline patients is 'overdoing their grooming,' said Woodard, who's on the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association's board of directors. 'Cats shouldn't be pulling their hair out when they groom. So if you start seeing bald patches on your cat, even though the skin underneath it looks normal, that could be a sign of allergies.' Even food allergies, often to chicken, beef, lamb or other protein sources, frequently show up on the skin, although pets can have vomiting or diarrhea, too. Rarely, pets can develop life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, perhaps after being stung by an insect. But most allergies are simply miserable for the animals. 'It breaks my heart because it gets to a point that not only do I have socks on poor Mr. Friedman — which is humiliating for him — he sometimes gets so bad he has to wear the cone of shame,' Gail Friedman said. 'And that's not fair because he can't move around right, he can't sleep right. It's terrible.' How can you help your pet? The first step is to get a diagnosis from the vet. This could involve allergy testing, or in the case of food allergies, an 'elimination diet,' which involves feeding limited ingredients the pet hasn't previously eaten. If the allergy culprit is environmental, there are medications like anti-inflammatory drugs and newer oral and injectable medications for dogs to block chemical signals associated with itchiness. Food allergies may be treated with special diets such as 'hydrolyzed' food, in which proteins are chemically broken down into tiny pieces. All this can get expensive. Friedman estimates she's spent about US$10,000 on testing, medication and care for Mr. Friedman and another allergic dog. But vets say there are also ways to help pets at home by cleaning their bedding frequently, wiping their fur with a wet washcloth and giving them baths. Outdoors, 'they're almost acting like little Swiffers, getting allergens on their skin, and it goes through their skin and actually becomes a problem,' Schick said. 'We say bathe your dog, at a minimum, once a week if they're allergic.' After she's tried nearly everything, Friedman's dogs are still vexed by allergies. But they're doing better. 'I'm going to keep experimenting until we find what stops it completely,' she said. 'All you can do is try.' The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Laura Ungar, The Associated Press
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dogs and cats can also suffer from allergies, but there are ways to help our furry friends
About five years ago, Gail Friedman noticed her Parson Russell Terrier was constantly licking his paws and seemed super uncomfortable. 'The poor dog. I would put baby socks on his feet so that he wouldn't lick them or bite at them,' said Friedman, of Oak Brook, Illinois. 'I was constantly changing the socks, washing his feet a lot. Nothing worked.' It turned out her canine companion, Mr. Friedman, had allergies. It's a common and tricky problem in pets — caused by various things such as pollen, dust, mold, chemicals and food — but veterinarians say there are several ways to ease their suffering. What sorts of allergies do dogs and cats get? Allergies happen when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substance. Cats and dogs react to many of the same things people do, as well as pests like fleas. There are no definitive recent statistics on how many pets have allergies, but research suggests the problem is growing. 'I probably see allergic dogs and cats every single day, probably multiple times a day,' said Dr. Karen Woodard, medical director at Thrive Pet Healthcare-Elmhurst in Illinois. About 90% of allergic pets react to environmental triggers, Woodard said, and the rest have food allergies only. Dog breeds that are especially vulnerable include various types of terriers, boxers and bulldogs; in cats, it's Persians, Siamese and Himalayans. Pets can even be allergic to other animals — cats to dogs, dogs to cats and either to another species. 'It's possible for them to be allergic to us, just like we are to them,' said Thrive's Dr. Anthea Elliott Schick of Scottsdale, Arizona, immediate past president of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. How can you tell if your pet has allergies? Allergic cats and dogs aren't as likely as humans to sneeze and cough. More often, they scratch and lick themselves, shake their heads and develop ear infections. Woodard said her Yorkie mix, Teddy, had the classic signs — scratching around his shoulders and getting rashes and ear infections starting as a six-month-old puppy. She lived in the South at the time, and he tested positive for allergies to various trees and grasses there. A common sign of allergies in her feline patients is 'overdoing their grooming,' said Woodard, who's on the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association's board of directors. 'Cats shouldn't be pulling their hair out when they groom. So if you start seeing bald patches on your cat, even though the skin underneath it looks normal, that could be a sign of allergies.' Even food allergies, often to chicken, beef, lamb or other protein sources, frequently show up on the skin, although pets can have vomiting or diarrhea, too. Rarely, pets can develop life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, perhaps after being stung by an insect. But most allergies are simply miserable for the animals. 'It breaks my heart because it gets to a point that not only do I have socks on poor Mr. Friedman — which is humiliating for him — he sometimes gets so bad he has to wear the cone of shame,' Gail Friedman said. 'And that's not fair because he can't move around right, he can't sleep right. It's terrible.' How can you help your pet? The first step is to get a diagnosis from the vet. This could involve allergy testing, or in the case of food allergies, an 'elimination diet,' which involves feeding limited ingredients the pet hasn't previously eaten. If the allergy culprit is environmental, there are medications like anti-inflammatory drugs and newer oral and injectable medications for dogs to block chemical signals associated with itchiness. Food allergies may be treated with special diets such as 'hydrolyzed' food, in which proteins are chemically broken down into tiny pieces. All this can get expensive. Friedman estimates she's spent about $10,000 on testing, medication and care for Mr. Friedman and another allergic dog. But vets say there are also ways to help pets at home by cleaning their bedding frequently, wiping their fur with a wet washcloth and giving them baths. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. Outdoors, 'they're almost acting like little Swiffers, getting allergens on their skin, and it goes through their skin and actually becomes a problem,' Schick said. 'We say bathe your dog, at a minimum, once a week if they're allergic.' After she's tried nearly everything, Friedman's dogs are still vexed by allergies. But they're doing better. 'I'm going to keep experimenting until we find what stops it completely,' she said. 'All you can do is try.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
CBC
10-10-2024
- CBC
Recent health advisory draws attention to state of dental equipment in N.W.T.
A dentist who travels to N.W.T. communities for work says the territory needs to do a better job maintaining its equipment in those communities. A recent advisory of possible infection from dental visits in the Beaufort Delta linked the situation to equipment that "was not properly cleaned, disinfected and sterilized as per standard procedures." While the risk of infection remains "very low," the office of the chief public health officer recommends residents get tested for HIV, hep B and C. It's not clear whether the incident stems from an equipment malfunction or user error. The office of the chief public health officer declined to comment, saying there was an ongoing investigation. No dental contracts, but 'one-off' visits Dr. Pirjo Friedman works for Adam Dental, based in Yellowknife, and has travelled to offer dental service to N.W.T. communities for 13 years. She says sterilization is crucial to carrying out dental services in the communities. Instruments are sterilized after every procedure, she said. Most of the communities she visits in the Dehcho and Sahtu have sterilizers, but she's previously had to bring her own. "If ever there was a problem, we'd get another one by flight," she said. "If that was not possible, we'd simply have to leave." CBC News has asked the Department of Health and Social Services whether the communities mentioned in the advisory have sterilizers. Friedman says other equipment issues are outstanding and one of the factors contributing to difficulties getting consistent dental services in the communities. "To have better equipment, better maintenance — that would probably be easier to get dentists to go there," she said. The availability of dental services got worse during the pandemic and when the contracts for dental services in the regions expired. White there have been no formal contracts to offer dental services in communities this year, there have still been visits. "On a few occasions over the past year, we have requested that a dental clinic visit a community to provide services to alleviate backlog," wrote Andrew Wind, manager of communications for the Department of Health and Social Services, in an email. "These trips were completed under the terms of the expired contracts. These are considered one-offs, only occurring on a case-by-case basis." Without regular visits, Friedman says she's noticed "there is quite a deterioration with the condition of the teeth." Maintenance and repairs coming The territory is working to address that situation. In July, it issued a tender to assess and repair dental equipment in the Dehcho, Sahtu and Beaufort Delta regions. According to OpenNWT, the territory issued two contracts in September for maintenance and repairs, to Advanced Medical Solutions and Henry Schein Canada, for $279,760 and $151,800, respectively. Dental care visits in remote N.W.T. communities are funded by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and administered by the territorial government. "We are working closely with ISC to better equip the community dental rooms, and more clearly defining contract clauses to allow more flexibility to the dental providers," said Wind. He also said the department would issue new dental service contracts once the equipment maintenance and repairs are complete.
