Can dogs and cats get hay fever? The answer is yes – cats and dogs can suffer from hay fever.

They can be allergic to the pollen from grasses, weeds, flowers and trees. Like us humans, your pets can be seen sneezing, coughing, have a runny nose and eyes, but the most common symptom in cats and dogs is skin irritation.

Our vet expert friends at Vetstream have pulled together all the info you need to know about hay fever in dogs and cats. If your pet has a pollen allergy and suffers when pollen counts are high, speak to your vet as there are various ways to help your pet cope with their hay fever symptoms.

Symptoms of Hay Fever in Dogs

Dog hay fever is typically itchy skin, itchy eyes and sneezing and they'll have these symptoms at the same time every year! They'll keep licking or scratching at places where the pollen on their fur has caused irritation. Your dog’s skin may become red, flaky and sore. They may lose patches of hair from the constant scratching and develop skin infections if the skin is broken.

If your dog suffers from hay fever, they may also chew at their paws if they’ve walked in areas where there’s a lot of pollen. The skin condition caused by an allergic reaction is known as atopy or atopic dermatitis.

Dogs with hay fever will have skin irritation during the pollen seasons of spring and summer. If your dog is allergic to tree pollen, their hay fever symptoms will start mid-March to mid-May. If their symptoms start mid-May to July, they may be allergic to grass pollen. The weed pollen season is the end of June to September.

Your vet can carry out some tests (using an intradermal or skin prick test) to rule out any other allergens that may be triggering the allergic reaction. This means your dog will get the appropriate treatment for their specific allergy. If the dog hay fever symptoms last all year long, then it’s likely they have an allergic reaction to something else, like dust mites or fleas.

Can Cats Get Hay Fever?

Cats can also get hay fever symptoms, but hay fever is much less common than in dogs.

If your cat is suffering from a pollen allergy during hay fever season, they’ll have itchy eyes and lick or scratch at their skin as the pollen on their coat triggers an allergic reaction. They may itch, scratch and lick so much that they break the skin, and a bacterial skin infection can set in.

Pollen affecting cats can also lead to sores developing around their mouth, caused by licking their coats to remove the pollen while grooming. They can also inhale air-borne pollen which can cause inflammation in their airways.

It's important to note that hay fever in cats can be difficult to diagnose. They can have itchy skin due to many other causes so always take your cat to see the vet to rule out any other skin conditions.

Hay Fever Treatment for Cats and Dogs

Keeping your dog or cat indoors as much as possible during the pollen months will help, so will the use of medicated shampoos, wipes, sprays and creams. Ask your vet to recommend the best product for your pet. Simply wiping your pet down or bathing them after they’ve been outside can alleviate their hay fever symptoms and make them more comfortable. You can also wash your dog or cat using a medicated shampoo to soothe any irritation.

If your pet’s eyes are itchy and they keep rubbing at them, your vet may prescribe eye drops. Pollen allergy can cause inflammation in the ear, making it more susceptible to infection so if recurrent ear infections are a problem, your vet may prescribe ear drops. Essential fatty acid supplements may also be recommended.

If you’re wondering whether you can give your pet hay fever tablets, then you can, but only use those prescribed by your vet which are specifically for dogs and cats. Never give them human hay fever tablets as some human hay fever medication can be toxic to your pet. There are also more effective medications that your vet can prescribe.

Here are some tips to help manage and treat your pet’s hay fever symptoms to make their lives more comfortable:

• Remove the trigger (allergen)
• Keep your dog or cat indoors and out of the garden as much as possible during the summer months - especially during and after mowing the lawn
• Keep an eye on pollen forecasts and keep your dog indoors when the pollen count is high
• Walk your dog early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the time when the pollen counts are high (midday) and avoid walking in areas with long grass or areas with lots of weeds
• Wipe your pet’s coat and feet with a damp cloth to remove any pollen
• Keep your garden weed-free and replace trees that have heavy pollen
• Wash your pet’s bedding regularly
• Vacuum regularly
• Remove indoor flowers and plants
• Keep the windows shut and use an air-filter system

If your pet’s hay fever is particularly difficult to manage, your vet may refer your pet to a veterinary dermatologist. They may recommend immunotherapy, a treatment that alters the immune response to an allergen and can help prevent hay fever in dogs and cats.

If your dog or cat suffers from hay fever, this can make life miserable for them during the pollen seasons. But whether it’s tree, grass or weed pollen that’s responsible for your pet’s hay fever, there are simple ways to minimise their exposure to the allergen. And your vet will be on hand to help with medication and other treatments.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis – www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis AND Felis - www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.