Flea allergy
- Trigger
- Flea saliva (even a single bite)
- Typical pattern
- Intense itching over the rump and tail base
- How it’s diagnosed
- Response to strict flea control
- Long-term management
- Year-round flea prevention for all pets in the home
Allergies & Dermatology
Itching, scratching, licking, chewing, chronic ear infections, and recurring “hot spots” are among the most common reasons dogs and cats see a veterinarian. The good news: dermatology has advanced enormously. With in-house diagnostics, including microscopic examination to guide our approach, and targeted anti-itch therapies, most pets with allergies can now live comfortably.
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Understanding allergies
The Three Main Allergy Types
| Comparison criteria | Flea allergy | Environmental (atopic) allergy | Food allergy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Flea saliva (even a single bite) | Pollens, moulds, dust mites, dander | A protein in the diet |
| Typical pattern | Intense itching over the rump and tail base | Itching, often affecting the face, paws, ears, belly, and armpits | Itching similar to environmental allergies, sometimes with digestive signs |
| How it’s diagnosed | Response to strict flea control | By exclusion, then allergy testing to guide immunotherapy if needed | A strict eight-week veterinary elimination diet trial |
| Long-term management | Year-round flea prevention for all pets in the home | Skin-barrier support, anti-itch medication, and immunotherapy offered by specialists | Lifelong avoidance of the trigger protein |
Environmental (atopic) allergy
- Trigger
- Pollens, moulds, dust mites, dander
- Typical pattern
- Itching, often affecting the face, paws, ears, belly, and armpits
- How it’s diagnosed
- By exclusion, then allergy testing to guide immunotherapy if needed
- Long-term management
- Skin-barrier support, anti-itch medication, and immunotherapy offered by specialists
Food allergy
- Trigger
- A protein in the diet
- Typical pattern
- Itching similar to environmental allergies, sometimes with digestive signs
- How it’s diagnosed
- A strict eight-week veterinary elimination diet trial
- Long-term management
- Lifelong avoidance of the trigger protein
Frequently Asked Questions
Occasional scratching is normal; persistent itching that interrupts sleep or rest, causes hair loss, redness, sores, or recurring ear infections is not.
While many people assume paw licking is due to stress or boredom, it is most commonly a sign of an underlying allergy. Allergies can make the paws itchy or irritated, leading to persistent licking and chewing. The good news is that this is very treatable. If your pet is frequently licking their paws, we can help identify the cause and find relief for their discomfort.
In the vast majority of recurrent cases, ear infections are a symptom of underlying allergy, not a standalone problem.
Treating the allergies will not always relieve the itch. Sometimes there is a secondary infection of the skin or ears, driven by the allergy, that needs to be addressed directly. This is why we look at the whole picture rather than treating the itch alone.
Frequently, yes. Low humidity impairs the skin’s barrier function, and a compromised barrier lets allergens in and moisture out. Veterinary skin-barrier support such as fatty acid supplementation, appropriate topical treatments, and humidity management is often part of a winter plan.