Itching, watery eyes, and sneezing are all allergy symptoms that our pets may have to deal with, especially in spring and summer when seasonal allergies are at their peak. But even though pet allergies are usually easy to spot, many pet owners are left wondering exactly what caused them.
If your dog or cat has allergies, and you’re looking to get to the bottom of what’s causing them, check out our list of 12 common allergens for pets that you could talk to your veterinarian about.
Common Things That Can Trigger Pet Allergies
Allergies in our dogs and cats can be triggered by a number of things, from plants and grasses to chemicals and cleaning products. A few common allergens that can trigger allergies in our pets include:
Environmental Allergens (Most Common in Spring and Summer)
1. Pollen
Anyone who suffers from allergies is likely familiar with the effects of pollen, but did you know that it can be a major source of allergies for our pets, too? Pollen is a powdery substance that is produced by a variety of trees, grasses, weeds, and flowering plants and can be found in regions all across the United States. Pets with pollen allergies have overactive immune systems that treat pollen as a threat. Your pet’s body then responds to this “threat” with the pollen allergy symptoms you’ve probably noticed, like itchy, watery eyes, inflamed skin, sneezing, or hives.
Pollen allergies can affect both dogs and cats, though dogs may have a higher rate of reaction due to the fact that they spend more time outdoors than the average house cat. Pet owners can typically identify pollen allergies in dogs and cats because of the seasonal nature of symptoms. If your pet’s allergies seem to peak in spring and summer when plants are growing and flowers are blooming, pollen could be to blame.
2. Mold Spores
Mold spores are tiny particles released by mold that can irritate our pet’s airways and cause classic allergy symptoms in dogs and cats. These spores can thrive both indoors and outdoors, particularly in damp, shaded, or humid environments, and can be a problem for some pet owners year-round.
The best way to prevent flare-ups caused by mold allergies is to keep mold from even developing in your house or areas where your pet frequents. Keep areas throughout your home dry and well-ventilated – especially areas known for moisture like bathrooms or laundry rooms – dust and vacuum regularly to keep organic material out of your home, and use air purifiers in problem areas where ventilation is poor or humidity is high.
3. Dust and Dust Mites
While many of the environmental allergens on our list are most common in spring and summer, dust, dust mites, and dander can be the source of your pet’s allergies any time of year.
Dust is a complex mixture of tiny particles of matter. Though to the human eye, it generally looks like a mix of dirt and lint or hair, dust can actually consist of a number of organic materials like dead skin cells, hair, fibers, and dust mites, as well as inorganic elements like soil, pollen, and even microscopic plastic particles. The individual components of dust, like pollen and dust mites, are what make it so irritating to pets.
Unlike dust, dust mites are actual living organisms that are invisible to the human eye and commonly found in pet beds, mattresses, carpets, sofas, and blankets. These organisms themselves are not responsible for pet allergies, but they do secrete proteins from their feces and body fragments that can cause allergic reactions in both pets and people. These allergens are enzymes that help the mite digest its food (primarily shed skin cells), but when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, they can cause immune reactions in pets that are sensitive to the enzymes.
In order to keep allergic reactions from dust and dust mites at bay, owners should stay on top of house chores like vacuuming and dusting and keep common dust mite hiding spots like pet beds and blankets as clean as possible.
4. Pollution or Smog
For pet owners in large cities or urban areas, pollution and smog could be a cause for concern if you have a pet with allergies or respiratory conditions like asthma or bronchitis. Air pollutants, like ozone, particulate matter, and vehicle emissions, can have a significant impact on your pet’s respiratory and skin health.
Smog levels often worsen in hot weather, especially during the summer months, and can irritate your pet’s airways, leading to symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, wheezing, or labored breathing.
To minimize your pet’s exposure to harmful pollutants in the air and smog, be sure to check the air quality rating for your area on warmer days and limit outdoor time during high-smog days.
5. Insect Bites
Bites from fleas, mosquitoes, ants, and even bees can cause allergic reactions in pets, with each type of bite leading not only to skin irritation, but also other health complications. Flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common causes of skin allergies in dogs and cats and stems from our pets developing an allergic reaction to flea saliva. This means that even one bite could cause a whole host of skin-related allergy symptoms, like redness, itching, and even hair loss in more extreme cases.
Mosquito bites are a common cause of skin irritation because our pets have allergic reactions to the mosquito's saliva and inflammation at the site of the bug bite. However, mosquito bites shouldn’t just be avoided to keep allergy symptoms at bay. Getting bitten by a mosquito can also put your pet at risk for transmission of heartworm, which can be life-threatening for both dogs and cats.
Ant bites and bee stings can result in painful welts on your pet’s skin, leading to swelling, itching, and redness. While one bite or sting isn’t usually a cause for concern, be aware that multiple bites or stings should be treated as an emergency, and you should seek out veterinary care for your pet immediately.
6. Grass or Plant Contact
While pollen is a major cause of pet allergies, some grasses and plants can affect our dogs and cats in other ways. Some pets are sensitive to specific grass species or plants, like ragweed. Contact with these grasses or plants can cause contact dermatitis, which is defined as a skin reaction that occurs after a pet has had prolonged contact with a known allergen or irritant.
Grasses Known to Cause Reactions:
- Bermuda grass
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Ryegrass
- Fescue
- Timothy grass
- Johnson grass
- Orchard grass
- Brome grass
Weeds and Plants That Commonly Trigger Dermatitis:
- Poison ivy
- Poison oak
- Poison sumac
- Nettles (especially stinging nettle)
- Ragweed
- Pigweed
- Lamb’s quarters
- Russian thistle (tumbleweed)
- Dandelions
- Sedges and rushes
Food Allergens
7. Proteins
Just like us, our dogs and cats can be allergic or sensitive to the ingredients in their food. Proteins like beef, chicken, dairy, or fish are common triggers for allergies in pets because our pets eat them most frequently. This type of food allergy in pets can often be confusing for pet owners because most pets aren’t born with these allergies. Instead, they occur after long-term exposure. So, for example, a cat could eat a chicken-based food for years without any problems but suddenly develop an allergy to it and start displaying symptoms such as itching, infections, hair loss, hot spots, or vomiting or diarrhea, though these digestive symptoms are less common in pet food allergies.
In order to diagnose a food allergy in a dog or cat, a veterinarian will typically recommend an elimination diet, which will typically last a few weeks and remove suspected allergens from a pet’s diet to see if symptoms improve.
8. Grains
Similar to protein allergies in dogs and cats, our pets can also be allergic to the carbohydrates and grains found in their food, like corn, wheat, or soy. With the heavy marketing of grain-free pet diets, many dog and cat owners may assume their pet’s food allergies and intolerances stem from grains; however, that’s usually not the case.
Grain allergies are far less common than protein allergies in pets, with less than 10% of all pet food allergies being attributed to grain. The reason why this misconception prevails amongst pet owners is because of the prevalence of grain-free commercial pet foods. Some pet owners assume that because these diets are advertised so often and made available by so many brands, a large number of pets must be allergic to grain. But that just isn't the case. In fact, the FDA has warned pet owners against the dangers of unnecessary grain-free diets due to their link to heart disease in dogs.
Some dogs might be sensitive – not allergic – to high-carb or grain-heavy diets, which can cause digestive upset but not immune-based allergic reactions. Again, veterinarians will employ an elimination diet to help determine if your pet really has a grain allergy before proceeding with a grain-free diet.
Other Common Allergens
9. Fertilizers or Pesticides
Spring and summer are not only primetime for gardening and lawn care, but also for seasonal allergies in dogs and cats. Aside from the environmental allergens we discussed earlier, the products we use to keep our lawns and gardens in tip-top shape could be another cause for your pet’s itching and scratching.
Fertilizers often contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other compounds that can irritate a pet’s skin or paws, while pesticides – designed to kill insects or weeds – may contain harsh chemicals that trigger more severe reactions that warrant immediate veterinary attention. To reduce the risk of your pet having an allergic reaction to fertilizers or pesticides, be sure to keep them away from freshly treated areas and follow all instructions and warning labels on the products, paying special attention to any pet-specific details, such as how long to wait to allowing a pet in the area and warning against skin contact or ingestion.
10. Household Cleaners
Many of the household cleaners we swear by for keeping our house neat and tidy could actually be the source of your pet’s allergies. Window cleaners, floor soaps, laundry detergents, disinfectant sprays, and deodorizers, among others, can contain ingredients that are irritating to a dog's or cat’s skin, eyes, ears, nose, and throat.
Pets can be exposed to irritating ingredients in common household cleaners via contact with their skin or by inhaling the products or their fumes. To prevent future allergy flare-ups from cleaning products, try using pet-safe, non-toxic, or unscented products, and keep your pet out of the area while you use them.
11. Fabrics or Synthetic Materials
On average, an adult dog will spend 12 hours a day sleeping, while cats will spend upwards of 16-18 hours sleeping. With that much time allocated to snoozing, it’s not surprising to realize that your pet spends a good amount of their time lounging and resting on soft surfaces, like pet beds, blankets, and rugs. Unfortunately, some of these materials—particularly those made from synthetic fibers, chemical dyes, or flame retardants — can trigger allergic reactions or skin sensitivities in certain pets.
Reactions from fabric and material allergies in pets can range from mild symptoms like licking and itching, to more severe reactions like redness, hives, or hair loss, especially on areas with prolonged contact like the belly, elbows, and inner thighs.
If you suspect a fabric is the cause of your pet’s allergies, try switching their bedding or objects they typically lay on to natural, hypoallergenic material, like cotton or bamboo, and wash them regularly with fragrance and dye-free laundry detergent.
12. Medications
Another similarity pet allergies share with our own is the potential for our pets to be allergic to certain medications or drugs. In these cases, allergic reactions will occur when a pet's immune system mistakenly identifies the drug entering its system as harmful and responds as if the pet's body is being attacked.
Your vet may treat the reaction with antihistamines, corticosteroids, or epinephrine, and note the allergy in your pet’s medical record to prevent future exposure or incidents from occurring while they’re receiving veterinary care.
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