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Itching and Scratching the Winter
Away
It's that time when pets and humans are more vulnerable to each
other than ever. Since this is the chilliest month of the year,
animals are more likely to be cooped up in the house -- and us
with them! All of the windows and doors are closed to the world
and the heat is blasting around the clock.
These kinds of conditions can make our winter homes playgrounds
for various allergens. Our pets are vulnerable to the dust in
the carpet, the mold inside the walls of your old house and
other pets. On the other hand, warm moist times of the year or
times when the seasons are shifting are also high allergy times.
Our pets are hardly ever safe from them. Allergies are the most
common conditions affecting cats and according to Kansas State
University, fifteen percent of dogs suffer from common allergies
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pollen, mold and house dust.
However, common allergies
aren't the only ones that affect our pets. Just like humans,
pets can be allergic to anything from eggs to oak trees.
Allergies are conditions that pets and humans share with equal
intensity, so we must use our powers of empathy to make them as
comfortable in their skin as possible. This month, the HealthyPetNet News will focus on pet allergies: what they are, what
to look for and the different methods of GIVING RELIEF.
So What Are Allergies Anyway?
Essentially, an allergic reaction is the work of an overactive
immune system. It's when an animal responds abnormally to a
seemingly everyday substance like grass or common food
ingredients. Substances can cause an allergic reaction upon
exposure by ingestion, inhalation or skin contact.
Allergic animals possess antibodies that react badly to specific
allergens to produce what we know as allergic reactions. Watery
eyes and constant scratching are common manifestations of the
immune system in overdrive, overcompensating to expel the
allergen from the body.
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