Beware of pets' allergies

If your pet is always itchy, has inflamed skin or watery eyes, it could be an allergy

- Nameeta Nadkarni

Prince, a five-year-old Siberian P husky, visited the clinic last week because he couldn't stop scratching. He couldn't sleep, was biting his fur, and had inflamed skin. Turned out he had fleas, the cause of his allergic reaction. Many pet owners are unaware that fleas, besides biting and causing irritation, can also trigger an allergic reaction in some pets.

Animal allergies, especially in dogs and cats, are more frequent than you may think and can significantly impact their quality of life.

Allergies can stem from different root causes and come with a wide range of symptoms. My dog, for instance, has a chicken allergy and experiences diarrhoea and vomiting after eating any poultry product. Even though dogs are primarily carnivores, it's interesting to note that chicken is one of the most prevalent dietary allergies. Beef, dairy, wheat, and soy are some of the other offenders. Pets can develop food allergies at any age. Even if your dog or cat has been eating the same food for months or years, they may stop tolerating it all of a sudden.