It’s almost springtime in earnest, the signs will be starting to show.  Warmer temperatures, melting snow, an awful lot of rain, budding plants...

For many, it is the best time of year. A season of renewal, of fresh life.
For some, it means something else... allergies.

As humans we can commiserate with each other over our stuffy noses and itchy eyes, but our pets also suffer a form of hay fever that becomes rampant in the spring. In cats and dogs, this allergic reaction is called atopy.  Differently than you and I, pets react in an entirely different way, most often exhibiting persistently itchy skin.  If you see felix of fido scratching, licking and biting in a never ending quest for relief, they probably are suffering from allergies.  This constant attention to their skin often results in very painful sores that cause infection.

If you see these signs of suffering from seasonal allergies, a visit to your local veterinarian is in order to help them control their itching before the sores manifest.