Learning that your dog has an allergy to grass is very overwhelming. After all, the majority of dogs potty outside and love rolling around in the grass, so how do you deal with the allergies when your dog is exposed to its allergen multiple times a day? This is the question my husband and I had to find an answer to when our 6-year-old beagle, Daisy was diagnosed with a grass allergy two years ago.
How we learned of her allergy.
In 2010, Daisy developed a dime sized sore on the top of her right paw that had me concerned, so I took her to see her veterinarian. The doctor identified the problem moments after seeing the sore, and told us it was caused by an allergy. After a short question and answer session, the vet determined that Daisy was allergic to some sort of grass, but said there no way to know which species of grass was causing her problems.
What did this diagnosis mean for Daisy?
I was relieved to learn Daisy’s symptoms were caused by her grass allergy and not something worse, but I was also concerned. I was worried about the kind of life Daisy would have being allergic to grass, and feared it meant she would have to stay indoors most of the time. Luckily, her veterinarian told us Daisy’s allergy wasn’t very server, and that with some simple steps we could reduce the number of symptoms she suffered from so she could live a normal life.
How we treat her grass allergy.
Treating Daisy’s allergies starts with prevention. Since locking her in the house and away from grass isn’t an option, we have to take steps to lessen the grass’s effect. Here is a list of things we do to treat her allergies, and what we use to control the effects.
- We wipe her paws, legs, stomach, and face with a damp rag when she comes in from outside to help remove allergens.
- If her stomach is red after being outside we apply Gold Bond Medicated body powder to help control itching.
- Daisy is given a weekly bath unless she is showing signs of irritation, then she gets a bath on the spot.
- If she is licking her paws or scratching excessively we give her Benadryl to ease her irritation.
If all else fails and she develops a sore we take her to the veterinarian for treatment right away.
Caring for a dog with a grass allergy isn’t easy. The allergy adds more work and stress to your dog’s everyday care, but Daisy is worth the effort in my opinion.
If you suspect your dog may have an allergy you should take him/her to see a veterinarian right away. Some allergies are life-threatening, so your dog’s life could be at risk without treatment.
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