Your Itchy Dog May Need a Poop Pill
Just like their owners, cats and dogs are becoming more allergic to their environments
Belle was a wreck when Rhianna Mathias adopted the dog from a rescue organization in St. Louis a few years ago. The five-year-old pit bull had a range of health problems, with heartworms being the most serious. But allergies seemed to bring Belle the greatest misery. She could not stop scratching her inflamed, ravaged skin.
Studies indicate that the rate of allergy diagnosis in humans has spiked during the last 50 years. But now there is reason to believe our pets, like Belle, are increasingly suffering from allergies as well. Banfield Pet Hospitals, one of the largest chains of pet clinics in the world, puts out regular reports on the state of the health of the 2.5 million dogs and 500,000 cats it treats. According to the organization’s 2018 report, flea allergies have surged 67% in cats and 12% in dogs over the past 10 years. Environmental allergies (for things like dust mites and pollen) have gone up 30.7% in dogs and 11% in cats.
Apart from Banfield’s reports, however, there’s relatively little data on increases in autoimmune problems in dogs and cats over time. And just as in humans, it’s difficult to parse how much of the spike in allergies is a result of better diagnosis, notes Leah…
