Gail Friedman, a committed animal advocate from the American South, finds herself in an adversarial relationship with her Parson Russell Terrier, Mr. Friedman. He has unique, severe allergies that make her care essential. Mr. Friedman’s dog About five years ago, Friedman started to realize that Mr. Friedman wouldn’t stop licking his paws. He was gaunt and appeared to be in severe pain. Upon advice from her veterinarians, she discovered that her furry friend had allergies to several trees and grasses.
Dr. Karen Woodard, medical director at Thrive Pet Healthcare-Elmhurst in Illinois, agrees that environmental allergies are on the rise in pets. Almost every day…sometimes multiple times a day…she sees allergic dogs and cats. So about 90% of allergic pets are allergic to environmental triggers, and the other 10% only have food allergies.
So far, Friedman has sunk about $10,000 into testing and treatment for Mr. Friedman. In addition to Haatchi, he’s treated another dog suffering from similar injuries. Pet owners people like her are left feeling powerlessly. To see their treasured companions suffer through their golden years is a heartbreaking prospect, and the monetary costs are understandable at that point.
“To see him uncomfortable is heartbreaking,” said Friedman. It gets to a point that not only do I have socks on an otherwise disgusting Mr. Friedman — which is humiliating for him — he has to wear the cone of shame.
Aside from Mr. Friedman’s troubles, Dr. Woodard works her magic on a slew of allergic pets, like a Yorkie mix named Teddy. By six months of age, that changed for Teddy, who began to display classic signs of allergies. Itchy, his scratching turned into lesions around his shoulders and frequent ear infections. Such symptoms are common among allergic dogs.
Dog breeds predisposed to the condition are all types of terriers, boxers and bulldogs. Just like some dog breeds, some cat breeds such as Persians, Siamese, and Himalayans are at risk. Feline patients usually present with allergic dermatitis and clearing indicates allergies with overgrooming. Unfortunately, one side effect of this is increased grooming behavior which in turns causes additional skin irritation.
“We say bathe your dog, at a minimum, once a week if they’re allergic,” she advised. Regular bathing washes allergens off their skin and helps reduce symptoms.
Friedman has tried a variety of tactics to ease Mr. Friedman’s pain. One really smart DIY solution is to put baby socks on him to prevent him from licking at his paws. “The poor dog. I would put baby socks on his feet so that he wouldn’t lick them or bite at them,” she stated.
Friedman is undeterred and dead-set on winning this battle. “I’m going to keep experimenting until we find what stops it completely,” she said resolutely.
Woodard wants everyone to know that diagnosing possible allergies is the first most important step in effectively treating them. Pet owners are encouraged to reach out to their veterinarians any time they see something abnormal or suspicious, including behavioral changes or physical symptoms. When identified early, intervention can help stop the itch in its tracks and restore allergic pets’ quality of life.
“It’s possible for them to be allergic to us, just like we are to them,” Dr. Schick noted, highlighting the complexity of allergens in the environment.
