Pets have allergies just like people. If they’re itchy, have a rash or issues with certain foods, they could have an allergy. Further indications that your dog or cat may be suffering an allergic reaction include sneezing, runny eyes and nose, shortness of breath or wheezing, chronic cough, hives or rash (particularly around the mouth, belly, or haunches), face pain due to congestion, and red eyes with watery discharge. There’s a few different types of allergies in pets and ways to diagnose them so they don’t have to suffer through the discomfort:

1. Flea allergy

Fleas can be found in your home and on your pets even if you keep an immaculate home. Even worse, your pet may have a reaction to it’s bite and saliva. Just one flea may cause allergies if your pet has sensitive skin. Sometimes these bites cause pets excessive itching that leads to sores and hair loss. Cats will sometimes pull their hair out trying to groom themselves enough to get rid of the discomfort from the flea bites. The best way to diagnose this type of allergy is to actually detect a flea or find flea dirt on your animal. This allergy is easy to treat with flea medications. You also need to treat your entire home and yard to kill the eggs. Treat all pets in the home even if fleas are only found on one.

2. Food allergy

A food allergy in your pet is often caused by one or more ingredients in its food. They may have a reaction to any of the ingredients including additives or preservatives. You may notice your pet itching, losing hair or getting sores on their body. Their coat may be dry or greasy. They may also have digestion issues like vomiting or diarrhea. Feline allergies dealing with food may only show up with the vomiting of their hair from excessive grooming or their food. Try the elimination diet first to figure out your pet’s issue. You can try eliminating wheat, dairy, corn and/or soy at first then move on. Grain-free diets often help relieve skin inflammation. Vets often do tests that include blood or skin allergy testing.

3. Airborne allergy

One of the most common allergies in pets is the airborne allergy from simply breathing. These allergies are caused by tiny things in the air like ragweed, dust mites, pollen, molds, and dander. You may notice your animal itching, particularly in the facial area. These allergies are the worst during seasonal changes. You can usually detect these based on where the issues are, the season and what’s in the air at the time. You may need to remove the allergen from the pet’s environment and/or get anti-itch medication since you can’t totally clean the air. Some animals even take allergy shots.

4. Contact allergy

A contact allergy is usually something found in your home or yard. These allergens are usually caused by grass, flowers, dirt, shampoo, carpet fibers and/or pesticides. Pets with sensitive skin often react the most to these allergens. The only treatment is to take these things away from the animal’s environment. It may be hard to detect the problem allergen, but try to remember the animal’s exposure history and when reactions occur to detect the allergy.