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Published: May 03, 2012

Dogs can suffer from allergies to their food and flea bites, but many owners may overlook their pets' seasonal allergies. Allergens in the air can bother your pet, giving it incredibly itchy skin.

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, an allergy occurs when the immune system is hypersensitive to a particular substance. For dogs, the allergic reaction is generally itchy skin, but it can also cause issues with the respiratory system, digestive tract or eyes.

Pollen is a common springtime allergen that affects dogs. Veterinarian Marcia Schwassman told that owners should bathe animals with severe pollen allergies every day, since the allergen can be inhaled and absorbed through the mouth and skin, causing more symptoms.  VCA reports that getting an air filter may help keep the airborne allergen levels decreased and keeping doors and windows closed on high pollen days may also help your dog’s allergy signs.

If a veterinarian deems the allergy severe enough, he or she may prescribe routine allergy shots which are intended to desensitize the dog and lessen the signs of allergy over time, the news outlet reports. Sometimes steroids or antihistamines may be used to eliminate the symptoms of seasonal allergies but these are not considered cures and may have side effects if used long term.