COLUMBUS, Ohio — It's springtime and that usually means allergy season, not just for humans, but animals too.

What You Need To Know

  • Seasonal allergies for pets are on the rise in central Ohio

  • Experts recommend looking for excessive licking and rubbing to determine possible allergies

  • Secondary infections can come from allergies

“Typically, allergy season is always busy in central Ohio,” said Dr. Kim West, a veterinarian at Health & Harmony Animal Hospital. “I think if you’re a veterinarian here, you know that we are always busy. It’s definitely ramping up now because we’re getting into, like, spring, so everything’s blooming.”

According to the pet insurance company Trupanion, from 2019 to 2023, the number of allergy claims for insured pets in Ohio jumped by nearly 25%.

“Think what’s happening is central Ohio has always been like a huge area for allergies,” West said. “And so what I think there’s probably a combination of it’s always kind of been bad, but we’re also realizing that we can do a lot more.”

West noted that there are a few signs pet owners need to watch out for determining if a pet might have allergies.

“You notice, like, licking is a sign that ‘I’m itchy.’ So if they’re licking excessively rubbing their face or if you’re noticing, like hair loss or anything like that, that can be a sign that you might want to get to your veterinarian,” West said. 

Experts say pet owners can reduce the amount of allergens for their pets by taking a damp cloth and wiping pets down after they have been outside. Pet owners can also make sure they have clean air filters at home. Animals have the same allergies as humans.

“We can have atopic dermatitis, which is basically anything that’s inhaled or like a contact allergy from the environment,” said West. 

Veterinarians say if pet allergies are not treated early on, they can turn into secondary infections because their skin has been traumatized.