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Dogs can be allergic to cats, and cats can be allergic to dogs.
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Pet Owner Information
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Pets can have allergies too!
Animals, just like people, can suffer allergic reactions to a wide variety of environmental substances, or allergens. The occurrence of allergies in our pets mirrors that in human allergies, and the increasing incidence is rising each year. Your pets may be allergic to such things as pollens (trees, weeds, grasses), molds, dust mites, flea bites, wool and carpet fibers, foods, and even other pets. The age of onset for allergies is usually between 6 months and 3 years of age.
Allergies are an inherited trait.
Just like human allergies, pet allergies are an inherited trait and a lifelong disease. When one parent is allergic, there's an increased likelihood that his/her offspring will be allergic too. For this reason, allergies can also be breed-specific, and some breeds are more prone to allergies than others. Retrievers, Boxers, Terriers and Shih-Tzu’s are just some of the more common breeds that more frequently suffer from allergies.
 Breed Pre-Disposition.
Genetic predisposition is an important component in pet allergies. It is known that certain breeds are more prone to allergies than others.
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Common symptoms:
Skin disease is the most common symptom for allergic pets. During a flare-up, your pet’s skin can become extremely itchy, red, scaly, and irritated. This can be widespread, or limited to a few areas of the body; usually around the face, feet, belly, groin and rump.
The pet’s intense chewing and itching can produce “hot spots” of hair loss and inflamed skin, and often leads to secondary infection by bacteria and yeast. Food allergy symptoms are manifested as chronic ear infection or inflammation, and often include intense licking and chewing of the feet.
Cats with allergies will excessively groom themselves, causing hair loss. Some cats may display even more intense irritations such as feline acne, respiratory conditions (asthma, sneezing, nasal discharge, and watery eyes), gastritis, vomiting and diarrhea. Read more.
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