Is Your Pet Allergic?

By Sam Derbyshire

Here are four things that can trigger allergies in our furry friends:

Diet – Diets that are not species-appropriate are highly likely to cause allergic reactions. If symptoms don't manifest right away, they will eventually. Slow buildup of intolerance is one of the most common reasons people don't suspect the diet for their pet's allergies. When there are allergies in animals, diet is the first thing to question. Most foods—even high quality ones—have grains as one of the top-three ingredients.

Proximity to the world – Proximity to the world means that they are low to the ground and they are exposed to every bit of dust, chemical, and/or grime out there, leading us to the next trigger.

Household chemicals – This includes everything from your cleaners, perfumes, and even dryer sheets. When you clean the floor with common cleaning solutions, a residue is left that your animals have no choice but to walk through. When they groom themselves later on, they lick that residue off and in doing so are ingesting it. When you spray anything in your house, always remember the old adage "What goes up, must come down."

Grooming supplies – All items you use to groom your pets should be safe enough to be ingested because they will no doubt groom themselves.

Keep these points in mind when making choices and you will be well on your way to a happy healthy pet!