{"id":4576,"date":"2025-03-07T13:29:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T18:29:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/?p=4576"},"modified":"2025-03-07T13:29:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T18:29:19","slug":"how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Springtime in Alexandria, VA, brings nice weather, warmer temperatures, and unfortunately, an increase in allergens. Like humans, dogs can suffer from seasonal allergies or even catch a spring cold. But how do you tell the difference between the two? Understanding the symptoms and when to seek veterinary care can help keep your pup happy and healthy this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Common Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies in Dogs<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Seasonal dog allergies are typically caused by environmental allergens such as pollen, mold, and dust mites. Symptoms often include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Excessive itching and scratching<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Red, watery eyes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Runny nose or sneezing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Frequent ear infections or head shaking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Licking or chewing paws<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Skin irritation or hot spots<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dogs with allergies may show symptoms for weeks or months, especially during peak allergy seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Signs Your Dog May Have a Spring Cold<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dogs can develop cold-like symptoms due to viral or bacterial infections, although it is less common. The illnesses are often mild and resolve on their own. Knowing the signs can help you take proper action. Common symptoms of a dog cold include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sneezing and nasal congestion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Coughing or hacking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Watery or slightly thick nasal discharge<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mild lethargy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Decreased appetite<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Low-grade fever<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unlike allergies, colds are usually short-lived (7\u201310 days) and may be accompanied by a temporary decrease in energy levels.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How to Differentiate Between Allergies and a Cold<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One key difference is the duration and triggers. Allergies tend to persist over a longer period and are often triggered by outdoor exposure. Cold symptoms typically improve within a week.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>When to Seek Veterinary Care<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If your dog is experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, or unusual discharge from the nose or eyes, let your veterinarian know.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How to Help Your Dog Feel Better<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For allergies:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wipe down your dog\u2019s paws and coat after outdoor walks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use a vet-approved antihistamine or allergy medication<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bathe your dog with hypoallergenic shampoo<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep bedding and living spaces clean to minimize allergens<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For a cold:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Provide plenty of fresh water and rest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use a humidifier to ease congestion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Offer warm, nourishing foods if your dog\u2019s appetite is low<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep your dog away from other dogs to prevent potential spread<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Understanding the difference between seasonal allergies and a spring cold can help you provide the proper care for your pup. Whether it\u2019s allergies or a mild cold, a little extra TLC can make all the difference in your dog\u2019s comfort and recovery this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Helpful Links:<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/\"><b>Dogtopia Alexandria<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspca.org\/pet-care\/general-pet-care\/springtime-safety-tips\"><b>Spring Pet Safety Tips<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Springtime in Alexandria, VA, brings nice weather, warmer temperatures, and unfortunately, an increase in allergens. Like humans, dogs can suffer from seasonal allergies or even catch a spring cold. But how do you tell the difference between the two? Understanding the symptoms and when to seek veterinary care can help keep your pup happy and &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/>Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":4577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.6 (Yoast SEO v22.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold - Alexandria<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Springtime in Alexandria, VA, brings nice weather, warmer temperatures, and unfortunately, an increase in allergens. Like humans, dogs can suffer from seasonal allergies or even catch a spring cold. But how do you tell the difference between the two? Understanding the symptoms and when to seek veterinary care can help keep your pup happy and &hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Alexandria\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-07T18:29:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jeff\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jeff\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/\",\"name\":\"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold - Alexandria\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-07T18:29:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-07T18:29:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#\/schema\/person\/f387b63751a293e39718aa9e3f4437fe\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Springtime dog\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/\",\"name\":\"Alexandria\",\"description\":\"Dogtopia of Alexandria\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/search\/{search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#\/schema\/person\/f387b63751a293e39718aa9e3f4437fe\",\"name\":\"jeff\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb9fde14d42fc10200eb8f79c0fa7722?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb9fde14d42fc10200eb8f79c0fa7722?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"jeff\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/author\/jeff\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold - Alexandria","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold","og_description":"Springtime in Alexandria, VA, brings nice weather, warmer temperatures, and unfortunately, an increase in allergens. Like humans, dogs can suffer from seasonal allergies or even catch a spring cold. But how do you tell the difference between the two? Understanding the symptoms and when to seek veterinary care can help keep your pup happy and &hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/","og_site_name":"Alexandria","article_published_time":"2025-03-07T18:29:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":512,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"jeff","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"jeff","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/","name":"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold - Alexandria","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png","datePublished":"2025-03-07T18:29:19+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-07T18:29:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#\/schema\/person\/f387b63751a293e39718aa9e3f4437fe"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Springtime dog"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-has-allergies-or-a-spring-cold\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies or a Spring Cold"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/","name":"Alexandria","description":"Dogtopia of Alexandria","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/search\/{search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#\/schema\/person\/f387b63751a293e39718aa9e3f4437fe","name":"jeff","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb9fde14d42fc10200eb8f79c0fa7722?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb9fde14d42fc10200eb8f79c0fa7722?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"jeff"},"url":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/author\/jeff\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/03\/image_0.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7pUmp-1bO","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4576"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/96"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4576"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4579,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4576\/revisions\/4579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/alexandria\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}