44pc of pet owners unaware their faithful companion is susceptible to allergies
NEW YORK, May 8 — Spring is synonymous with allergy season for many humans — but they're not the only ones to experience allergic reactions. Domestic pets are also potential sufferers of allergy symptoms — and many of their human masters are uninformed about this condition. According to the "Pet Allergy Worldwide Survey," (PAWS) presented last week by Novartis Animal Health, 44 per cent of dog and cat owners are not aware of their animal's symptoms during allergy season.
According to the study, more than half of animal owners (51 per cent) are also unaware that pets too are even more affected during what is known as allergy season, due to increased levels of pollens and other allergens present in the environment.
Dr Stephen Shaw, a specialist in veterinary dermatology, emphasises that it is important for pet owners to be able to recognize the most common signs of allergy symptoms of their dogs and cats including more frequent scratching, excessive licking of the same area, fur loss and rash.
The survey was conducted online over the period of February 15-22, among 1269 pet (dog and cat) owners in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. — AFP/Relaxnews
