My Take Tuesday: The Itch Is On!

Spring in Utah County is a welcome awakening.

As winter loosens its grip, the world breathes again—green pushing through the soil, blossoms opening to the sun, and birds filling the morning air with song. It’s a season that stirs something hopeful in all of us.

And yet… for some, spring carries a different kind of awakening.

For me—and for generations of my family—it signals the return of allergies. The sniffling. The sneezing. The relentless itching. Atopy, that inherited tendency toward hypersensitivity, has been a faithful (and unwelcome) companion in our lives. Grass, alfalfa, flowers—nature’s beauty has always come with a cost.

I remember a rosebush just outside my bedroom window growing up. Each spring, it bloomed with striking beauty… and brought with it nights of misery. I’d lie awake, eyes burning and swollen, a cold washcloth draped across my face, hoping for relief that rarely came. On one particularly bad night, I wrote in my journal: “Today more allergies, oh I hate them.”

It was a simple sentence—but an honest one.

Those early experiences shaped something in me—because now, I see that same misery in my patients.

Allergies are one of the most common conditions I treat as a veterinarian. But in pets, they don’t look like sneezing and watery eyes. They show up as scratching, chewing, rubbing, head-shaking… and often, painful ear infections. I see dogs with paws worn raw, skin inflamed, sometimes even bleeding. The itch becomes their entire world—an unrelenting distraction they cannot escape.

And it’s heartbreaking.

When our pets suffer, they suffer deeply. In many cases, far more than we do—because they don’t understand why.

The good news is this: we have more tools than ever to help them.

Managing allergies often starts at home. Simple measures—like frequent vacuuming, using electrostatic cleaning tools, and improving air filtration—can significantly reduce environmental allergens. And while it was once thought that frequent bathing might harm the skin, we now know the opposite is often true. Regular bathing—sometimes even daily for severe cases—can help wash allergens off before they trigger a reaction. For many pets, sprays or wipes can be a practical alternative.

Food can also play a role. Many allergic reactions stem from proteins—beef, dairy, eggs, soy, even fish. When food allergies are suspected, a structured elimination trial can help identify the culprit and guide us toward a safer, balanced diet.

And then there are newer therapies—targeted, precise, and often remarkably effective. One of these is Cytopoint, an injection designed to block the very signal that tells a dog to itch. By neutralizing Interleukin-31, it can provide meaningful relief—and, in many cases, restore comfort and quality of life.

But perhaps the most important message is this:

Don’t let them suffer in silence.

If your pet is showing signs of allergies, partner with your veterinarian. Together, we can tailor a plan specific to your pet, your environment, and the season at hand.

Because when we quiet the itch, we give them something invaluable in return—peace.

And in doing so, we often find a little more of it ourselves.

And that is my take.
N. Isaac Bott, DVM