If your dog has been licking their front paws raw since August, you are not imagining it. Seasonal allergies in dogs run on the same calendar as yours: spring pollen gets things started, and the misery lasts until the first hard freeze.
Dr. Mark Christenson at the Alexandria Veterinary Clinic in Minnesota told the Alexandria Echo Press that some patients start scratching in May and are still uncomfortable in October, while a luckier group only flares for a month in late summer. His clinic treats a wave of them every August. The season itself is the biggest clue. A dog with environmental allergies is not itchy in winter, which is how vets rule out fleas and food.
Some breeds turn up more than others: golden retrievers, labs, Lhasa apsos, shih tzus, boxers and pugs. Symptoms usually appear between the ages of one and three, and the front paws are almost always involved. Fatty acids, medicated baths and antihistamines still have a place in mild cases, but the newer prescription options are what most vets reach for now. Apoquel costs roughly $90 to $100 a month, Zenrelia runs $48 to $62, and a Cytopoint shot is about $50 to $90 for a dog under 20 pounds, $120 to $190 for dogs up to 80 pounds, and over $200 for the largest ones.
What this means for your dog: Start a note on your phone the next time the scratching begins. Allergies get managed rather than cured, so knowing the pattern beats any single vet visit. If you are tempted to reach for a human antihistamine, read our guide to OTC allergy meds for dogs first, because the dose is nothing like yours. Keep the tablets where a curious dog cannot get to them, too. Apoquel overdoses are rising.