HOLLIDAYSBURG, BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A lot of us start sneezing and itching our eyes when the seasons change, but for those folks with a four-legged friend, you might not notice their allergies right away. Local vets want dog owners to know what to keep an eye out for when their dog starts to scratch.

“All the allergies kind of manifest themselves in the same way. It starts with itchy ears, in a lot of cases, so if your dog has ear infections, one of the primary causes, in most cases, is some type of untreated, underlying allergy,” Dr. Brad Kissell, President of Sylvan Veterinary Hospital, said.

Doctors said allergens are absorbed through your dog’s coat. They recommend using a soap-free shampoo when bathing your dog because they’re less likely to dry out the coat.

“You can bathe your dog if it’s been rolling around in the grass, being really exposed, and try to get as many of those allergens off the dog as possible,” he said.

Doctors said it’s better to bring in your dog when they start to scratch rather than weeks later, when their skin could be infected.

“I think allergies are the number one cause that you’re probably going to your vet so addressing them and understanding them and getting to the root cause is very important and can help your pet’s quality of life and end up saving you a lot of money in the end,” he said.

Dcotors said flea and tick protection is important to use year-round on you dog because lyme disease is common in the area.

If you have any questions or concerns about your dog itching or something doesn’t look right on their skin, call your veterinarian.