WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Fall allergies in dogs is a thing, just as it is for humans. Dog allergies are triggered by the same environmental factors that affect humans.

Pollen, mold, dust mites and certain types of grass contribute to fall allergy symptoms. They can make dogs miserable if they suffer from allergies.

“The most common sign of allergies in dogs is itchy skin, itchy ears and licking at the feet. Sometimes you’ll see redness on the abdomen,” Dr. Dan Teish, a veterinarian at District Veterinary Hospital, said. “They can get ear infections and gnawing at the feet are the most common signs of allergies in dogs.”

Teich said allergies tend to be biphasic. They tend to bubble up in late spring and mid to late fall.

“We’re just starting to get into the fall so they’re going to be much more prevalent now than they were let’s say at the peak of summer or in the middle of winter. So now is the time we start seeing allergies to rear up again,” he added.

If you suspect your dog does have allergies, Teich said it’s always safer to bring your dog in to see a vet earlier than later.

“The longer that allergies persist in a dog the more likely they are to have an infection, whether it’s yeast or bacteria,” he said. “The sooner that we can address allergies the more likely we are to prevent more serious problems and prevent more infections. The longer you wait for allergies usually the worst the outcome is long term.”

It’s not just dogs who are affected by fall allergies. Cats can suffer from fall allergies as well.

“Cats are nowhere near as prone to the type of allergies that dogs have, especially fall allergies. They do happen, it’s just much less common,” Teich said. “With cats we try to manage them, first dietarily, then we can see if there is any other types of medications that we have to use.”