If you’re worried that your cat or dog may be suffering from an allergy, it’s a good idea to head to your vet to complete a pet allergy test kit. Common allergy symptoms in pets may include:

• Excessive-itching-and-scratching-of-the-skin
• Skin-rashes-especially-on-the-feet-ears-bottom-belly-and-face
• Patches-of-fur-loss
• Licking-or-biting-a-particular-area-for-long-periods-saliva-can-cause-brown-staining-on-the-fur
• Itchy-eyes
• Runny-nose
• Mood-changes
• Scabby-or-sore-skin

A cat or dog allergy test can be very effective in identifying the underlying cause of allergy symptoms and helping to diagnose atopic dermatitis (a skin condition typically caused by inhalation of pollen, mould spores, dust and other allergens) but is less reliable for food allergies.

Allergy testing is carried out mainly in patients with atopic dermatitis to decide which specific pet allergens to include in immunotherapy. Before a diagnosis of atopy can be made, things like parasites, skin infection and other potential causes of itching and inflammation symptoms must be ruled out.

The most common allergy in pets is a flea allergy. Many atopic pets may suffer from a combination of flea, environmental and food allergies.

Sustainability in the pet food industry is one of the biggest issues that comes with eco-friendly pet ownership. It probably won’t come as any surprise that reducing the waste associated with pet ownership is one of the most impactful changes you can make to reduce your pet’s environmental pawprint.

Buying wet food in cans that can be easily recycled (rather than plastic pouches) can help. Half-used tins can be kept fresh with a reusable wet food can cover to avoid food wastage. If your pet has dry food, bulk buying pet food, and aiming to use brands with recyclable packaging, is another great option for improving your environmental footprint.

As with all forms of sustainability, considering the waste pet ownership generates is really important. Wasting food is a large contributor to our pets’ environmental footprint, and often comes about as a result of overfeeding. Overfeeding your pet doesn’t only have a negative effect on the environment – it also impacts your pet’s health. Ensuring you follow the feeding guidelines on pet food packets and weigh out your pet’s food every day is an important step to help control pets’ waistlines and avoid excess food. If you’re not sure about the amount of food you should be feeding your pet, read more about pet nutrition, or have a chat with your vet.

Pet plastic sustainability is another thing that’s important to think about. Choosing biodegradable cat litter and dog poo bags is an easy swap to help improve your eco-friendly pet owner credentials.

Keeping up to date with preventative pet care such as parasite control and neutering can considerably reduce the potential carbon cost of treatment for vaccinatable or hormonally-induced diseases. Neutering pets also reduces the burden of overpopulation on the planet, and can also improve the health and wellbeing of our pets. Using oral parasite prevention versus topical treatment (tablets rather than lotions, for example) where possible is also a good choice for the eco-friendly pet owner. There is some recent evidence suggesting that topical parasite treatment may be affecting wildlife in our waterways.

Recycling household items into safe, sustainable pet toys is another great eco-friendly pet care hack. An old t-shirt tied in a knot becomes a pull toy, while old toilet roll tubes double as puzzle feeders. Finding safe, pet-friendly swaps like this is a great way to make use of unwanted household items and make a positive change to pet plastic sustainability by cutting out new toys. Engaging toys like this are also fantastic ways to introduce canine enrichment and mental stimulation into your pet’s life.

Additionally, buying pet products and pet toys made from a sustainable source (e.g. made from hemp or bamboo) can be another way to reduce pet plastic waste.