Pet allergies and how 1st for Women can help

Pets bring immense joy and companionship into our lives, but just like us, they can experience health issues that require our attention. Among these concerns, allergies are particularly common and can affect both cats and dogs.

As a fur mom, recognizing the signs of allergies and understanding their causes is crucial for ensuring your furry friend remains comfortable and happy.

The main cause of allergies is:

• Environmental Allergens: Pollen, dust mites, mold spores, and certain plants can cause allergic reactions when inhaled or when they come into contact with the skin.
• Food Allergens: Proteins such as beef, chicken, dairy, and grains like wheat or soy are common food allergens. Pets may react to specific ingredients or additives in their diet.
• Flea Saliva: Flea bites can trigger severe allergic reactions in some pets, leading to conditions like flea allergy dermatitis.
• Contact Allergens: Materials such as certain fabrics, plastics, or cleaning products can cause allergic reactions when they come into contact with the skin.
• Dust and Mold: These are persistent allergens that can affect pets living in indoor environment.

Signs that your dog has allergies:

·        Hair loss or “hot spots”.

·        Repetitive scratching, licking and chewing of the body; scabs or other skin lesions.

·        Repetitive headshaking.

·        Chronic or recurrent skin or ear infections.

·        Rubbing of the face against carpets or walls which may result in redness and or swelling.

Signs that your cat has allergies:

·        Excessive ear scratching or head shaking.

·        Red, smelly ears.

·        Pimples, bumps or rashes anywhere.

·        Swelling around the face and vomiting.

·        Flaky skin from dandruff.

·        Patchiness from hair loss.

·        Extra farts or runny stomach.

·        Excessive scratching, chewing, licking or rubbing.

How Pet insurance cover from 1st for Women can help:

1. Cover for allergy-related vet visits:
   Our core and premium plans cover veterinary consultations and examinations related to allergies, as long as they are not pre-existing conditions. 
2. Diagnostic tests:
   The premium plans cover the cost of diagnostic tests used to identify allergies, such as skin tests or blood tests.
3. Treatment coverage:
   The 1st for Women core and premium plans typically cover various treatments for allergies, including:

·        Medications like antihistamines or corticosteroids

·        Allergy shots or immunotherapy

·        Topical treatments for skin irritations

1. Long-term management:
   Since allergies are often lifelong conditions, our pet insurance policies offer cover for the ongoing management of allergies. This is particularly beneficial with our pet insurance policies, as it refreshes yearly upon renewal.
2. Secondary condition coverage:
   Allergies can lead to secondary issues like skin infections or ear infections. Our plans cover the treatment of these related conditions.
3. Preventive care benefits:
   The 1st for Women core and premium plans offer wellness or preventive care benefits that can help with allergy prevention. These may include coverage for: Flea, tick, and parasite prevention (important for preventing flea allergy dermatitis).
4. Pet Taxi:

         We’ll give your pet a safe ride to the vet or parlour and back home.

We know how valuable your pet is to you, keep your it safe and healthy with our Pet Insurance cover from just R160pm, get a quote here.