Source: UPI

BREA, Calif. (UPI) -- Pollutants and allergens are at their peak in the spring and animals can experience allergy symptoms like humans, says a U.S. company that insures pets.

Veterinary Pet Insurance, a health insurance provider for pets, says conditions like otitis externa, an ear infection, and atopic dermatitis, a skin rash due to inhaled allergens, are relatively common in dogs. VPI based its report on an analysis of claims data from 2005.

The top allergy-related claim for canines was for otitis externa, which accounted for 14.2 percent of all claims submitted last year, while Atopic Dermatitis accounted for 14.1 percent of claims.

Secondary pyoderma -- inflamed, infected skin -- accounted for 5.2 percent of all claims involving dogs.

Cats suffer from fewer allergy conditions, the company said.

Almost 5 percent of the claims for cats were for Atopic Dermatitis, while 4.7 were for otitis externa and 2.4 percent involved bronchitis or asthma.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International