The staff at Animal Allergy and Dermatology sent along the following letter regarding pollens and allergies. This website discusses the reasons behind the ranking.
Virginia is #1: Congratulations!
This is a rather dubious distinction. Richmond has been named the top asthma city for two years in a row! Virginia Beach was not far behind at number 8. Many other cities in the Mid Atlantic / Southern USA made the list as well. We are “blessed” with a temperate climate but it is conducive to high pollen counts for many months out of the year.
Intuitively, one would think that cities in Florida would have higher pollen counts. Many of those pollens, however, are so large that they are insect borne rather than windborne. Their larger size means that they are less likely to be suspended in the air or pass through a body’s barriers and interact with the immune system.
After tree pollen season, grass pollens will begin to peak and continue through the late summer when weeds become problematic. Their pollen will persist until a hard freeze.
As always, mold is an issue but their spores can be particularly problematic after periods of rain and as the leaves fall from the trees in autumn into the winter until we have snow cover. Like humans with allergies, medical therapy is often beneficial. Allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT), however, has been shown to be the only modality that can result in a permanent change for the better in the course of the disease. Studies in humans and our experience in animals has shown that early intervention is associated with a higher success rate.
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Remember, many of the allergens that affect humans will affect our pets, also. Allergies can actually worsen in the autumn, as mentioned above. Pets often exhibit dermatitis, although some will have sinusitis or even asthma-like symptoms. To lessen exposure, wipe your pet’s coat with a damp cloth after it’s been outdoors, to remove pollen spores. ~~ Jen
