More and more Kentucky veterinarians these days are seeing dogs with allergies that almost surely can be traced to the weather.

Dr. Michelle Jude of the Banfield Pet Hospital tells 27 NEWSFIRST,
"Tuesday alone, I saw 5 dogs that have skin allergies and hots spots all over them and areas where they're chewing. I think it is related to the extreme heat and the lack of rain we've been having."

But the good doctor says it's probably going to take more than a steady rain to ease the problem.

"I'm afraid it's going to take a good hard freeze before we actually get this under control, but the rain will help," she said.

Dr. Jude showed some meteorological knowledge when she explained, "We had a very mild winter last winter, and we usually have a hard winter that kills everything. Because we didn't have that this year, I think a lot of the bugs we're seeing are residual from last winter."

One man Wednesday brought in a small dog that he says has been chewing his tail constantly, driving the dog,and him, crazy. Dr. Jude says that's not uncommon.

"Chewing at the tail base can be brought on by fleas or if the anal glands are full, that can cause the same reaction, and then there's just a wide variety of allergies that can affect our dogs and cats," she said.

Humans can often manage their seasonal allergies by taking a little Benadryl, but it's not a good idea to just automatically give your dog the same thing.

Dr. Jude says, "We do use Benadryl and other drugs, but dogs with these symptoms need to be seen by their veterinarians to make sure what's going on. Once they start chewing back there, they usually have a secondary infection and we have to put them on antibiotics. When it's really bad, we have to often use steroids just to get it under control."

And remember, when they're suffering from allergies or infections, dogs, just like humans, need a little extra love and understanding.