Can dogs get hay fever? Or why else might a dog have streaming eyes?

I am an occasional sufferer from hay fever: sometimes I’m overcome with runny eyes and sneezes, then half an hour later, it’s all gone.

I have never managed to pinpoint the cause, but I know that it must be an allergic reaction, as it never lasts longer than a short while.

This is a particularly bad time of year for sufferers of hay fever, and as I found myself sniffling and sneezing this morning, I thought to myself: what about animals?

Do dogs get hay fever? What about cats? If not, why not?

I’ve written an online piece on this topic over at the Daily Telegraph: you can read it here.