More pets, particularly dogs, are being treated for itchy skin and allergies.

Why it matters: Seasonal allergies can be terribly uncomfortable for furry friends, and they can snowball into secondary issues, including skin infections.

The big picture: Many pet owners mistake or dismiss allergy-driven itching and chewing as normal dog behavior, when simple treatments could provide their pet with serious relief.

• "There's been a lot more trouble with allergies than pet owners realize for decades now," Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association president Rob Memmen told Axios.

Yes, but: That's starting to change. Pet insurance company Trupanion reports a 45% increase in allergy claims for insured pets in 2023 compared to 2019, and insurer Nationwide says allergies top the list of health conditions that prompt vet visits.

Between the lines: Dogs have many of the same allergies as people in terms of the things that they react to — including pollen, dander, and mold — Memmen said.

• That means the trend toward a longer, more intense allergy season for us impacts them, too.

Zoom in: Memmen, who owns Gehrman Animal Hospital in Minnetonka, said last year's smoky summer and the unusually warm winter made allergy management more challenging for his furry patients.

What to watch for: Skin problems in pets — including irritated ear canals — are "absolutely the No. 1 issue we see with allergies," American Veterinary Medical Association president Rena Carlson told Axios.

With environmental allergies, the itchiness can appear seasonally. Food allergies can also be to blame, though Memmen notes that those are less common and can be trickier to pinpoint and address in animals.

What you can do: Treatments range from simple-over-the-counter medicine — even human antihistamines work in some cases — to injectable antibody therapies.

• Anti-itch prescriptions and chewable treatments meant to reduce inflammation are also options.

The bottom line: If you suspect your pet has allergies, take them to the vet.

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Minneapolis is struggling to attract organizers for the popular Open Streets festival series, meaning there could be only three fairs this year — down from five events last year.

Why it matters: The free street fairs have previously been smash-hit successes in summer and early fall, drawing as many as 50,000 people in a weekend.

Catch up quick: Until recently, Our Streets organized a half-dozen of the street fairs each year on the city's behalf essentially for free, though the city chipped in for trash collection, police, and portable toilets.

• The city cut ties with Our Streets last year after it became clear the nonprofit was serious about its request for an $851,700 budget.

State of play: Minneapolis budgeted $250,000 for five events in 2024 and initially found organizers for three: Lyndale Avenue, West Broadway, and Nicollet Avenue.

Yes, but: Our Streets pulled out of a plan to run the Franklin Avenue event when the city declined to increase the $50,000 organizer budget.

What's next: Minneapolis will issue a new call for organizations to host Open Streets Central and Franklin.

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🏀 Former Lynx star Seimone Augustus will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this summer. (WCCO-TV)

🚗 Minnesotans have purchased nearly 50,000 "blackout" plates since the designs debuted in January. (MPR News)

🎂 Former St. Paul Council Member Ruby Hunt turned 100 on Saturday. (Pioneer Press)

• Hunt, who also served as the president of the League of Women Voters and the St. Paul Charter Commission and on the Ramsey County Board, became just the third woman to serve on the council when she was elected in 1972.

Diane's Place, the hotly anticipated restaurant from pastry chef Diane Moua, is now open in the Food Building in Northeast Minneapolis.

• What to expect: Emphasis on pastries, like a sweet pork danish with salted egg yolk alongside sweet options like Moua's pain au chocolat, Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine reports.

🍩 Golden Valley is getting two new restaurants: Mochinut, a dessert shop with American doughnuts and Japanese sweets; and an all-you-can-eat sushi/ramen shop called Nagoya, according to CCX Media.

🪩 A two-level bar is opening in the former Stilheart Distillery space in North Loop this spring, per the North Loop Neighborhood Association.

👋 Shakopee supper club Dangerfield's reopened on Tuesday after closing down in 2022. Same ownership, new menu, Bring Me The News reports.

☕️ Sip Society Café is coming to Uptown in June, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports. Expect coffee from local roaster Wesley Andrews, Somali tea, food, and smoothies.

🏈 Alary's, the long-running downtown St. Paul bar that was popular with cops and Chicago Bears fans, is coming back under new ownership in May.

• The Pioneer Press reports that new owner Bill Collins, who also runs Camp Bar and Cabaret, will keep the name.

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"We're in the season of disappointment."

Zoom in: Supporters of the "missing middle" housing package and a proposal to spend $500 million on child care subsidies were among those getting the "not this year" signal last week.

• Several other high-profile bills — including legal sports betting and a push to put an Equal Rights Amendment on the ballot — remain up in the air with six weeks to go.

📅 What's next: A key deadline for clearing finance committees is April 19.

• The Legislature must adjourn by May 20.