We all itch and scratch from time to time. On average, a person has about 20 square feet
of skin. That is a large area to come
into contact with many different things that can cause itching. Occasionally through the day we’ll have a
mild itch that we will need to scratch and think nothing of it. Like us, dogs and cats have these same kinds
of itches which are very normal. The
question is when is too much scratching a problem? There are many different causes of itching in
your pet. This multi-part series of
blogs will discuss the most common ones more in depth.
During the summer months, we see many of cases of itching
pets coming into Kaibab Animal Hospital that are related to various
environmental allergies. Commonly called
‘hay fever’ in people, seasonal allergies affect many of us and our pets. Most affected pets show only mild signs and
don’t require any kind of medical therapy to control their allergies. Periodically they will have a flare up and
something as simple as an antihistamine or a quick bath will help get them back
to normal. These mild allergies don’t
typically require a trip to the vet but if you are having to give an
antihistamine daily to control the itching, then an examination with the doctor
is your best bet to see if there is something more going on.
Occasionally, mild allergies can lead to serious skin
conditions that will require a more aggressive course of action. When a dog or cat continually scratches or
bites at their skin, they will start to breakdown the normal barrier that
protects them from bacterial and fungal infections. When the skin is ‘broken’ by scratching, it
begins to bleed. Of course the blood
carries very important nutrients through our body so that we can grow and
remain alive. However, bacteria and
yeast will feed on these nutrients just like our own cells will. When that bacteria and yeast begin to
overgrow, a very severe and painful rash will begin to form on the skin. These lesions are called ‘hot spots’ or ‘moist
dermatitis’ and will typically require treatment in the hospital with cleaning
of the wound and antibiotics. Along with
hot spots, chronic allergies usually lead to ear infections and infections on
the pads of the feet. All of these
conditions are very uncomfortable for your pet.
The goal is to control these allergies before we get to this point.
Thankfully, there are great new ways to control allergies
that work better and safer than the options we have had in the past. Steroids have been the mainstay for control
of allergies and work great short-term to quickly get the itching under control
and your pet feeling better. However,
with chronic use steroids can lead to side effects such as extreme hunger,
weight gain, thinning skin, diabetes, and chronic infections. An alternative to steroids that we have been
using at Kaibab Animal Hospital is Apoquel.
It has been very promising in treating and getting allergies under
control in most dogs. This new
medication has had a lot of people wondering if it will work well for your
pet. Due to production problems, this
medication has been difficult to find, but we are hoping that it will soon
become much more available to our clients and their dogs.
Another therapy we have been using at Kaibab is sublingual
allergy serum, by The Spectrum Group. This liquid medication is
administered under your pet’s tongue and will help control the signs of
allergies. Traditionally, allergy shots
have been used for allergy control in both people and animals but they can be
confusing and can require daily injections, which are not fun for the pet or
the owner to administer. Instead of
giving shots, a quick spray under the tongue is much easier and significantly
more comfortable for your pet. This
therapy requires a simple blood draw to determine what your pet is allergic to
and then the serum can be quickly developed.
Itching and discomfort are very common signs of allergies in
our pets and we have many options to get them under control. If you think your pet is scratching just a
little too much, make sure you schedule an appointment with us today so that we
can get your beloved furry family member back to an itch-free life!
Be sure to look for Part 2 of our series on itching next
week.
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