Itching pets can be a huge frustration for both pets and their owners. However, the good news is that there are many treatment and management options that can help you and your pet to live a happy scratch-free life.
Is the problem outside or inside?
Itching can be caused by several outside (on the skin) problems. These are usually easy to diagnose and manage.
Fleas
Part the fur and look for tiny, fast-moving bugs or black ground-pepper-like droppings. Especially check the base of the tail, belly, groin and armpits.
Ticks
Feel or visually check for ticks that have attached to your pet’s skin. Especially check areas of long fur, or warm, dark, hard-to-reach places in and around the ears, under the collar, groin and armpits.
Mites
You cannot see mites with the naked eye. Your vet can diagnose mites by looking under a microscope. Signs you may see in some cases include areas of hair loss, especially around the face, ears, elbows and legs, or thickened scaly skin.
Bacteria
Bacterial skin infections are normally diagnosed by your vet. In some cases you may see red areas of skin, accompanied by bumps, pustules or crusts. You may also sometimes see oozing and moisture.
“Outside” causes of itching in your dog or cat
Fungi and yeasts
Fungal skin infections are normally diagnosed by your vet. In some cases you may see areas of hair loss, flaky or greasy skin, and sometimes a dark brown discolouration of fur. You may also notice a musty smell.
Treatments for these “outside” causes are often straightforward, such as using tick and flea treatments or treating bacterial infections with antibiotics.
But what if the problem comes from inside the body? In this case we are talking specifically about allergies. With allergies, the diagnosis and treatment become more complicated. While the thing that your dog or cat is allergic to may come from outside, it is important to realise that allergies are caused by processes inside the body going wrong. On a very basic level, an allergy is an over-reaction of your pet’s immune system against something harmless. Their immune system treats an allergen (the thing causing the allergic reaction) as if it is a serious threat that it needs to attack, instead of recognising it as a normal everyday allergen without threat.
There are several types of allergies in pets that can cause itching: food allergies, contact allergies, flea bite allergies or environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis).
Flea bite allergy
The allergy is to proteins found in flea saliva. So even if your pet is not covered in fleas, one single flea hopping onto them and biting them can cause a widespread allergic reaction.
Contact allergy
A localised allergic reaction that happens when the allergy is to a specific substance touching their skin. It only affects the exact areas where the skin touched the trigger, instead of the whole body.
“Inside” (allergic) causes of itching in your dog or cat
Food allergy
The allergy is to a component in their food, most commonly to protein sources, especially beef, chicken, pork or lamb, or to wheat. Whenever they eat food containing that ingredient, it triggers an allergic reaction.
Environmental allergy (atopic dermatitis)
The allergy is to everyday substances in the environment, such as pollen, dust mites or mould. Their whole body itches, not just the area that comes into contact with the allergen.
Food allergies can be treated by feeding your pet a diet that does not contain the ingredient that they are allergic to.
For more information on food allergies, read Itchy Pets Part 2 – Food Allergies.
VetsBrands products: Sensitive Puppy All Breed Dog Food Sensitive All Breed Adult Dog Food
Atopic dermatitis can be managed through a combination of medication, supplements and environmental modifications.
For more information about atopic dermatitis, read Itchy Pets Part 3 – Atopic Dermatitis.
Regardless of the cause of your pet’s itching, know that there is hope for living a scratch-free life. Your vet can help you to diagnose the cause as well as to find the best treatment for your individual pet.