Arthritis
Atopy (Inhalant Allergy)
Bufo Toad Poisoning
Cat Home Safety Tips
Collar Hazards
Common Things to Watch for
Dental Disease in Pets
Diabetes
Dog Safety Tips
Feline Heartworm Disease
Mallassezia (yeast) Dermatitis
Reasons to Neuter
Noise Phobia in Dogs
Weight Problems in Pets
Otitis (Ear Infections)
Parvo Virus
Pruritis (Itchiness)
Rabies
Seizures and Epilepsy
Senior Pets
Reasons to Spay
Toxoplasmosis, Cats and Women
overlook or just plain ignore is "pruritus" or itchiness. I’m not quite sure
why, but it seems that many pet owners tend to let their animal scratch
itself raw before seeking treatment.
Maybe it’s because "itching and scratching" is such a common thing and
the owner doesn’t realize just how uncomfortable their pet is. Or maybe
they don’t realize that pruritus indicates an underlying problem and
they hope that it will go away on it’s own.
Whatever the reason, I have seen too many animals suffer with serious
itching lasting for weeks or months at a time before the owner seeks
treatment. Often the pet is brought in because the owner’s sleep is
disturbed by the pet’s constant nighttime scratching.
Pruritus is not a disease in itself. Rather, it is a sign of an underlying
disease or condition such as a skin infection, fleas, allergy, or mange.
Often times there is a combination of conditions, all of which need to be
treated to resolve the itching.
Pruritus may vary in intensity from mild to severe. It may also vary at
different times of the year. Mildly affected animals only scratch
themselves occasionally, but as the underlying condition progresses, the
animal shows increasing levels of discomfort.
More severely affected animals will display other behaviors such as
biting and chewing at itself, excessive licking, rubbing up against
furniture or other objects, and rolling on it’s back, all in an attempt to
gain some relief. Some animals may suffer personality changes from
sleep deprivation as they itch and scratch themselves throughout the
night.
The two most common causes of intense itching that I see are bacterial
skin infections and flea allergy. If your animal will allow it, run a comb
through it’s fur. Look for fleas, flea dirt (small black specks) and
excessive skin flakes. Run your fingers through its coat. A skin infection
usually presents with small red bumps, scabs and hairless patches.
A normal animal will scratch occasionally if it has a few fleas. Animals
that hyper-respond to flea bites are allergic to them and may develop
intense pruritus. The typical flea allergic dog bites itself around the
rump, often causing an infected hairless patch at the tail base. Flea
allergic cats often develop "miliary dermatitis" characterized by small
skin bumps and scabs around the neck and extending down the back.
Sarcoptic mange (scabies) causes one of the most severe forms of
pruritus. The scabies mite burrows into the skin causing mechanical
damage to the outer layers and the animal reacts to the mites’ saliva,
both of which result in intense itchiness. In dogs the lesions usually start
around the ears, eyes, muzzle and chest and can spread to the rest of the
body. The skin appears hairless, thickened and crusty. In cats, the tips
of the ears are usually first affected with crusts and scabs that spread to
the face and head. This disease is highly contagious among animals and
may spread to people too.
Atopy is similar to "hayfever" in people and is an allergy to inhaled
substances such as dust, pollens and molds. It is most commonly seen in
dogs and is usually seasonal in nature although the animal may itch year
round if the offending allergens are constantly present in the
environment. There is no cure for this condition but it can be controlled
with medications such as prednisone and antihistamines.
Pruritus is not limited to just the body. Some animals bite and lick at
their feet almost constantly. If the pet will allow it, look at the skin
between the toes on top and between the pads on the bottoms of the feet.
If the skin is red or thickened or scabby the animal suffers from
"pododermatits" which may be caused by a food allergy, a bacterial or
yeast infection or other condition.
Scratching at the ears and shaking the head excessively usually indicates
an ear infection. Using a small light, look into your pet’s ears. If the
outer canal or the inside of the ear flap appears thickened, red or swollen
or if there is excessive wax or if the ear smells there is probably an
infection that needs to be treated.
When I see a dog that licks it feet constantly and suffers from recurrent
ear infections I am highly suspicious of a food allergy in that animal.
Other dogs with food allergy have generalized pruritus and may get a
skin infection that heals with antibiotics but recurs after the medicine is
stopped. Feeding the pet a prescription hypoallergenic diet for a 6-8
week trial can help establish a diagnosis of a food allergy.
Excessive itching and scratching is an easy sign for owners to recognize
that something is wrong with their pet. Taking the wait-and-see
approach, trying home remedies, and using over-the-counter flea
products and shampoos is generally ineffective and only prolongs the
animal’s discomfort. Animals that are very pruritic should be evaluated
by a veterinarian as soon as possible to identify and treat the underlying
cause.