Itchy Season 101
You may notice your pet is itching more frequently this time of year. Welcome to Itchy Season! Dr. Grace Chen goes over some of the reasons why your pets get extra itchy during these hot summer months.
The most common reasons why pets are itchy include:
Allergic dermatitis is an allergy of the skin. You may see your pet lick the paws, scratch their ears and belly, and scoot.
Types
Environmental allergies: Your pet may breathe in debris, pollen, dust, or mold which triggers an inflammatory response of the skin.
Food allergies: With food allergies, you may even notice gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting, diarrhea and lack of appetite in addition to itchy skin. Food allergies are less common than environmental allergies.
Diagnosis
The gold standard diagnostic tool is intradermal testing. This can be performed with a referral to a Veterinary Dermatologist.
Control and Prevention
Medication: Cytopoint injections, Apoquel, medicated wipes and shampoo are commonly prescribed when common antihistamines or supplements aren’t enough. Always speak to a veterinarian before considering an over the counter allergy medication or supplement to avoid a potential toxicity.
Diet change: Changing the food to a novel protein diet (a new source of protein your pet has never been exposed to), or a prescription hydrolyzed protein diet (the protein in this diet is broken down into such small pieces so the body doesn't mount an inflammatory response), can be done if we suspect food allergies. This may require a food trial to identify food allergies. You can learn more by checking out our Diet Trials article.
Infection
Types
Fleas/ticks/mites can cause itchiness around the back, belly and head. Please make sure your pet is up to date on their flea/tick/heartworm prevention.
Bacteria/yeast can cause itchiness, foul odor, discharge and scabs are often noted as a result.
Fungal infections, although rare, such as ringworm can cause circular areas of hair loss and itchiness
Diagnosis
Testing for infection can be performed by your veterinarian
Treatment
Based on test results, your veterinarian may prescribe medication according to the type of infection your pet has
Overbathing
You may notice itchy skin, red skin and excessive dandruff and shedding from dry skin due to overbathing.
Treatment
We recommend bathing your pet once a month at most. Use a gentle cleanser such as oatmeal shampoo. If your pet is excessively dirty, you can rinse them with cool water without shampoo or use baby wipes to spot clean.
We hope you found these tips helpful and that they help keep your pet happy and healthy. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are always here for you and your pets.
Sincerely,
The BLVD Team