vet-n-pet DIRECT

8 | my pet magazine uFEATURED ARTICLE Causes Of Itchy Skin All dogs and cats will scratch at some point, but when is scratching actually too much scratching? When scratching or biting becomes more than just the occasional scratch, bite or roll around it might be a problem. When a dog or cat is particularly itchy they will bite, scratch, rub and ultimately cause self trauma. Their skin will often become red, inflamed and sometimes broken, with disruption of hair (either patches of hair loss or short hair). If they are continually biting, scratching or rubbing it should not be dismissed as being a habit, it's unlikely to be out of habit but it will most likely be that there is a real cause making them itch. There are a number of potential causes of itchy skin in pets which can generally be attributed to either parasites or allergies. Parasites, commonly fleas and mites, can cause an itch but are generally the easiest to diagnose. The other cause of itchy skin is allergies which can be food allergies, contact dermatitis or atopic dermatitis. Fleas are certainly a major cause of itchy skin as they bite your pets making them itch and scratch, especially when an outbreak of fleas occurs. Even one flea can actually cause a big issue if you have a dog that suffers from the condition flea allergy dermatitis, where they are hypersensitive to the flea saliva. A vet can determine through examination if the cause is from fleas or flea allergy dermatitis. Mites, either Demodex or Sarcoptic mites, are microscopic parasites that burrow into the skin causing immense irritation and itching. As mites are microscopic a veterinarian will need to do a skin scraping, usually multiple skin scrapings, are required to make a diagnosis. Food allergies are uncommon amongst dogs and cats and are typically a reaction to a certain protein source (meat) in a food. The itchy skin related to food allergies usually occurs first on the feet and ears but can then present all over the animal. To diagnose a food allergy can be difficult as it requires a strict elimination of all protein sources the pet has been eating. It is a matter of changing the food to a new

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