There are a number of different things that can cause your dog or cat to start itching and scratching, from food allergies to pesky fleas. This blog helps you to identify 10 common skin conditions and how to treat them.
Feline Acne
Mostly found in the chin area of your cat, the symptoms can vary from slight irritation of the skin, to painful spots. It is often related to the overproduction of keratin which blocks the hair follicles and these can then develop into spots or black heads. But it can also be caused by food allergies, poor grooming, stress and even allergies to plastic if you feed from a plastic bowl.
Treatment: replace any plastic bowls with stainless steel. In mild cases using a cat safe antibacterial wash a few times a day may be enough to flush the infected follicles. In more severe cases your vet can prescribe an antibiotic and recommend any topical treatments.
Fleas
These dark brown little insects which feed off your pets blood can be really hard to eliminate once you have them in your home. Flea eggs tend to collect in any nook and cranny in your house and can lay dormant for up to a year. The fleas themselves can jump vast distances for their size. Your pet will likely start scratching more often and you can see the fleas with the naked eye. You will also see dark brown flea dirt when you part the hairs of your pets fur.
Treatment: it is really important to treat your house as well as all animals in the household. Most pet shops will stock flea treatments for a variety of animals but it is recommended to seek advice from your vet first as they often have better, more longer term treatments available.
Yeast Infections
Most commonly appear in the ears but can also develop on the paws and skin. Yeast is naturally found on your dog/cat’s skin but sometimes it can overproduce if their immune system is low. Pets with lots of excess skin are prone to developing yeast infections between the folds of skin. It is incredibly itchy which can result in your pet creating sores on their skin. You will also notice quite a strong odor from the infected area and also dark greasy or waxy areas.
Treatment: your vet will likely take a skin scrape to identify the type of yeast infection first. Then depending on the severity it may just need a topical antifungal cream or in more severe cases an oral antifungal may be required.
Ear Mites
Are highly contagious and are the second most common external parasite found on pets, the flea being the first. Your cat or dog will often display a lot of head shaking combined with dark, smelly, waxy residue from the ear and your pet can cause sores or blood blisters in the ear from excessive scratching. Ear mites can often cause ear infections due to the inflammation that they cause as they feed on the wax.
Treatment: make sure to speak to your vet if you suspect ear mites, quite often if they have mites, they have an infection too. Spot on treatments and ear drops are the most common treatments, your vet will advise the one which is best for your pet.
Dermatitis
Food, pollen, fleas, grooming products, grasses and many other things could cause dermatitis in your pet. The skin can become itchy, inflamed, rashy, have hair loss and may also be accompanied by dry flaky or crusty patches. The most commonly affected areas are usually the tummy, armpits, face, ears and back but irritation can occur anywhere on the skin.
Treatment: finding what is causing the allergic reaction can often be the hardest part. Your vet will probably do some skin tests to help determine whether the allergy is from fleas/mites, food or environmental (such as pollen). Once the cause has been determined then your vet can provide the correct treatment.
Lice
These tiny little white insects feed on dry skin and some species feed on blood. They are more common on pets without a regular flea/tick preventative. Lice are species specific so your cat cannot transfer lice to your dog and visa versa. Your pet will be itchy and may also have patches of hair loss from scratching or biting at the area. Lice on cats and dogs can just about be seen with the naked eye.
Treatment: your vet will likely take a skin scrape to determine which type of lice your pet has. They will then recommend a specific insecticide treatment or wash that is safe for your cat or dog. In severe cases, the fur may need to be shaved if it is particularly thick or matted to allow the treatment to get to the skin. It is also important to wash all your pets’ bedding and treat your house also.
Impulsive Grooming
Lots of different things can cause your pet to over groom. Stress, anxiety, allergies, pain, boredom and even something as simple as a change in routine or moving furniture can be the cause. Cats are generally more prone to this as grooming is a self soothing behaviour. Signs of impulsive grooming can sometimes be hard to differentiate from scratching/biting because of allergies etc. Symptoms can include restlessness, hair loss, redness of the skin and rashes. Quite often with this issue it can expose the skin to secondary infection if the skin is irritated or broken.
Treatment: it is best to get your pet down to the vet to rule out any allergies or fleas etc. Whilst it’s tempting to try and stop your pet from doing it, it can often lead to more stress and them developing a different behaviour. Sometimes a plug in device may help if it is stress/anxiety related. If it is boredom related, there are lots of ways to help enrich your pets environment such as puzzles and toys.
Folliculitis
Is inflammation of the hair follicles that can be caused by a number of different things including: bacteria, parasites, local trauma, fungal infections and even underlying conditions. The most common symptoms are hair loss, black heads, darkening of the skin, red swellings and the skin will be a bit sore to touch. A lot of the time folliculitis is a result of something else.
Treatment: will depend on the cause. Your vet will probably do a number of different skin tests and exams to determine the most effective treatment for the cause. Topical treatments and medicated shampoos may be enough to settle down the irritation but drugs and antibiotics may be needed to clear up any underlying infections.
Mange
Is caused by tiny mites which burrow into the skin and lay eggs. There are several different types of mange but all are highly contagious and can transfer to other host species. Mange causes excessive scratching which leads to hair loss, large sores on the body and in some cases the thickening of skin that starts to fold over.
Treatment: antiparasitic treatments will be prescribed by the vet to target the specific type of mange. Usually topical treatments will also be recommended as well such as medicated baths and creams/lotions. It is also important to wash any item that your pet has come into contact with such as bedding, brushes, toys, collars, leads etc.
Dandruff
Lots of different factors can lead to dandruff. Dry skin from a change in season/humidity, skin infections, parasites, genetics, hormonal imbalances and allergies. Generally a little bit of dandruff is nothing to worry about.
Treatment: brushing regularly can help to stimulate blood flow and distribute the natural oils around the body. Bathing in an anti dandruff or moisturising dog/cat shampoo and conditioner should help as long as you don’t bathe them more than once every two weeks (over bathing can change the ph of the skin and cause other skin problems). Start to introduce more foods containing fish, these are higher in oil which is great for skin health. If none of these work then it is possible something else is causing the dry skin which needs to be investigated by the vet.
Elite Equine Salt Therapy 