What’s Causing Your Pet to Itch and Scratch

Your pet normally has a thick, lustrous coat of fur. One day, you discover a bare or red spot on his leg and the skin looks sore. Even worse, your pet cannot stop biting, chewing and licking the area. What is happening? Your pet may have a skin condition, but the problem may go deeper than what you see on the surface. The irritated area could be a sign of a more serious medical disorder.

Short or long hair, big or small, purebred or mixed, no dog or cat is immune to having dermatologic (skin-related) problems. From the mildest irritation to a near-fatal reaction to an insect bite, skin problems are one of the leading causes of visits to the veterinarian.

Itchy and Scratchy

There are hundreds of reasons why dogs and cats might itch and scratch. Take your pet to the veterinarian if you notice that your pet is scratching, biting or licking his skin more than usual.

Many skin diseases have similar signs, so testing is often required before a final diagnosis can be made. To help determine the problem, your veterinarian may recommend laboratory work, skin scrapings, blood tests or other diagnostics. You can help by observing changes in the condition of your pet’s coat and reporting the results to your veterinarian.

Allergy Season Is No Picnic

You may think your cat or dog is itching himself because he has fleas, but there is a chance that he could have inhalant allergies, another common cause of itching and scratching in pets.

Both pets and people can suffer from inhalant allergies (atopy), a type of allergy caused by substances commonly encountered in the environment, such as grasses, weeds, pollen, house dust mites, molds and trees. The difference is that people usually react to these substances (allergens) by developing respiratory problems, while dogs and cats most often develop skin problems. Signs of inhalant allergies in pets can include:

• Inflamed or itchy skin, either in one area or all over.
• Orange or reddish-brown salivary stains on the coat caused by excessive licking and biting.
• Ear infections.
• Coughing, sneezing or wheezing.

While some pets never have a problem, others may itch at certain times of the year, usually from spring to fall, or year-round. Allergic reactions do not tend to go away as dogs and cats age. In fact, pets can become allergic to more and more things as they grow older.

Thankfully, your veterinarian can often help manage and treat your pet’s allergies. Treatment may consist of antihistamines, steroids, allergy shots or other medications. Sometimes environmental modifications can also be helpful.

Other Culprits

Allergic reactions to food can also cause skin problems. Dogs and cats are not born with these allergies, but they can develop them, usually after a period of eating various foods. Common protein sources, such as animal meat (beef, pork and chicken) and other sources (corn and wheat), can be responsible, although any food can cause trouble.

In addition to itching, signs can include digestive disorders. A food allergy diagnosis will take time, because it is a diagnosis of exclusion. Your veterinarian will generally recommend a special diet restricted to a few simple proteins your dog or cat has likely never eaten (e.g., venison). The pet should eat this diet exclusively for a few months. If this does the trick and the signs of the allergy go away, ingredients can then be added back into the diet one at a time until the culprit is discovered. This process can take months, and, during this time, it is important that you do not give any treats or other foods your veterinarian has not approved, because even very small quantities of the offending ingredient can trigger the allergic reaction.

Contact allergies are another cause of skin inflammation. Problems can crop up after dogs and cats come in contact with certain irritants or allergens. Some of these allergens can be associated with common items, such as blankets, carpets, plastic food dishes, furniture stuffing or dog bedding. If the offending substance can be identified and removed, healing can begin. In most cases, your veterinarian can prescribe medications to provide relief.

Bacterial skin infections and certain hormonal diseases can also affect your pet’s skin. For instance, Cushing’s disease, a serious hormonal disease that can be difficult to diagnose, can cause hair loss and thinning of the skin in dogs.