Happy Easter, ya'll!! Murphy, here! Hopin' that all of your pups and kitties stayed away from the peeps, chocolates, jelly beans and ham!
This month we are talking about itchy skin. Last week, we talked about flea products. Today, the doc wanted me to talk about allergies. Skin allergies are pretty common in dogs and cats. The most common allergy is fleas. After that, most allergies are due to grass, pollens, molds, dust and house dust mites. Only 3-5% of all pets' allergies are due to food, so if your pet is itchy, food is not the most likely cause.
The most common sign of allergies is itchiness. You may also see hairloss, flakes, red skin, skin odor, scabs and a greasy residue on the skin. Ear infections are also a common sign of skin allergies.
For itchy pets, allergens can be inhaled or may come in contact with the skin, causing a reaction. The classic contact allergies are those pets whose feet become itchy and red after walking in grass. How can we help these itchy pups? If your pet gets itchy after being in the grass, rinsing the pollens or grass from the affected area can help. For dogs with grass allergies, a quick rinse after being outside can help.
Most often bathing itchy pets may help a little but is seldom going to be the only thing they need to solve the itch. For grass allergies on the feet, some clients have removed grass from their backyards. That helped, but is not an option for everyone. Very often medications are needed to soothe the itch. Allergy shots leave more than half of the pets who receive them needing additional medications. Antihistamines, steroids and shampoos have been the most common things used in most pets. For many animals with mild allergies, antihistamines can do a very good job. For more severe allergies, steroids have often been used or even cyclosporine (Atopica) which suppresses the immune cell responsible for allergies. The newest medication, Apoquel, doesn't have the side effects of steroids but does a very good job of controlling itch. Unfortunately, the world-wide supply is low and will likely be so for the rest of the year.
The doc says new medications and methods of treatments are on the horizon. Allergy shots are beginning to give way to sublingual (medication put under the tongue) treaments. Drugs like Apoquel are based on a better understanding of allergies on the deepest level, so far. As research continues to improve the knowledge of what causes allergies and how they show in animals, the doc says treatments will not only get better but they will also have fewer side effects. I hear the doc frequently say that there is no cure for allergies. Since I, Murphy, have allergies, I look forward to the day when I hear the doc get excited and say we finally have a cure for allergies!
Have a great week, ya'll! Stay active, stay healthy. If your pets are itchy, give the office a call. The doc can help!