Itchy? Scratchy? Spotty?   <download Itchy Skin Leaflet>

The skin has to deal with everything that arrives at the outside of the body so it’s not surprising that skin disease is a common problem. Itchy pets are usually miserable pets. Scratching makes things worse and they can quickly make a real mess of their skin.

Scratching or licking, bald patches, scabs, spots or rashes on the skin should all be investigated by the vet as soon as they are noticed.

The Flea - The prime Suspect!
The most common culprit is our old adversary the flea. It’s amazing how something so small (only about 4 mm long) can cause so much misery.

Allergies to Fleas
Many animals develop an allergy to flea bites and a single bite can make them intensely itchy. This can be totally prevented by ensuring you pets never develop a flea infestation. See Flea Prevention - Dogs and  Flea Prevention - Cats

Other Beasties
There are plenty of other beasties which can join in the party –
See our Creepy Crawlies collection for pictures of other “hangers on” we’ve found on local pets recently. . .

Other Allergies
Allergies are another big problem for our pets. Some animals are allergic to all sorts of things in their environment. This can be things they eat (e.g. beef, gluten, dairy products) touch (e.g. fabric conditioners and household chemicals) or that are just around in the environment (grass pollen house dust etc). The list of potential culprits is endless and will be slightly different for each individual pet. It can be a real challenge to get to the root of the problem!
Allergy Testing
It is now possible to find out exactly which things make an individual itchy and to produce a vaccine to desensitise them to those things. Unfortunately this is an expensive process and is usually out of reach unless a pet has pet health insurance. It is the only prospect of a “cure” for allergies as it is not possible to prevent the pet coming into contact with many of the culprits.

Skin infections
Yeast and bacteria infections are common and can occur on their own or as a result of another itchy scratchy problem. They need treatment with antibiotics, ointments or shampoos from the vet.

Internal disorders that cause skin problems
Disorders of liver, kidney, digestion and/or hormone problems such as an underactive thyroid can all cause skin problems. Many skin disorders are a mixture of several problems.

However don’t despair - there are lots of things the vet can do for your itchy pet! A good quality diet with added oil supplements can improve skin and coat health and strengthen defences. Medicated shampoos may be prescribed for certain skin conditions to alleviate symptoms. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication can stop infection in its tracks and keep itch levels down.

Contact us for advice about your pet’s skin