Beneath your animal’s lovely, colorful coat is skin that deserves the same attention you show the rest of them. It is sometimes difficult to immediately see anything wrong with their skin; by the time it becomes noticeable, they’re already uncomfortable! Paying close attention to your furry friends through animal dermatology is one of the many ways to keep your animal healthy and happy!
Environmental Allergies
General allergies are the most common skin irritant in pets and manifest in various forms depending on the animal. If left untreated, your animals can experience continuous hair loss & develop more serious skin problems that require medical intervention.
You’ll find that dogs often have itchy skin, recurrent ear infections, and repeatedly lick at their feet or other areas that are most affected. Horses commonly get hives and are also extremely itchy, while cats can lose their hair due to overgrooming, causing self-trauma as a consequence of the allergies. Veterinarians are trained in animal dermatology to work with pet owners to determine the best course of action for their four-legged loved ones!
Trouble From Fleas
Flea bites and allergies are the most common causes of itching and scratching in your cat or dog. These bites introduce saliva into their skin, which develops into an allergy, and the resulting reaction is excessive scratching. Fleas can cause “hot spots” on your critters, and there is no instant medication/solution to relieve them of these nuisances.
Not all solutions work for every situation, so it’s important to be communicative with your vet about what works and what doesn’t. There are medications to aid in preventing flea bites, and routine bathing and combing can make a world ofdifference for your animals!
Food Allergies
Like humans, dogs and cats can develop hypersensitivity to one or more ingredients in their food. These allergic reactions are sometimes difficult to catch, as sometimes it takes more than blood tests to diagnose a food allergy. For a diagnosis, you should perform a blood test and sometimes, a proper elimination diet to find triggers.
Once you remove the offending proteins or carbohydrates, you should see progress in approximately 6 to 8 weeks. Food allergies are commonly misunderstood allergic reactions in dogs, specifically; in general, it’s a fairly simple concept to grasp. Animal dermatology includes tracking any changes in their diet that could lead to skin issues!
Proper Allergy Testing
Your vet can utilize blood testing that can measure the level of antibodies in a pet’s blood in response to specific allergens, such as environmental triggers. Much like human allergy testing, pets can undergo skin testing that introduces small amounts of allergens into their skin and observe for any allergic reactions. This is the quickest, most effective way to identify environmental and flea allergens in your furry friends.
Both methods of animal allergy testing provide valuable information to the veterinarian and their owners and candetermine the best course of action for treatment. Alleviating symptoms in your critters is one way you can work with your veterinarian to take control of your animal’s dermatology, treatment, and future prevention.
Alleviating Your Pet’s Symptoms
We all hate seeing our animals in distress, so we do our best to ensure they are as comfortable and happy as possible. To assist in environmental and flea allergies, we recommend limiting exposure to allergens; keeping your pet indoors during peak pollen hours (early mornings and late afternoons), feeding your pet regularly, and investing in air purifiers for your home are all great starts!
Additionally, it’s crucial to maintain a clean environment within your home, including frequent vacuuming and eliminating as much dust and allergens in the air as possible. For most pet allergens, you can talk to your local vet about nutritional supplements like omega-3 fatty acids to improve their skin health. There are also medications to help with certain allergens, and these simple steps are the beginning of caring for your pet through animal dermatology care!
Who Can Help with Animal Dermatology
There are many things you can do as an animal owner to prevent pain and discomfort for your animals. However, it never hurts to have intervention from the professionals, and that’s where Old Dominion Veterinary Clinic comes in! We run complete allergy diagnostics testing, determine what sensitivities your pet has, and come up with a treatment plan to help!
