![]() ![]() Additionally, topical therapies are available in numerous formulations, including crème rinses, sprays, mousses, lotions, and wipes, which makes finding one that will work for the pet an easy task.Ī number of factors come into play when deciding whether to treat topically or systemically. Among them are moisturizing shampoos, as well as antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseborrheic shampoos. While there are several good oral and injectable treatments to ease itchiness, topical treatments can play an important role in managing pruritic skin disease. If that doesn’t work-or if the patient is immunocompromised and has a severe widespread skin infection-a systemic antibiotic may be used in addition to the topical therapy. That may mean treating bacterial skin infections with medicated shampoos first. ![]() “We’re tending to use and lean more toward topical therapy as an approach to infections, both bacterial and fungal.” Abdominal self-induced hair loss and rash from environmental allergies in a domestic short-haired cat. White, DVM, DACVD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. “We’re becoming much more judicious in our use of systemically administered antibiotics,” says Amelia G. The rise of antimicrobial resistance over the last several decades has veterinarians taking a second look at how and when they use antibiotics. Treatments for itchy skin haven’t changed, but the approach has. Skin barrier defects lead to moisture loss and make patients drier, scalier, and more prone to infections. Atopic dogs and cats can have abnormal skin barriers, which are part of the atopic dermatitis syndrome. These patients may not simply have an itchy allergic hypersensitivity disorder, though. However, atopic dermatitis and food allergies still frequently send pets into a frenzied itch-scratch cycle that is often followed by secondary bacterial and yeast infections. Parasites, infectious conditions, and other skin diseases can also be itchy.įortunately for dogs and cats, flea infestation and flea allergy dermatitis are less common and not as severe these days, thanks to the number of effective flea control products on the market. Primarily, itchy skin occurs in response to one or a combination of hypersensitivity disorders: atopic dermatitis, food allergies, or flea allergy dermatitis. ![]() In the same dataset, this condition ranked ninth for cats. Allergic dermatitis was the most common health issue last year among dogs insured with Nationwide, with more than 223,000 individual claims at an average cost of $293 per dog. Approximately 10 percent of cats and dogs suffer from some type of allergy. Itchy skin conditions are high on the list of problems pet owners bring to veterinarians. By Kim Campbell Thornton With the right shampoos or other topicals, patients can be bathed weekly or even daily. ![]()
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