While recently attending a veterinary conference in Orlando, Florida, I began wondering what topics would be of interest to the blog followers. How about skin diseases and treatments?
Being in a southern climate, itching is a chronic problem due to a variety of inciting causes: fleas, insect bite hypersensitivity, and environmental allergens. The most common complaint I hear from clients is incessant scratching to the point of a neurosis for pets and their owners.
What is itching?
Itching (pruritus) is a neurological sensation that provokes an intense desire to rub or scratch. Then the sensation travels through nerves to the spinal cord to the brain.
Tell me about Benadryl (diphenhydramine, an anti-histamine) and why it often does not seem to help my dog?
The Classic Benadryl model (anti-histamine type 1) is at best very controversial as to its effectiveness in dogs. New evidence indicates many other allergy chemical mediators (neuropeptides, peptides, cytokines, and leukotrienes for example) beg for newer and different medications. Stay tuned!
What can on owner do to help in the itchy pet assessment and evaluation?
Bring to your pet's exam a photo of your pet looking normal as well as their history including: scratch site(s), food trials, a photo or collection of prior medications, and dynamics of the household (new baby, owner traveling, frequency of flea control of all pets exposed, and seasonality). Itching is rarely induced by a solo cause. Interestingly, allergies are not responsible in up to 25 percent of cats. There is a new app called “ITCHOLOGY’ that can help track patterns of seasonal itching.
Why can't we just do a food trial with Pet store food e(x. venison or fish and potato) for itchy pets?
A large percentage of pet store foods have cross contamination with proteins not listed in the ingredients. Even marketed “grain free diets” can induce allergies.
Tell me about shampoo categories and why bathing pets is important?
Bathing a pet is like cleaning off a Swiffer duster: less foreign matter on the fur this it decreases the itch sensation. Topical (on the skin) therapy can cut the frequency of oral antibiotics, thus lowering risk of drug resistant bacteria in the home. There are several types of bathing products for itchy pets. (Creature Comforts regularly carries these products for your convenience.)
Class 1- moisturizing, soap free shampoos
Example: Aloe and Oatmeal shampoo. Used to remove chemicals, irritants, and allergens.
Itchy pets have lost a barrier outer skin function which allows moisture loss, drying skin, and an entry point for allergens into deeper layers causing itching.
Class 2- antibacterial shampoos
Examples: Douxo Chlorhexidine, Malaket, Seba-hex, and Pyoben shampoo. Used to control surface bacteria & combined with other agents to control yeast.
Recent discoveries indicate many skin bacteria produce a protective biofilm (think the sticky plaque on your teeth) hindering the efficacy of oral antibiotics, while topical therapy, such as an antibacterial shampoo, can penetrate even with just one minute of contact time.
Class 3- anti-yeast shampoos
Example: Malaket shampooo. Often used in combination with antibacterial agents to control surface malassezia.
Class 4- anti-seborrheic shampoos
Examples: Seba-Hex and DermaBenSs (Dechra). Controls irritating scaling that harbors infectious agents.
Group 5- flea shampoos. Example: NO LONGER RECOMMENDED. Contain pyrethrins.
There is zero residual flea control left after rinsing this shampoo. Solo use is discouraged, as most flea infested pets would need one of the above therapeutic products along with systemic flea control available from your vet (avoid over-the-counter systemic flea control as it is problematic in production quality and effectiveness). Veterinary prescription products such as Ectokyl have become obsolete and no longer recommended.
Next week I will discuss new medications for itchy pets.
In the introduction photo, note the heart on the front of the chest of my dog, Taco Belle. The Maine Coon cat is named Tabby.
Betsy Sigmon DVM
Creature Comforts Animal Hospital
Cary, NC
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