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Skin Allergy - When is a scratch more than an itch?

How can you tell if your cat or dog is suffering from a skin allergy?

Warmer months often bring many causes for skin irritation – fleas love this weather, and pollen fills the air. But when is a skin problem actually an allergy?

For tips on management and prevention, see our article on understanding itchy skin in cats and dogs. 

Itchy cat Otaki Vets

Some skin allergy signs in dogs are obvious – itching, scratching, redness – but some may not be.

So, look out for:

  • Recurring ear or skin infections
  • Licking excessively at their paws (other than just to clean them)
  • Rubbing their face along furniture or the ground, or with their paws
  • Scooting their bum along the ground – this can occur with full anal glands and occasionally with worms, but also with allergies.

 

Cats are a bit different, but may show the following signs:

  • Licking until they cause a red raw lesion
  • Multiple small raw spots
  • Overgrooming causing bald areas – even with no obvious lesions on the skin itself

 

Twenty percent of dogs with food allergies will have both a skin irritation as well as vomiting and diarrhoea.

Dogs that are allergic to a plant or pollen may only itch in the warmer months, when these plants are going to seed and pollen is rife.

A dog allergic to something in their diet will tend to itch all year round.

To make things more complex, a good proportion of itchy dogs have multiple triggers for their skin problems.

 

When it comes to allergic skin disease, the most important messages are:

  • There is no cure, but it can be managed
  • Normally a combination of diet, shampooing and medication will be required
  • Allergic skin disease is lifelong. There will be flare-ups, and management strategies will need to change with the pet as they age.

 

Come and have a consult with us and we can put together a management plan for your cat or dog’s skin problems – ring us on 06 364 6941 to book.