Itchy Pet Awareness Month
August is Itchy Pet Awareness Month! In this blog we’ll go over the reasons your pet me be itching, and how Licks can help! Itching in pets is a common symptom and may be caused by many conditions. These causes can range from something mild, such as irritated skin, to more serious causes.
Possible Causes of Itching in Cats:
Itching in cats is most commonly caused by allergies, infections, or parasites. However, there are many possible reasons for a cat to become itchy, which include the following(2):
Parasites, such as fleas, lice, or mites
Skin infections, such as ringworm
Ear infections
Environmental allergies
Food allergy
Dry skin
Endocrine disorders, such as hyperthyroidism
Cancer, such as mast cell tumors
Inflammatory conditions, such as atopic dermatitis
Hot spots
Bug bites
Stress or anxiety
Exposure to household chemicals or another irritant
Substances, such as tree sap, stuck in fur or on skin
Possible Cause of Itching in Dogs:
So, what’s behind your dog’s itchy skin? It may be caused by a medical condition called skin allergies. This means your dog’s body overreacts to an allergen in the environment or to food, which makes them feel itchy. There are several potential culprits (1):
Flea allergy: Flea bites can create extremely itchy areas on your dog. They can be found anywhere on the body, but are most common at the hind legs, tail base, and rear end. Just because you don’t see any fleas on your dog does not mean they aren’t there – keep in mind that a bite from a single flea can make your dog very itchy.
Food allergy: Your dog’s itching might be caused by a food allergy. Some dogs are allergic to common dog food ingredients such as beef, chicken, and dairy products.1 Food allergies in dogs can lead to changes to the skin around their paws, face, armpits, and belly.
Environmental allergy: Your dog may be allergic to environmental triggers like pollen, mold spores, or dust mites. Environmental allergens can cause allergic itch during certain seasons, or even year-round. Dogs with environmental allergies will often have changes to the skin around their face, belly, and paws.
Contact allergy: Your dog may be allergic to substances it encounters daily. These can include things like household cleaners, shampoos, insecticides, and plants. Dogs with contact allergies will often be itchy in the area that touched the contact allergen.
How Licks Skin & Allergy can Help
Licks Pill-Free’s Skin and Allergy formula has high levels of Omega 3’s to moisturize from the inside out and help maintain normal moisture content of the skin. These products were formulated to support animals with sensitive skin and to help soothe skin-related issues associated with occasional allergies.
Omega 3's Provide important nutrients for proper immune function, aiding in any condition involving inflammation and the region of free radicals, including skin allergies, respiratory issues, achy joints, and in digestion.
Inositol is an anti-inflammatory agent used to treat chronic skin disorders.
