PET TALK

When Your Pet’s Scratching Becomes Worrisome

BY CHERYL RAHAL, D.V.M. (With sidenotes from Toby the clinic kitty)

Scratch, lick, repeat. If this feels like a constant cycle, your pet may be suffering from allergies.

Whether the cause is food or environmental-related, allergies in dogs manifest with itchy, red and inflamed skin. The intense itching results in excessive paw licking and chewing, face rubbing, head shaking, irritated ears or infections, respiratory difficulties, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes/ infections and hair loss. It really can be overwhelming for both the pet and their owner.

Pinpoint the Allergens

Diagnosing allergies is not easy, but a good start is a simple blood-allergy test. Then we can help avoid those allergens, like keeping off grass if your dog is allergic to bermuda or rye grasses, or switching foods to a limited or specific-ingredient diet.

Common foods that cause food allergies in canines are meat proteins such as beef, chicken, and eggs; some dogs can also be allergic to soy or gluten.

Stop the Itch

Many pets can be helped with over-the-counter antihistamine; like Zyrtec and Claritin. Fish oils (EPA and DHA) and Vitamin E supplements can help support skin repair from the inflammation caused by all the itching and scratching. If you have allergy testing done, you could also treat with desensitization treatments, much like many of our human kids. Newer veterinary prescription medications, like Cytopoint and Apoquel, have minimal side effects; unlike glucocorticoid or steroids used to treat allergies.

Dr. Cheryl Rahal is a doctor of veterinary medicine at The Pet Wellness Center in North Phoenix. Her sidekick, Toby, spends his days alongside her at the clinic.

Toby’s Take

Yes, cats get allergies, too. We mostly show it by sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and pulling out our hair. Yes, kitty asthma is a thing and we need to talk about it. We can Toby the clinic kitty also have itchy/runny eyes, ear infections, vomiting or diarrhea, snoring caused by an inflamed throat, and having swollen sensitive paws. My feline friend that has allergies says, “The only thing that works for me is that Allegra stuff.”

Support local. Support each other.

The PLUS means all Water Treatment Equipment, Water Heaters & Plumbing Services.*

SoftWaterPlusAZ.com

Licensed • Bonded • Insured ROC258174, ROC258175

• Water softeners • Softener tune-ups • Reverse osmosis units • Water heaters • Hot water recirc. • Pressure reg. valves • Garbage disposals • Toilet repairs • Toilet leaks check • Irrig. backflow valves • Salt/potassium delivery

(623) 551-PETE

7383

ALWAYS FREE: • Water Pressure Test • Water Heater Exam • Softener Check • R.O. System Check

Call Pete!

CERTIFIED WATER SPE C I ALIST SM

Member