Doctor, my pets scratching is DRIVING ME CRAZY!

This is one of the most common things seen at the veterinarian. Itching at the skin or ears or foul smelling ears can be a sign of allergies. While we humans sneeze and have watery eyes, dogs and cats tend to show allergies by skin and ear problems. Allergies in pets is one of the most frustrating and expensive diseases to treat. With allergies, there is NEVER a cure; we only seek to manage the symptoms. To do this, you will probably be making many visits to the vet, trying many different medications and maybe even seeing a veterinary dermatologist! http://www.acvd.org/
Just like with us, our pets can be allergic to many different things. It is possible to do allergy testing on your pet to determine exactly what sets off their allergies. Some of the things pets can be allergic to include:
· Fleas

· Food – the protein source, the carbohydrate source. Because such things as lamb, duck and venison are now so common in regular food, they are no longer considered “skin” foods

Grass
· Trees
· Dust mites
· Cockroaches
· And the list goes on and on and on!
The treatment of allergies starts with helping to control the symptoms.

Ear and skin cytologies and cultures
FLEA CONTROL – pet house and yard
Antihistamines – you may need to try many different types until you find the one that helps
Antibiotics – if there is a bacterial infection related to the problem
Antifungal – yeast infections are one of the most common problems associated with skin disease
Topic steroids – applied directly to the skin
Steroids (the “itch shot”) – these are saved as a last resort when nothing else is helping your pet. While steroids can give quick relief, the effects and dangers of use must be weighed against the severity of the disease
Diet changes- we may start with having you switch to high quality food, or we me need to try diets with a hydrolyzed protein source. http://www.hillspet.com
Allergy testing and antigen injections

There are no cures for allergy and skin conditions. Our goal is to make your pet and you as comfortable as possible. If your pet it scratching, give us a call!

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