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| Your pet could have this thing as its dinner guest. |
So...as the last blog started with....
"As summer has rolled in, so have some very frustrating conditions in our pets.... that is the itchy skin, or summer itch or seasonal pruritis or whatever other name we want to give it.
The pet's feet or tongue are spending more time shredding their own skin to bits than eating food or walking on the ground. And, at the same time, the owners frustration level is close to reaching new heights, as again, they have to bundle their pets into the car, and on the way to the vets.'
In my last blog about itchy pets, I then talked about our cat Dashie which had a flea/lice related dermatitis easily solved with four doses of fortnightly Bayer Advantage for Cats flea control. (and let's not forget the monthly treatment thereafter, come hail, rain or shine.... i.e every single month!) .
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| I am not itchy... I just can't hear what you are saying... speak louder sonny.... |
Why? Because my pet owner hat feels your frustration about your itchy cat. And, because, my vet hat knows that the skin is not imaginitive in showing that it is inflamed... it will be itchy and irritated whether the cause be allergies, fungal infections, bacterial infections, immune mediated diseases, or some other funky disease. And that is where your vet visit is essential.... what is causing the problem.... how can I fix it!
But let's be honest.... common things occur commonly.....
And, so, let's extend the honesty even further.... have you ever seen your cat groom itself? If you have, why on God's Earth do you think you will see the sneaky little black crawly thing, otherwise known as the flea, or the little dot hiding in whatever square millimetre of skin where the mosquito bit it.
So, you think your pet has no fleas, and doesn't know what a mosquito is.... Congrats. But if your pet is itchy, you will still need to do these very important steps anyway!
1. Quality flea control - absolutely essential. Now, this isn't flea powder, or the most expensive flea collar you can get your hands on.
2. Minimise access to mosquitoes
3. Sensitive Skin diet or even a Food Allergy Diet.
4. Shampoos and conditioners in the early stages
5. Avoidance to grasses, pollens or isolation to a single room to minimise contact.
Now, the above are general ideas, which you can use if you are local to Wollongong, and perhaps other parts of Australia.
The Flea Control:
Fleas often cause little sores over the body, like multiple insect bites, and in the worst cases, parts of the lip starts to be eaten away (a rodent ulcer), or the back of the legs or base of ears are raised, red and sore looking. It is often given the name Miliary Dermatitis or
As for flea control, My personal preference, and what I have used in my own pets, is Advantage made by Bayer, applied each 2 weeks. Note, I receive nothing from Bayer for saying this (zilch, nothing, and I don't even sell it on my online store, so this is a genuine recommendation... note that this is what I believe in February 2013, and may change if new flea products become available, so if it is 2014 and beyond, please check with me first).
My next favourite is Ilium Frontera Spray, applied each 8 weeks.... but it is a spray, so really, some cats deal with it, and some don't!.
Lastly, if your cat tolerates tablets, then it is Capstar daily for 21 days and then given each week. But alot of cats don't like the tablet thing either!
The Mosquito Dilemma:
Mosquito Bite Hypersensitivity causes alot of little ulcers or spots on the nose, base of ears and the eyelids.
The best treatment is placing your cat into a mosquito free zone from dusk until late morning.
The next best is a mosquito repellant... the one that is safe to use in cats is Buzz Off.
Food Allergy Diet:
Well, this is hard! Did cats in the past suffer from food allergies, eating mice and rats? You betcha!
This is not a new world disease. It is just more common because we are actually watching and caring about our cats!
We often will see yucky ears, scratching on the head, and neck area, sores in the mouth, and sometimes vomiting.
So what to feed.... keep it simple. Novel protein ..... We recommend a treatment trial with kangaroo meat (on its own with no additives) for six weeks. After that, if things improve, switch, slowly to Hills Feline z/d.
But changing food is not easy.... cats, as you know, are stubborn, and they just won't eat what you want them to.
The Shampoos & Conditioners:
Have you ever tried to wash your cat? I have never, honestly, washed my three cats... EVER! But in some cases, this needs to be done. Which ones?
Well....
- those with a thick thick undercoat
- flea dirt visible to the naked eye - if we can see it, they can react to it.
- skin infections (pussy sores over the body).
Need some help on choosing the right shampoo? Click here for some extra help.
Ok, so you now feel brave to wash your cat.
- Get a good cat basket with a wire top, that way, your cat can sit there comfy, and constrained, and not able to hurt anyone.
- Choose your shampoo - For cats with skin infections, I recommend Dermcare Malaseb shampoo - diluted well. And leave on for no longer than 5 minutes. Rinse very very well.
And then towel dry.
BUT, every shampoo, needs conditioning. I use Troy Oaticoat Conditioner in all cats.
The Avoidance Thing
Pull up your wandering dew, demolish your lillies, and consider investing in a bubble room for your cat!
Avoidance is great. Cures everything. But it is also next to impossible in many cat lifestyles!
In Conclusion...
Not convinced? Then consider this scenario.... You have a bird, or several birds. They are itching and scratching. Perhaps feather plucking. What is the first thing you think of? Of course, you think of parasites. You check, and see none.. So what do you do next? You get your hands on some parasite stuff and treat them anyway. And you continue doing this for 3 or 4 times before you give up.
Why not give your cat that same benefit of the doubt.....
But if in any doubt, your vet can (and I know definitely we can), help your cat!
Oh, and please don't read this, follow my instructions, and then go to the vet and say "I have tried everything", because until you have been to see a vet, you haven't.
