Itch Control

also see ItchingProblems and Control

Cold water will usually reduce itching and produce temporary relief.It doesn't really matter how the water is applied, but it must be at leastcool. This effect doesn't last long, usually less than one-half hour. AddingEpisoothe Oatmeal Shampoo, Episoothe Oatmeal Creme Rinse, Aveeno ColloidalOatmeal, Relief Shampoo or Domeboro's solution helps to prolong the effect.All of these products are available over-the-counter. If you use Aveeno,one to two tablespoons per gallon of water, applied as a rinse, works best.Follow the directions on the Domeboro packet and also apply as a rinse.

Shampooing will sometimes help to control itching. Some shampoos suchas Pyoben and Oxydex, act to reduce the bacteria level on the skin, onecause of itching. Seba Lyt and other sulfer/salicyclic acid shampoos reducescaling. Lytar, Clear Tar and other tar containing shampoos reduce itchingand oiliness. An emollient or moisturizer used after shampooing will restoresome moisture to the skin and this also reduces itching. Expar Creme Rinsecan be used to kill fleas after itching and moisturize the skin.

Antihistamines are useful in the treatment of itching in some dogs andcats. Used alone, about 15 to 25% of dogs will respond to antihistamines.Used in combination with fatty acid inhibitors, such as DermCaps, EFA-Zand Omega EFA capsules, about 25 to 40% of dogs will respond, reducingscratching behavior to acceptable levels. Antihistamines available over-the-counterare Benedryl (diphenhydramine, 25mg capsules) and Chlortrimeton (chlorpheniraminemaleate, 4mg tablets). There are prescription antihistamines, notably Atarax(hydroxyzine) that work better in some cases. It is necessary to get adosage for your particular dog or cat from your vet.

Dogs and cats have individual reactions to antihistamines. Since somedogs will respond better to one than another, it is best to try more thanone antihistamine before giving up on them to control itching. Some petswill become drowsy when taking antihistamines. If this is unacceptable,they can not be used, or might be best to use at bedtime. Occasionallya pet will get excited when given antihistamines. These pets should notbe given these products.

Fatty acid derivatives compete with aracadonic acid, the trigger foritching in the body. By replacing this compound with an inactive competitor,itching can be reduced. It is important that the fatty acid derivativechosen have gamma-linoleic acid, eicosapentanoic acid, or both. These productswork best at high dosage levels and when given with a low-fat canned foodsuch as W/D, which is available through veterinarians. Although they canbe fairly expensive, their use is preferable to cortisones if they areeffective. It is necessary to use these products for at least 6 to 8 weeksto judge their full effect. EFA-Z and DermCaps are examples of these medications.

Antibiotics are used to control skin infections associated with scratching.The itching leads to scratching, which damages the skin. The damaged skinis easier for bacteria to grow in. The bacteria then contribute to theitching, leading to more skin damage. As this cycle progresses, deeperand deeper layers of the skin are affected, sometimes leading to systemicbacterial infections that can even be fatal. Control of skin infectionswith antibiotics takes time. The usual defense mechanisms of the body,fever, white blood cells and antibodies do not work as well on the skinsurface. Antibiotics must do more of the work alone. For this reason, 3weeks is the minimum recommended time that antibiotics should be givenfor skin infections. Often, antibiotics must be continued for up to 8 weeksto consistently control skin disease. Several antibiotics seem to workconsistently in skin disease. When these antibiotics fail, it is necessaryto culture the skin lesions to identify which antibiotic might be appropriatein an individual case. Occasionally it is necessary to continue antibiotictherapy indefinitely to control severe bacterial skin disease.

Some dogs appear to be unable to prevent penetration of staph (staphylococcus)bacteria into the skin. These dogs can be benefited by the use of a productto promote immune responses. Similar to vaccinations (but short acting),these products help the body learn to fight off staph bacteria. They areStaph Lysate and Immunoregulin. Although somewhat expensive and necessitatingweekly injections, these products can cost less to use than frequent orcontinuous antibiotic therapy. We have better success with Staph Lysate.

Hyposensitization, or allergy "shots", are used in dogs. Their use incats is very limited due to difficulties testing cats accurately for individualallergens. Similar to their use in people, these injections help many pets,but not all. To be used properly, it is necessary to identify the allergyagents affecting a dog and then treat accordingly. This can be done byskin testing, where small quantities of allergens (allergy causing agentssuch as pollens), are injected into the skin and the response to this monitored.Often, it is necessary for a general veterinary practitioner to refer apet to a veterinary dermatologist for this testing. Recently, blood testshave been developed to allow allergy testing without injections into theskin. These have become better understood recently and are correlatingwith the skin testing fairly well, although it is generally agreed thatskin testing is still more accurate. Allergy injections require a consistenteffort from the pet owner. They are the preferred treatment for inhalantallergies if that is the only condition affecting dog, when effective.Currently, about 70% of dogs are thought to benefit from this therapy.

Fleas cause most the allergic reactions in pets. Flea control is essentialto our success in treating itchy dogs. Please ask for flea control informationif you have any problem at all with fleas on your pet!

When itching can not be adequately controlled by one of the above methods,we usually use a corticosteroid, such as prednisone. Cortisones are themost consistently effective anti-itch medications that we have. They dohave several drawbacks, however. Cortisones increase the amount of wateryour pet drinks, making it urinate more, too. Sometimes this becomes aproblem. These drugs increase appetite and weight control can be difficultwhile using them. If proper dosage schedules are not followed there canbe long-term side effects such as decrease in bone density or an increasedchance of pancreatitis. Cortisones depress lymphocytes, a type of whiteblood cell, making it easier for bacterial infections to occur. Accidentaloverdosage with these medications or inappropriate long-term use can leadto medication induced Cushing's disease, a cause of hair loss, muscle weaknessand other problems. For these reasons, most vets insist on monitoring apet on cortisones through follow-up office visits. You may be requiredto allow examination of your pet prior to refilling prescriptions for thesedrugs.

In spite of these side effects, cortisones can be the best drugs tomake an extremely itchy pet comfortable. If they are the only effectivedrugs for your pet they are worth the small risk to an individual pet ofside effects. These drugs are reasonably safe for long term use if givenaccording to directions. Allowing your pet a good quality of life, by controllingthe itching, is worth the small risk of using prednisone and related compounds.

These are the methods we use to treat pruritis, the itchiness that causesyour dog or cat to scratch. It may take several tries to work out the properdrug and dosage schedule for your pet, but is worth the effort.

also see Natural Flea Spray Products

also see Why Cat Flea Shampoo Products May Be Unnecessary

also see Canine Allergy Testing With Allercept

also see Acepromazine

also see Itching Problems - Causes and Treatments

also see Flea Control

also see Skin Disorders of Dogs