Body

Table for patterns of itchiness, time of onset of symptoms as follows:

Disorder Age of Onset Seasonal? Pattern of skin disease Response to treatment Type of allergic response

Sarcoptic mange (mostly dogs) Any age No Edges of elbows and hocks, along ear margins Good for miticides, moderate for symptomatic therapy Dogs may be very itchy to mildly itchy. Ear margin itchiness is often intense

Cheyletiella mange Any age ? Base of tail, along top of body. Mites may be visualized as "walking dandruff" Very good for miticides, may be poor to symptomatic therapy Itching associated with this mite can be mild to severe

Ringworm (mostly cats) More common when young No No visible disease to areas of hair loss to generalized scabbiness Good for oral antifungal agents, poor to topical agents, may get worse with cortisones Itchiness is not common but can be intense in some patients

Flea bite dermatitis (not allergic) Any age Usually warm months, late summer early fall worst generalized itchiness, "hot spots", common secondary bacterial infections, scabbiness in cats Best when imidocloprid (Advantage Rx), fipronil (Frontline Rx), selamectin (Revolution Rx) or lufenuron (Program Rx) and adulticide are used Itchiness can be intense even without the addition of an allergic response to the flea bites

Bacterial pyoderma (mostly dogs)

Also common secondary to allergies
any age more likely in warmer months may cause generalized itchiness or localized hair loss. May be primary or secondary (complication to allergies) good response to long term antibiotic therapy, at least 6 weeks Itchiness is sometimes not present but may be severe in a few individuals

Yeast (Malassezia) skin infections

Fairly common secondary to allergies
any age more likely in warmer months greasiness is often associated with yeast infection, likes the inquinal and arm pit regions may not respond to topical therapy, good response to oral anti-fungal medications usually itchiness varies from almost none to very intense

Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) most commonly 1 to 6 years of age usually seasonal Base of tail, rear legs = the rear half of the body variable response to cortico-
steroids - often poor in later stages
Type I early, Type 4 later

Food allergy occasionally very young pets, can occur at any age, be very suspicious of this when late onset allergic reactions occur (over 10 years of age no Usually feet, ears, armpits, inquinal region = mostly front half of the body pattern, gastro-
intestinal signs may also occur
usually responsive to corticosteroid therapy Type 1 and Type 4

Atopy usually between 1 and 3 years of age, rare earlier than 6 months or later than 7 years Can be seasonal or all year

When secondary bacterial or yeast infections occur these may go on all year even when the allergy doesn't
Ears, eyes, muzzle, front feet and armpit regions = mostly front half of the body usually responsive to cortico-
steroids, sometimes to antihistamines
Type 1 hypersensi-
tivity

Contact Allergy most commonly 1 to 5 years of age, can occur at any age. May take several years of exposure to occur no Cats- most common on chin

Dogs - elbows, muzzle, hips
May not be responsive to therapy Type 4 hypersensitivity

This page was last edited 10/02/02

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Disorder	Age of Onset	Seasonal?	Pattern of skin disease	Response to treatment	Type of allergic response
Sarcoptic mange (mostly dogs)	Any age	No	Edges of elbows and hocks, along ear margins	Good for miticides, moderate for symptomatic therapy	Dogs may be very itchy to mildly itchy. Ear margin itchiness is often intense
Cheyletiella mange	Any age	?	Base of tail, along top of body. Mites may be visualized as "walking dandruff"	Very good for miticides, may be poor to symptomatic therapy	Itching associated with this mite can be mild to severe
Ringworm (mostly cats)	More common when young	No	No visible disease to areas of hair loss to generalized scabbiness	Good for oral antifungal agents, poor to topical agents, may get worse with cortisones	Itchiness is not common but can be intense in some patients
Flea bite dermatitis (not allergic)	Any age	Usually warm months, late summer early fall worst	generalized itchiness, "hot spots", common secondary bacterial infections, scabbiness in cats	Best when imidocloprid (Advantage Rx), fipronil (Frontline Rx), selamectin (Revolution Rx) or lufenuron (Program Rx) and adulticide are used	Itchiness can be intense even without the addition of an allergic response to the flea bites
Bacterial pyoderma (mostly dogs) Also common secondary to allergies	any age	more likely in warmer months	may cause generalized itchiness or localized hair loss. May be primary or secondary (complication to allergies)	good response to long term antibiotic therapy, at least 6 weeks	Itchiness is sometimes not present but may be severe in a few individuals
Yeast (Malassezia) skin infections Fairly common secondary to allergies	any age	more likely in warmer months	greasiness is often associated with yeast infection, likes the inquinal and arm pit regions	may not respond to topical therapy, good response to oral anti-fungal medications usually	itchiness varies from almost none to very intense
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)	most commonly 1 to 6 years of age	usually seasonal	Base of tail, rear legs = the rear half of the body	variable response to cortico- steroids - often poor in later stages	Type I early, Type 4 later
Food allergy	occasionally very young pets, can occur at any age, be very suspicious of this when late onset allergic reactions occur (over 10 years of age	no	Usually feet, ears, armpits, inquinal region = mostly front half of the body pattern, gastro- intestinal signs may also occur	usually responsive to corticosteroid therapy	Type 1 and Type 4
Atopy	usually between 1 and 3 years of age, rare earlier than 6 months or later than 7 years	Can be seasonal or all year When secondary bacterial or yeast infections occur these may go on all year even when the allergy doesn't	Ears, eyes, muzzle, front feet and armpit regions = mostly front half of the body	usually responsive to cortico- steroids, sometimes to antihistamines	Type 1 hypersensi- tivity
Contact Allergy	most commonly 1 to 5 years of age, can occur at any age. May take several years of exposure to occur	no	Cats- most common on chin Dogs - elbows, muzzle, hips	May not be responsive to therapy	Type 4 hypersensitivity