There are a number of different types of skin sensitivities in dogs and cats and almost as many causes. Some come from external sources while others are generated from deep within the afflicted animal. To better determine the sensitivity. we need to be able to read the signs.
I hear you asking, “What are, signs?” Well, unlike human patients who can describe the symptoms they’re experiencing, animals can’t put those feelings into words. We have to able to interpret the signs their body’s are displaying. Is it a rash, an inflammation or an eruption? Is it dry and scaly or moist and runny? By reading the signs, we can determine the cause of the reaction.
Let’s take a brief look at some possible external causes that could affect your pet.
- External parasites that feed on our pets include, fleas, flies, ticks, mange mites, spiders and stinging insects. Snake bites are entirely a different and possibly far more dangerous problem. It is important for you to able to determine whether your pet has been stung by a bee or bitten by a poisonous snake, especially if poisonous snakes are indigenous in your area. A stinging insect may cause a swelling with increased redness on the skin at the point where the sting occurred, however, if a snake bites the skin, the area will begin to turn red, black and blue. If you are unable to tell, seek the help of a health care professional immediately.
- Contact products like flea deterrents, soaps and other applied chemicals, fertilizers, cleaning compounds, and perfumes can all cause skin sensitivity. Note If your dog or cat shows a sensitivity to certain things, always spot check them, before you apply any new lotions, sprays or any other additive. You do this by drawing a quarter sized circle on the skin of the abdomen and applying the new product in the center of the circle with a Q tip. Let the product sit for 15 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. Thoroughly check the center of the circle under a bright light. If the skin appears normal, it is probably safe to use the tested product on your pet, however, if any redness appears on the skin in the circle, or your pet begins to itch or scratch the circle during that 15 minutes immediately rewash the area. Keep a list of products that cause reactions on your pet.
- Excessive sunlight exposure. Similar to humans wearing dark clothing, dark coated animals will feel the effects of the hot sun more because their darker color absorbs the heat more than light colors, which reflect it away. Even so, lighter colored animals are much more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer than their darker coated brothers and sisters. Light colored animals or those lacking the black pigment around the eyes, ears, and nose, that spend a lot of time in the sun can get sunburned.
Now, let’s take a look at some internal causes of skin sensitivity.
- Sensitivity to certain foods will manifest itself as inflamed skin around the eyes, on the ears, the face, the skin of the feet and of the abdomen. My own studies, from throughout these many decades, has shown me that a type of cell (called a mast cell) contains granules of histamine. This histamine, when released, causes inflammation in the areas these cells are concentrated in which happens to be the aforementioned areas and over the base of the tail. If the mast cell concentration is greater in one area than another, you may see more of a reaction in that ear than the other. This can occur around the eyes also.
- Inhalant allergies can also cause skin sensitivities, sometimes called Atopy. The respiratory tract may also be affected by these allergies. If you and your pet both have inhalant allergies, watch closely when you are effected because your pet my develop allergies at the same time.
- Certain liver diseases can produce metabolic products (phototoxic porphyrins) that cause photo sensitive skin, which may lead to sun burn.
- Some antibiotics like Tetracycline may also cause a photo sensitization which may lead to sun burn. You should be able to obtain a list of drugs and supplements that might cause theses reactions from your health care professional .
- Hormone antibody imbalances are the main reasons that allergies, auto immunities and cancer may occur. For further information on these imbalances causing skin sensitivities in dogs and cat and the treatment protocol to eliminate them, please go to the Library…
…and Library archives at the Healthy Pet Network.org
http://www.healthypetnetwork.org/library.htm
…and Blog archives at the Healthy Pet Network.net
http://healthypetnetwork.net/sitemap/
Yours in Health,
Dr Al Plechner & David Spangenburg
Along with the Healthy Pet Network Team
Thanks for returning, you may want to subscribe to the HPN RSS feed To always keep updated...
HPN Related Websites
Loading ...
{ 1 trackback }
{ 0 comments… add one now }