Tips and advice for itchy skin and hot spots with cats and dogs

     

Dealing with itchy skin and hots spots

Itchy skin is a common problem among pets. Pet allergies can cause a lot of discomfort.  Dogs can have itchy skin because they have allergies to their pet food. Dogs can have itchy skin for a host of reasons! Their skin can itch because they are the host!  The host to fleas! 

They can have itchy skin because of flea bites.  They also can have allergies because of the food they are eating. The skin can become itchy, flakey, and even develops scabs.  

This can happen if the wrong shampoo was used on their skin or if it was not rinsed properly.  They can develop allergies to their environment but most commonly it can be solved through diet and proper cleaning.

      

Though the problem may seem daunting, sometimes the solution is simple. One of the fastest ways to relieve surface scratching is by bathing in oatmeal or medicated shampoo.  Medicated shampoos are stronger and they usually penetrate the skin deeper allowing for healing.  This will relax your pet and itching.

     

 Pet shampoos are available at pet stores and online. Here are a few ideas of shampoos available at Chewy

Medicated and Oatmeal shampoos. 

It can be easier than you think to heal your dog's skin and coat.  If you have questions after looking, feel free to ask!

For Cats-

If your pet is extremely itchy and there are scabs or dry patches of skin, I recommend getting a medicated shampoo.  Medicated shampoos are also especially good for paw chewers or dogs/cats that have hot spots.

Cat shampoo for itchy skin

A good shampoo can be hard to find at a pet store because added scents are commonly found in the shampoo.  Dogs can become itchy when perfumes or shampoos with strong perfumes are used. That is the same for cats.

There are a variety of different shampoos available.  Choosing the right shampoo is important.  Many shampoo perfumes added which can irritate sensitive skin.  Ask your groomer or choose oatmeal or medicated shampoo that does not have any artificial scents added. 

       

Sprays that can heal hot spots and irritations

There are sprays available that can address things like hot spots are raised bumps on the dog skin that happen due to inflammation in the body or agitation to the surface of the skin. The bumps can become irritated if licked by the dog.  

Here is a sprays for CATS- more can be found here 

         The dog or cat will itch the bumps and will further agitate them within they are licking or acting the bumps.  The sores can weep and bleed creating discomfort and sometimes infection. There are ways to avoid these problems by changing the dog's food or cat's Food to something they can tolerate. 

Cats

 

       Sometimes dog and cat foods are made with more than one protein source and this can cause skin issues as well.  The protein source can be switched easily by implementing new food into your pets diet.  I have found that a turkey-based food works well with dogs when it is the only protein source. 

      Slowly transition your pet to the new food by following the instructions on the label of the pet food. 

    

       I am not a veterinarian and if your pet has open wounds, it is best to seek the advice of your vet.  However, if you are looking to ease itching and scratching there are different sprays available that can deter licking, scratching, and even heal up hot spots.  Hot spots can really be a pain and cause both the pet parent's worry and your pet to have pain.

                                 Itchy Skin Solution
         There are ways to help with itchy skin!  Try a diet change, use an appropriate shampoo source like oatmeal or medicated, and try different topical sprays. 

Do you have a pet with itchy skin?  What have you tried?  Let me know if you have questions in the comments or email me directly on the front page!  

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