An Itchy Subject: Pet Skin Problems

As the weather heats up, pets are at greater risk for common skin problems. Are your veterinary practices armed with the best products to treat them?

“Scratch where it itches.” That was one of the many folksy expressions of the beloved former football coach of my alma mater. I remember it so well because it showed up on bumper stickers and T-shirts all over campus. Now, if only it worked when it comes to dealing with dermatology issues!

Many pet health issues can go unnoticed by the owner, but that’s generally not the case when it comes to dermatology problems. Unless it’s a pet with a particularly dense coat, owners can typically see irritated skin, and an animal that suddenly starts scratching, digging, or licking incessantly makes the problem hard to miss.

Similar skin issues can have several causes, and diagnosing the real source can be a challenge for veterinarians and a frustration for pet owners. Trying to accurately diagnose a patient who can’t tell you their symptoms can be a lengthy process of elimination, examining the itch from the outside in and the inside out.

Treatments vary

Just like there is no one-size-fits-all approach to targeting the source of the problem, treatments vary widely, so it’s important to be familiar with all the dermatology products you carry. Many skin problems require a multi-modal approach – a topical treatment with an oral medication, for example. There are a variety of products to fit the needs of every pet (see this issue’s Product Roundup for a few), and a variety of formulations to help with owner compliance from shampoos to sprays, spot-ons, wipes, mousses or creams. The veterinarian can ask the pet owner which type they’re most comfortable with and then send home a product they’ll actually use.

Warmer, wetter weather in spring and summer puts pets at greater risk for several common skin problems. For dogs, it’s often acute moist or pyotraumatic dermatitis, more commonly known as hot spots. They’re typically red, inflamed skin lesions that ooze and may contain pus. Hot spots are often caused by self-trauma after a dog has scratched itself so much that it creates a painful, open wound, so they can grow very quickly. The initial cause may be allergies, insect bites, an ear infection, pyoderma or even boredom. Preventing the pet from making the hot spot worse is the first step. That might include using an E-collar, bandaging the area, and administering topical or oral steroids or antihistamines to stop the itch.

Feline miliary dermatitis is an extremely itchy rash resulting from an allergic reaction, most commonly to flea bites, but food or environmental allergens may also be the cause. In severe cases, the rash can become infected, with pustules or pimple-like lesions. To ease the pain and itch depending on the cause, veterinarians may prescribe antihistamines, topical treatments, essential fatty acids, or cyclosporine.

Your equine and mixed practices will likely be getting calls from horse owners dealing with several common skin conditions this time of year. Spring rains and wet pastures make horses vulnerable to rainrot or rain scald, a bacterial infection caused by Dermatophilus congolensis. Persistent moisture, plus a break in the skin, allows the usually dormant bacteria on the skin to activate and multiply. Rainrot causes gray/white scabs with tufts of matted hair that rise above the surface of the coat. Over time, they slough away, leaving patches of hairless skin. Treatment with shampoos, topical rinses or wipes that contain benzoyl peroxide or chlorhexidine usually produce results within a week. Oral antibiotics may be needed for more serious cases with secondary staph infections.

Pastern dermatitis is another condition that can result from rainy, wet conditions. Crusty, scabby, and flaking skin develops between the heels and fetlocks, when bacteria or fungi invade tiny cracks in the skin. Much like the treatment for rainrot, products with 2% benzoyl peroxide or chlorhexidine as the active ingredient will kill the bacteria. Topical antibiotic ointment applied after the skin has dried will help form a protective barrier against further infection.

While flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) or flea bite hypersensitivity is a common problem in cats and dogs, hypersensitivity to insect saliva is also one of the most common causes of equine allergies. One of the most severe is a reaction to the bites of tiny midges, but horses can also be sensitive to bites from gnats, mosquitoes, deer flies, stable or black flies. Not surprisingly, the most common sign of “sweet itch” or “summer itch” is a horse constantly rubbing the affected areas, leading to hairless patches with inflamed, scabby skin. Treatment requires a two-pronged approach of treating the skin with a topical steroid to soothe the itch, and regularly applying an appropriate repellent to keep the insects from biting in the first place.

Dermatology treatments have come a long way from the days when a steroid shot and antibiotics for any secondary infection were the norm. Effective new products and treatments are introduced every year that provide relief and even improve antimicrobial stewardship.

Vetramil – a product line featuring medical-grade honey, enzymes and essential oils developed in the Netherlands – has been available in the U.S. since last fall. Products include Vetramil Ointment, Spray, Paw Wax, Derma Shampoo and Vetramil Auris for treating the outer ear cavity. Vetramil products contain no pharmaceuticals and are labeled for use on a variety of species, from exotics to livestock.

Dermoscent products are manufactured in France using 100% natural ingredients to treat skin disorders. A few of their products include BIO BALM, for dry, cracked noses and paw pads, calluses, and interdigital areas. My vet recommended their Essential 6 spot-on for my dog’s dry skin due to Cushing’s disease with great results. Dermoscent PYOspot is also applied along the top of the animal’s back and has been proven to reduce bacterial pyoderma.

An exciting, non-invasive treatment that has been very effective for humans is Fluorescent Light Energy (FLE) therapy, to repair skin at the cellular and molecular level. FLE targets all layers of the skin simultaneously to promote regeneration, decrease inflammation, kill microorganisms and more, by targeting only the affected area. You can learn more at phoviausa.com.

Your knowledge of the expanding variety of dermatology products and treatments will ensure that you’re helping your customers provide the best care possible for all those patients out there scratching where it itches.

Dawn Singleton-Olson has more than 25 years of experience in the animal health industry, including distributor sales, manufacturing, practice management and as a zoo supervisor. She is a volunteer, fundraiser and board trustee for several humane organizations and the Omaha (Neb.) Police Mounted Patrol.

Photo credits:

istockphoto.com/Jirakan

istockphoto.com/andriano_cz