Are you bothered by your pet scratching, licking, and biting even at night? Seek comfort for your pets. Don’t let them suffer the unceasing discomfort of skin itch. Itching or pruritus has a very wide range of causes as well as its severity.

Categories of Dermatitis

• Environmental Dermatitis – Symptoms in this category include hair loss and skin irritation. Although pets may have been physically and nutritionally normal, dietary and physical examination by the veterinarian is essential in managing the pruritus. The most important thing is to determine the irritant factor in the surrounding environment of the pet. The determining factor is then matched with the signs on the skin of the pet to conclude on its treatment.

• Infectious Dermatitis – Horrible skin pathogens like fungus, bacteria, and yeast can be awful for the pet’s skin. Dermatophytes or fungal organisms can often leads to patches of hair loss. Skin problems arising from fungal infections can be easily transmitted to other animals as well as humans. Yeasts are more notorious for they can irritate an infected skin. Pruritus arising from yeasts often produces greasy and odorous symptoms in pets. There is also release of histamine that often leads to further irritation. On rare cases, bacterial dermatitis may occur. This happens when there is an imbalance in the number of bacteria present in the pet’s body.

• Allergic Dermatitis – Although this category has a very wide spectrum of origin. Veterinarians have identified the most common ones such as fibers, medical or pharmaceutical products, food ingredients, dust, and plant materials. Whatever the cause is, allergic dermatitis springs from the release of histamine from the skin cells.

• Neurogenic Dermatitis - There is an excessive licking and chewing in specific areas of the skin. Although some of the forms of this dermatitis are unknown, some speculate that it is due to anxiety, boredom, confinement, and even frustration of the pet particularly dogs. Persistence in this self-mutilation often leads to scarring and skin disfiguration.

• Nutritional Dermatitis – From the name itself it speaks of the source of skin problems. Contrary to what most owners or pet caretakers believe, pets are often being fed with the least nutritional food they deserve. Poor nutrition will lead to the stress of the pet’s skin and coat. High quality meat-based food should be served. Supplements such as vitamins and fatty acid may help in sustaining your pet’s nutrition.

• Parasitic Dermatitis – What could be more troublesome than the presence of parasites in a pet’s skin? Fleas are the major causes of a pet’s dilemma in pruritus, hair loss, and infections. It is important to note that repeated experience in flea bites develops into a hypersensitive skin. Other organisms included in this category are ticks, chiggers, deer flies, cheyletiella mites, scarcoptic mites, and demodex mites.

Dermatitis Management

Improving on the pet’s diet with omega fatty acids will necessarily lessen the chance of acquiring skin problems especially when symptoms are not visible. Always visit your veterinarian to check on fleas and ticks.

Hygiene and grooming is also important in everyday lives of your pet. Be sure to apply insect repellants and moisturizing shampoos.