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Cats and dogs are susceptible to allergies and parasites during spring and summer, just like their human counterparts.
Pet owners should be on the lookout for some telltale signs of itchy skin and ears, as if it isn’t caught early, can lead to some significant problems.
Veterinary Happiness’ Deborah Webb helps explain what to look for.
Ears
It is easy for a cat or dog to get an ear infection. It is also easily treatable if caught early. If not, it can cause serious damage.
Common ear problems include external ear infections, which are caused by parasites, food allergies or the accumulation of hair and dead skin build up. Symptoms include dry and crusty ear flaps, inflammation, a funny smell, head shaking and scratching or rubbing the side of the face.
Inner ear infections are also serious with pets often tilting their head to one side, walking in circles (poor balance), pawing at their ear and extreme pain.
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These infections can be resolved early with antibiotics, but if it occurs frequently, surgical draining may be required. Infections can be caused by bacteria, yeast, parasites or something foreign entering the ear such as an insect or grass seed.
If your pet is showing symptoms, Veterinary Happiness can help. Vets can clean out your pets ears safely by using a gentle ear cleaning solution and medicated drops to clear up the yeast, bacteria or parasites causing the problem.
More serious cases, or those which don’t respond well to initial treatment, may be referred on to surgery.
The best medicine for any ear issue is prevention.
It is essential for owners to clean and dry their pets ears after a bath or a swim.
Skin
There are a number of causes of itchy, inflamed skin in pets, namely, allergies from plants, pollen or food, infections (bacterial and/or fungal) and parasites, such as fleas, mites, midges and mosquitoes.
Have you noticed your pet licking its paws? It most likely has an allergy to something.
The vets at Veterinary Happiness will be able to diagnose and treat your pets skin condition effectively and work with you to understand the condition, with the aim of preventing it in the future.
By keeping an eye on your pet’s behaviour, as well as checking their skin while grooming, owners can remain on top of any skin irritations or issues before they become more serious.
For a few final tips, Deborah advises owners not to wash their pets any more than every two weeks to maintain the skins natural oils and to feed your furry pal a premium quality food to ensure a balanced diet.
Contact the team at Veterinary Happiness on (07) 3206 7911 for more information.
