What’s Behind the Seasonal Scratching in Your Home?

What's Behind the Seasonal Scratching in Your Home?

When there’s an itchy pet in the household, no one can relax or get any rest – especially not your irritated pet. Some scratching is normal, but persistent scratching in pets – the kind that keeps you awake at night – is a sign of a deeper problem that will need to be diagnosed and treated in order for your pet to find relief.

So, What Causes Excessive Scratching in Pets?

There are numerous reasons why pets might scratch more than usual. These can include ailments like bacterial or fungal infections occurring on the skin. Parasites, especially fleas and sensitivity to their saliva, can also lead to an itchy allergic reaction. Certain medications, hormonal disorders, and autoimmune diseases can also cause itchy skin. With all of these potential concerns, atopic dermatitis caused by allergies is the most common reason pets suffer from persistent itching.

What Kinds of Allergies Cause Itchiness?

Like people, pets can suffer from allergies, too. They can have allergies to certain foods, parasites, and/or environmental allergens (mold, dust, dander, smoke, perfume, and pollen).
During the spring and summer, when flowers, grasses, and trees are in bloom, our veterinary hospital always sees an uptick in environmental allergy cases due to the increased pollen. If you notice that your pet’s itchiness has a seasonal cycle, then they are likely suffering from seasonal allergies.

How to Determine Why Your Pet Is Scratching

With so many potential causes of itchiness in pets, it’s essential to diagnose the cause before providing treatment. To determine what’s causing your pet’s itching, our veterinarian will ask you for more information about your pet’s symptoms such as onset, other problems or symptoms, and any patterns you may have noticed.
We will then perform a physical examination, looking at your pet’s skin and coat for signs of atopic dermatitis or infection. We might also recommend diagnostic testing to check your pet’s hormonal levels and look for other markers of disease that could cause itchiness.
Once we’ve determined the cause of your pet’s scratching problem, our veterinarian will discuss a variety of treatment options with you, such as lifestyle adjustments, allergy shots, or antihistamine medications.

Safe Itch Control for San Diego Pets

At Pacific Pet Hospital, we’re fully equipped to get to the bottom of your pet’s excessive scratching. Whether due to seasonal allergies, food allergies, or another concern, we offer a variety of safe itch treatments to relieve pets right away. To schedule an exam for your itchy pet, we welcome you to contact Pacific Pet Hospital located in Chula Vista today.