What is Pruritus?
It’s the medical term for something we’ve all experienced: Itching. Our pets experience itching as well, except they lack the ability to tell us what is itching, and why! But with careful observation, we can figure out what is causing our pets to itch.
The signs of itch in a pet are hair loss and grooming, licking feet or feet that are saliva stained, scratching, or redness/blood/crusting.
There are three main causes of itch in a pet:
- Parasites such as fleas (small parasitic insects that live indoor/outdoors that feed on the blood of our pets), mites (small parasites that either burrow into the skin or live on the surface of our pets), or lice (parasitic insects that ley eggs (nits) on the hair of our pets).
- Allergies such as food allergies (for example, proteins such as chicken, beef, fish, lamb. Other gastrointestinal signs can indicate allergies, such as diarrhea or gas)
- Infections, such as bacterial, yeast, or fungal infections (like ringworm) can irritate the skin and cause itchiness in our pets.
If you suspect that your pet has itchiness caused by these sources, visit a veterinarian so that your pet can have a physical exam get skin testing, commence diet trials, or work through a parasite control program.
Additional Resources:
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