A “skin condition” is a general term for very common yet distressing disorders which damage or irritate your pet’s skin.
There can be a variety of reasons for your pet’s skin condition, including environmental allergies or food sensitivities. In dogs, more than 50% of allergies are caused by the world around them.
Some skin conditions can be cleared up quickly, while others need lifelong management. The good news is, soothing the itch can be as simple as feeding your pet the right food.
Common causes include:
Your pet’s skin should be smooth and soft with no redness, flaking or signs of irritation. It should not be too greasy nor too dry and have no areas of hair loss.
If you are seeing any of these you should take your pet to the vet and ask how a change in food could help.
Skin conditions present with similar signs but two ways you can often spot an environmental allergy is that it usually appears before the pet is a year and flare ups are linked to spring and summer. There are numerous potential reasons that may cause your dog to itch and unfortunately, they don't all present as typical cases; if you notice your dog chewing any part of it's body more than normal, take him to your vet for a thorough examination as the vet is the best person to differentiate between the different causes of itchiness.
Environmental allergies are most often chronic, which means they demand lifelong management and often require a multi-modal approach. You won’t be aiming for a cure but rather to reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of flare ups. However, a simple change in food can make a significant difference.
Some skin conditions can be cleared up quickly, while others need lifelong management. The good news is, most cats with skin conditions can be helped if you feed the right cat food, even if the cause of the condition is not nutritional. Please speak with your veterinarian about the appropriate cat food recommendation.
Signs of bacterial skin infection in a cat may include:
Excessive scale or dander, especially on the lower back near the tail, crusts, small, hair loss and redness
