Cat itching

Causes and diagnosis of cat itching behavior, cat health! Itching is one of the common symptoms of small animals. Generally speaking, mosquito bites will cause cats to scratch, but more often It is a manifestation of skin disease. Treating skin disease means solving itching, so it should be carefully identified. For veterinarians, itching involves many causes. Only by correctly diagnosing and finding the primary cause and formulating a treatment plan can the cat's itching problem be solved.

1. The significance of differential diagnosis

Dermatology involves ten major categories and dozens of types, and there are nearly 20 kinds of symptom manifestations, each of which Skin disease symptoms vary. Different skin diseases have common symptoms, that is, different diseases have the same symptoms. In addition, the same disease has different symptoms at different stages of development, that is, the same disease has different symptoms. Differential diagnosis based on symptoms has become a common method for diagnosing skin diseases. Differential diagnosis is to propose a type of disease based on the main symptoms, use various diagnostic methods to gradually eliminate unlikely diseases, and finally obtain a diagnosis. It can reduce the subjective conjecture of collecting symptoms with a disease, thereby reducing the chance of incorrect diagnosis.

2. Key points of diagnosis

Check the symptoms and rule out the disease. Through consultation, we can understand the initial primary symptoms of the case and the duration from the primary symptoms to the visit. Such as the time when papules and itching appear, the degree and duration of itching. Characteristic lesions are found through physical examination. When hair loss occurs at the corners of the mouth, around the eyes, and forelimbs, demodicosis is suspected. Chronic otitis externa often indicates food allergy and atopic dermatitis. Recurrent papules and pustules indicate pyoderma. Pigmentation of the lower back indicates flea infestation.

Investigate medical history and look for clues. It is very important to understand the breed, age, and eating habits of dogs. Hereditary or immune skin diseases have breed tendencies, and FD is directly related to eating habits. Secondly, investigate the environment in which pets live and move. For example, outdoor working dogs are easily infected by ectoparasites, and cats are often the source of fungal and flea infections.

Laboratory tests to support diagnosis. Skin scraping, smearing, pressing, and tape preparation have become common diagnostic techniques. They provide basis and support for clinical diagnosis. The reliability of laboratory operations lies in the preparation method, staining quality, and film reading ability. The correct method is the key to successful production, and the accumulation of experience is particularly important. When hypothyroidism or Cushing's syndrome is suspected, you can choose to go to a radioimmunoassay laboratory for relevant hormone testing.

Treatment trials to confirm diagnosis. The treatment of skin diseases can be considered as part of the diagnosis. When a skin disease is diagnosed, the treatment test is an extension and verification of the diagnosis. For example, after the diagnosis of pyoderma is made, the use of antibiotics is very useful for confirming the diagnosis.

3. Possible causes of itching

1. Flea allergy

The important cause of cat pruritus is flea allergy. flea bitesThe bite will make the cat a little itchy, but the allergens contained in the saliva of the flea will cause the cat to become allergic and produce a stinging sensation. The itching is much worse than the flea bite, and the cat will scratch and bite the itchy area vigorously. places, and sometimes a lot of hair is pulled off. Cats with flea allergies often have sparse hair on the back near the base of the tail, and pimples on the head and neck. If a cat has these symptoms, it is mostly caused by fleas. If you want to save your cat from this kind of pain, you need to eliminate all the fleas on the cat and in your home, or give the cat anti-allergic drugs.

2. Inhalation allergies

Some people are allergic to pollen, dust, mold, dust mites, etc., and cats are the same. When these allergens are inhaled, cats may itch frequently, lick their paws, and lose fur. Fortunately, this type of allergy is often seasonal, and as the seasons change, the cat will no longer be itchy.

3. Food allergy

Food allergy can also cause itching in cats. The allergens are mainly certain protein components in meat, and some grains can also cause food allergies in cats. In addition to itching, food allergies can cause vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, difficulty breathing, and even death in cats. Therefore, be sure not to give your cat random food.

4. Contact allergy

This is relatively rare, but some cats do develop allergies when their skin comes into contact with antibiotics, wool, metal, rubber and other substances, causing skin itching. . This is the easiest to deal with. Just don’t let your cat touch the things they are allergic to.

5. Parasites

Mites can also make cats itchy and uncomfortable. These animals, which are difficult to see with the naked eye, live in the cat’s skin and feed on keratin tissue and lymph fluid. , and can also dig tunnels within the stratum corneum of the skin. The excrement of mites and the irritation caused by digging can cause cats to feel itchy. This needs to be solved with repellent and attention should be paid to maintaining cat hygiene.