Cats

Treatment methods for cat atopic dermatitis, ways to solve cat skin symptoms! Atopic dermatitis is referred to as CAD. The main symptom of CAD is itching, which is manifested by excessive scratching, friction, Behaviors such as biting and self-licking. Skin erythema is seen in early symptoms, but most lesions originate from chronic inflammation and self-scratching, resulting in exfoliation (scratch marks), pigmentation (skin darkening), lichenification (skin thickening, roughness) and damage. Symptoms of hair loss. Atopic dermatitis in cats can be difficult to treat, and sometimes you just need a little luck.

The incidence of atopic dermatitis varies. In some studies it has been reported to be as high as 73% of all allergic cats, or second only to flea allergy. There may be a hereditary tendency here, as some families have it. Higher incidence, but no specific gene has been found. There are seasonal and non-seasonal allergies in cats. A study of 66 cats with atopic dermatitis found that: 50% had fleas, 58% were non-seasonal, 39% had both seasonal and non-seasonal allergies, and 5% were only allergic to pollen. , dust mites in the home are the most common non-seasonal reaction.

Distribution:

Variable, localized areas can be on the head, face, ears, neck, inside of the forelimbs, ventral and lateral sides of the body, The back of the thighs, or the whole body.

Clinical symptoms: pruritic papules and crusts (miliary dermatitis), hairlessness caused by self-inflicted hair-barber type hairlessness (symmetrical hair loss in cats), erosion-exfoliation caused by self-inflicted damage Dermatitis, eosinophilic granulomatous complex, asthma, combined symptoms. Indistinguishable from other allergies, although there may be seasonality, many cases are accompanied by flea allergy, and some have food allergies. In cats, respiratory symptoms are more common.

Diagnosis:

Intradermal antigen testing is more difficult to do and difficult to interpret than in dogs, in vitro testing is helpful.

Treatment

1. Glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids are the most commonly used drugs to control AD ​​pruritus. Cautious dosing and short-term administration can also cause minor side effects in animals. Many dermatologists often choose this drug when other treatments have failed. The specific recommended medications are: prednisone, prednisolone and methylprednisolone, 0.5-1mg/kg/day, orally, for 5-7 days. Since glucocorticoids are the AD treatment drugs with the strongest side effects, they are not suitable for long-term use unless there are no other alternatives. The antipruritic mechanism of this type of drug is to inhibit phospholipase A2, which is the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, effectively blocking the entire inflammatory cascade and quickly relieving itching. The side effects are equally famous.

Common symptoms of short-term use include shortness of breath, polyuria, polydipsia and polyphagia. Side effects vary greatly between individuals, making it difficult for veterinarians to predict. In some cases, iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome occurs simply because of the use of steroid-containing eye drops, while in other cases, multiple injections of long-acting steroids have no clinical side effects.answer. In contrast, oral and injectable short-acting corticosteroids are the conventional options, and longer-acting injectables are safer.

2. Antihistamines

Antihistamines are best used in the early stages of the itching season and are not effective in severe itching. The simultaneous use of antihistamines, essential fatty acids, and topical treatments can significantly control the itching in some cases, thereby reducing the incidence of superficial pyoderma and other secondary complications. First-generation H1 blockers are representatives of antihistamines. Due to their anticholinergic properties, they are prone to side effects of drowsiness or excitement. The drug's antipruritic effect is unpredictable, but the risks are low, making it suitable for use in most cases. It usually takes 14-21 days to take effect. These drugs moderately modulate the synthesis of leukotrienes and prostaglandins (the precursors of which are fatty acids and arachidonic acid) through competitive inhibition. The metabolites of essential fatty acids contain few inflammatory substances. When given in high doses, omega-3 fatty acids can replace arachidonic acid in the same enzyme, hence its anti-inflammatory mechanism. So taking essential fatty acids together can reduce the dosage of steroids and antihistamines used to treat allergies. Some people have investigated that daily oral administration of fish oil containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 66 mg/kg) also has the above effect.