Is your senior cat or dog crying because of their itchy or irritated skin? If you are a cat owner, all you want is for your purr-ball to be happy and healthy. Unfortunately, as pets become elderly, they may experience a whole host of health difficulties.
Do you remember your cat or dog as a kitten or puppy? How robust and playful they were, without a care in the world?
I certainly do. I love taking pictures of my dog and watching him grow every day. I know when he grows old, I will be there to take care of him even if he’s not the same playful puppy.
I am sure you want the best for your senior pets, too. If you want to know more about how to relieve symptoms for irritated dog and cat skin, read on.
Irritated Dog and Cat Skin
Itchy skin in cats and dogs is known as “atopic dermatitis”. This is actually the same term dermatologists use for humans!
If you’ve ever experienced an itch you can’t scratch, for example, an itch behind the ever-present face mask, then you’ll be able to empathize with having itchy senior dog skin or itchy skin on senior cats.
Itchy disease is a difficult disorder to treat in dogs and cats.
It is chronic, irritating, costly to diagnose, and requires frequent and regular treatment. It can be extremely frustrating for both companion pets and owners alike.
Luckily, there are some home remedies to help you relieve your pets’ symptoms.
Senior Dog Health Home Remedies
If you are looking for itch relief for senior dogs, read on.
Oatmeal has several soothing benefits. One thing you can do is run some cheesecloth filled with oatmeal under a warm tap for a bit, and let your dog soak in the water.
Alternatively, there are oatmeal-based shampoos available that you can use.
Senior Cat Health Home Remedies
Now a bit about itch relief for senior cats.
Shampoo remedies may be suitable for cats. Find ones that are gentle on the skin for senior cats, and make sure to have a bath mat in the bath to prevent them from slipping.
Look into Phytosphingosine shampoos. If your cat has ringworm fungi, you can consider getting them a lime-sulfur dip. Note that this smells terrible, but it is very effective against parasites and ringworm.
You may also consider natural supplements like Omega-3 for cats and dogs to support immune system function and skin and hair health.
Medical Treatment
Medical treatment will depend on treatability, especially in the case of cats. For example, some cats will need to be trained to swallow pillows, and in the worst case, even sedated.
Pet owners may want to consider a variety of drugs because this can increase the chances of remission. In general, you can treat with allergen immunotherapy or use drugs to target different symptoms.
If you suspect that your pet has allergies, go with the first option.
If you see that your pet has active lesions and experiencing extreme discomfort and many symptoms, you can look at certain drugs. I would always suggest for any type of medical treatment for your dog or cat that you seek out your veterinarian for their assessment and advice.
Skin Irritations for Dogs and Cats
Contact us here if you have more questions about caring for your senior cats and dogs, especially if you are working with irritated dog and cat skin.