Fall Allergy Problems in Dogs and Cats

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Holly

The fall season is upon us as the heat of summer fades, daylight hours shorten, and leaves begin to change colors in parts of the country. This season of change is also a trigger for those who suffer from allergies. The summer blooms start to fade and shed seeds, while some plants wait for this time of year to bloom and spread pollen. Harvest season begins for many crops, causing large amounts of dust, pollen, and mold to be released into the air. Dust mites and other pesky pests try to get inside the home in search of warmth. Just like us, dogs and cats can develop an allergy or sensitivity to these natural allergens outside or in the air.

How do I know if my dog or cat has an allergy?

Skin allergies, known as allergic dermatitis, is the most common type of allergic reaction in dogs and cats. Skin allergies are generally caused by allergens in the environment, food, or parasites like fleas. Seasonal allergies may come and go, which can make it difficult to pinpoint the exact allergen causing your dog or cat problems. Here are some of the common signs to look out for:

Itching of ears and skin
Scratching, licking, chewing
Sneezing
Itchy, watery eyes
Chronic ear infections
Inflamed skin
Rubbing or scooting
Shaking ears

Some of these symptoms could also be a sign of another medical condition. Make an appointment with your veterinarian if you notice changes in their behavior to get an accurate diagnosis. If the itching becomes intense, your dog or cat may damage their skin, trying to relieve the sensation. As a result, this easily leads to skin and ear infections as well as hotspots.

There are a variety of different treatments, medications, and products to help control seasonal allergies. Talk with your veterinarian about the best solution for your dog or cat. VetRxDirect has a wide selection of allergy care products for both dogs and cats. We have included some of the most popular below.

Vetadryl is a prescription antihistamine medication for dogs and cats that contains diphenhydramine. This medication works by blocking the histamine, the substance in the body responsible for allergic reactions. It relieves allergy symptoms, including itching, redness, swelling, and irritation. Flavored, chewable Vetadryl tablets come in 10 and 30 mg strengths.

VetClassics Allergy HotSpot Foam is easy to apply and quick drying to help relieve itchy irritated skin. Vet Classics Allergy Anti-Lick Spray stops destructive chewing and licking. Spray directly on the paws, foot pads, between toes, and other spots to quit the itch. Additionally, the bitter taste in both products discourages chewing and licking.

Duoxo Calm is a line of topical products designed for dogs and cats with skin allergies. Choose from a shampoo, as well as three waterless options mousse, gel, and micro-emulsion spray. Duoxo Calm helps relieve itching, inflammation, and irritation. Key ingredients phytosphingosine and fillagrin help retain moisture and enforce the natural skin barrier.

Does your dog or cat have allergies? What products help bring them relief? Leave us a comment below!

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease and is purely educational. Please seek advice from your pet’s veterinarian with any questions regarding your pet’s health.

Coprophagia Solutions For Dogs and Cats That Eat Stools

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Holly

Our pets can sometimes have habits that gross us out, but when your dog or cat eats their own poop, you may feel completely disgusted. Coprophagia, the technical term for stool eating, has different causes. Dogs commonly express this behavior more than cats, and some dogs are even attracted to other animal feces and litter boxes for cat stools.

Coprophagia can be behavioral. Both dogs and cats may pick up the habit as adults or at a young age. Some animals are driven by boredom or curiosity, by anxiety or confinement issues, or to seek attention. You can help correct the behavior by training and denying your dog access to feces. Supervise your dog while outdoors and keep the area clean from any stools. Keep cat litter boxes in a location where your dog cannot access them. Coprophagia can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition or nutritional deficiency. Certain medical conditions and drugs can increase appetite and stool eating. Some of these include intestinal parasite infections, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, and thyroid disease. Dogs that have poorly balanced diets, malabsorption problems, or lack digestive enzymes may also begin to eat their stools in an attempt to replace missing nutrients.

Coprophagia Stool Eating Deterrents for Dogs and Cats

VetRxDirect has a variety of dietary and nutritional supplements to help curb stool eating. These deterrents make the taste and odor of their feces less appealing and help replenish vitamins, enzymes, and nutrients caused by deficiency.

For-Bid is a product used for dogs and cats with coprophagia. For-Bid is a powder that you sprinkle over your pet’s food. After ingesting, the ingredients will give the stools an unpalatable taste and curb the undesirable habit.

Stop Stool Eating discourages dogs from consuming their own feces as well as other dogs’. It helps support digestive health with a live source of prebiotics and probiotics, as well as digestive enzymes protease, cellulase, lipase, alpha, and amylase. Together these ingredients work to make eating stools less desirable to your dog.

Cease Coprophagia discourages stool eating by making the feces have a bad taste with the ingredient MSG. It includes B complex vitamins, which are a potential cause of coprophagia pets that are deficient. It also helps in the breakdown of fiber by using the digestive enzyme cellulase.

CoproBan deters dogs and cats from the bad habit of stool eating by making animal feces taste and texture unpleasant with MSG and digestive enzyme cellulase. It can be given to dogs to deter them from consuming their own or to cats to prevent dogs from raiding litter boxes.

Do you have a dog or cat that eats stool? Have you used a supplement or deterrent to curb their habit?

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease and is purely educational. Please seek advice from your pet’s veterinarian with any questions regarding your pet’s health.