Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
When you bring your
itchy cat to a veterinarian,
the animal should first have
a full physical exam. The
doctor should check the
cat for fleas and note the
distribution of the lesions.
(A
lesion
is a change or
injury to a body tissue that
impairs the tissue or causes
a loss of function.) The vet
should also review the cat's history with you. Many diagnoses can be
made based on the animal's age and history and the location of the
problem. If a diagnosis is not apparent based on this information, the
next steps would be to perform some diagnostic tests, such as:
HELPFUL DEFINITIONS
Allergens
are foreign substances that
can cause an allergic response in
some animals.
Antigens
are foreign
substances that cause the body to
produce an antibody that responds
exclusively to that antigen.
•
Skin scraping
•
Wood's lamp evaluation (a way to look for fungus)
•
Fungal culture
•
Microscopic evaluation of an imprint of the lesion
•
Blood tests
•
Allergy testing
•
Hypoallergenic diet
•
Skin biopsy
Allergies Can Cause Itchiness
An animal can be allergic to just about any substance in the world, so
allergies are a difficult problem to diagnose. Most cats with allergies have
itchy skin rather than respiratory signs. Allergies are suspected when
infectious causes of itchy skin and miliary dermatitis are ruled out.
(
Miliary dermatitis
is the term used by veterinarians to describe scabby,
crusty skin.The infectious causes of miliary dermatitis are parasites, fun-
gus and bacteria.)
Eosinophilic granulomas are inflammatory lesions frequently seen
on cats that may be caused by allergies. The three types of lesions are
rodent ulcer of the lip, linear granuloma of the back legs and
eosinophilic plaque that can be found anywhere. Treatment for these
lesions is similar to that of other allergies.
