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Common Causes Of Dog Scratching |
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Written by Moses Wright
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Friday, 02 October 2009 11:06 |
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Dog scratching is one of the most common causes for veterinary examinations according to many veterinary resources. The causes of dog scratching can be parasites or a skin condition.
by MosesWright
Dog scratching is one of the most common causes for veterinary examinations according to many veterinary resources. The causes of dog scratching can be parasites or a skin condition.
Fleas are one of the most noticeable causes of dog scratching. The dog owner may be alerted to the presence of fleas by seeing the fleas or flea dirt on the dog or flea bites on people in the household.
Hair loss and skin sores from scratching can develop from severe flea infestations. If a dog is allergic to flea saliva, the hair loss and damage to the skin from scratching can be significantly worse.
Other types of allergies can also cause skin irritation that leads to scratching. Dogs can be allergic to materials or substances in their environments, vaccinations, medications, or the food they eat.
If the dog is scratching its ears, the cause of the dog scratching may be ear mites. Dogs with ear mites will often shake their heads as well.
Mange is a parasitic infection from mites that can cause intense itchiness. Tick bites and infestations of hookworms or lice can be causes of dog scratching.
Hot spots are common skin irritations that can cause scratching, licking, and hair loss. Hot spots occur when an irritation to the skin causes an intense reaction that often lasts longer than the initial cause. Hot spots can be due to poor grooming, an allergic reaction, or an infection.
Itchiness in dogs can be caused by infection of hair follicles by staph or hypersensitivity to staph. Sebaceous adenitis is a skin condition that causes destruction of the sebaceous glands. Sebaceous adenitis causes dog scratching and hair loss.
Two less common causes of itchiness than some of the previous causes are calcinosis cutis and pelodera dermatitis. Often a symptom of Cushing's disease, calcinosis cutis causes mineral buildups of the skin. Pelodera dermatitis is caused by larvae from a worm that is not normally parasitic.
Some types of cancer can cause itchiness in dogs. Lymphoma and epitheliotropic lymphoma are two types of cancer that can be causes of dog scratching.
As in humans, mosquito bites and insect stings can cause itchiness. Bee and wasp stings can cause hives and ulcers. Itchiness is an uncomfortable symptom of many veterinary conditions. Dogs that are scratching frequently should be examined by a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.
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