Despair over my itchy dog
QMy six-year-old labrador has been suffering from a seasonal itching disorder for five years. For the last three she has been prescribed a drug that reduces the itch, but not completely. The season now seems all the time. The drug is becoming less effective and is very expensive. Any suggestions?
AFrom what you say the most likely diagnosis is atopic dermatitis (atopy), a similar disease to hay fever in people. In dogs the main sign is itchiness, particularly on the face, ears, ventral abdomen and feet.
This is mostly caused by allergic reactions to pollens, dust mites and other allergens in the environment. Many dogs start with seasonal itchiness, especially with pollen allergy, and then begin to show symptoms all year long later in life if other allergies develop. This is one possibility with your dog.
Atopic dogs are prone to secondary problems, such as bacterial and yeast infections. Contact with fleas or other parasites will also make the itchiness more severe.
Diagnosing these trigger factors and treating them is an essential step to getting things back under control.
I note your concerns regarding the expense. However, she will hopefully live another six years or more and in order to investigate further I recommend the initial additional expense of a specialist recommended by your vet. Specialists commonly prescribe a long-term treatment plan involving different methods including other drugs and procedures licensed for atopy.
This approach has a good chance of breaking the cycle.
QMy four-month-old kitten has recently had the initial course of vaccines. We have a large house near a busy road so she will be an indoor cat. I have been reading about feline leukaemia virus online which seems very serious, but apparently less likely in an indoor cat.
Can you advise?
AFeline leukaemia virus (FELV) causes severe diseases in affected cats. The major effect is suppression of the immune system, which may cause the development of tumours, particularly lymphomas.
Other diseases associated with FELV include anaemia, and a susceptibility to respiratory, intestinal, neurological and eye diseases.
A commonly quoted statistic is that 80-90% die within three to four years from the time of a positive viral test.
Clinical signs, apart from tumours, are very variable. Affected cats are unwell, and the general picture is of a progressive deterioration in health and a poor response to treatment for common diseases that normally respond quickly.
The virus is present in large quantities in saliva, and other secretions.
Close contact between cats lead to its spread, as do bite wounds. So outdoor cats are most at risk – but the virus only affects cats and is very fragile outside its host.
Also, improved detection and vaccination has resulted in low levels of feline infection, currently estimated in the UK as one per cent or less.
Overall, most authorities consider the risk of infection to an indoor cat is very low.
Cats Protection (cats.org.uk) and International Cat Care (icatcare.org) are good sources for further detailed information.