The best treatment for your itchy pet may be only skin deep

By Christie Keith

When it comes to treating itchy skin and allergic skin disease in dogs, are some approaches all wet?

Itchy skin can drive dogs crazy. The sound of a dog slurping, chewing and scratching doesn't do much for his owner, either. The quest for relief from these symptoms is one of the top reasons dogs are taken to the veterinarian.

Many pet owners expect the vet to prescribe anti-itch medications and antibiotics, and those drugs are often necessary. But an increasing body of research and clinical experience suggests the best approach to treating canine allergic skin disease and chronic infection is from the outside in.

Chronic allergic skin disease in dogs is known as atopic dermatitis, or AD. Dogs with this condition have a defect in their skin's barrier, which allows substances like bacteria, yeast and pollens to leak into the deeper layers of the skin. Because the body perceives them as invaders, the immune system revs itself up to destroy them, bringing local inflammation to the area as part of the immune response.

That inflammation causes itching, redness and irritation, and dogs react to the discomfort by chewing and scratching their skin. That further damages the skin's barrier, allowing more bacteria and yeast to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, triggering more irritation, itching and inflammation.

As if that wasn't bad enough, dogs can become allergic to the bacteria and yeast, setting off a cascade of itching and infection that leaves the dog hairless and in pain.

Worst of all, the antibiotics that have long been an integral part of treating skin infections are losing the battle with drug-resistant bacteria, particularly against the strains of staph commonly associated with canine AD.

So what's a dog owner to do with her itchy pet?

"The new finding here is the effectiveness of topical therapy," said board-certified veterinary dermatologist Dr. Douglas J. DeBoer of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in the proceedings of the 2016 NAVC Conference in Orlando, Florida.

"Although we're used to thinking of topical products as adjunct treatments used in addition to antibiotics, that thinking has changed, and dermatologists are now advocating that topicals be used instead of antibiotics wherever possible."

Not only do topical products kill even drug-resistant bacteria, he said, but reducing antibiotic use can protect human health by reducing the development of even more resistant bacteria. Topical treatments also address the skin barrier defect that human medical research suggests is the primary cause of AD.

"Historically, AD was viewed as a disease that began on the 'inside' of the individual -- the immune system," DeBoer said. "More recently, this 'inside-outside' view has come into some question, and a different view is evolving."

That different view includes something that might surprise dog owners: weekly or even daily baths and topical "leave-ons" that are designed to repair the skin's barrier defect.

One obstacle to this simple therapy is that many pet owners believe frequent bathing will dry out a dog's skin, thus making his itching worse.

"That's a widespread misconception, and I wish it wasn't still out there," said board-certified veterinary dermatologist Dr. John Plant. "We know that bathing removes allergens and infectious agents like bacteria and yeast, and helps restore epidermal function in humans. Can it do the same in dogs? It's a bit unclear, but I've observed it helps a lot with my atopic patients. Some can even be controlled that way alone."

Of course, there's still a place for oral medications in the treatment of canine skin disease, but when it comes to AD, suds, not drugs, may be just what the doctor ordered.

Q&A

Cat up a tree?

Why he can't get down

Q: We live in a wooded area, and our cat has access to the outdoors. As we were coming up our driveway one evening, the headlights shone on our cat, who had treed a possum twice his size. Despite his hunting prowess, though, he was having trouble getting down from the tree. How come cats can go up a tree, but not down? -- via email

A: A cat's claws anchor him as he races up a tree (think rock-climbing crampons), but they're not so convenient when he's trying to make his way back down. While a cat is graceful and quick on the way up, he moves much more cautiously and awkwardly in the opposite direction. That's because digging the claws into the trunk on a downward trajectory can result in clunky movement that more closely resembles a series of semi-controlled crashes instead of the smooth moves that took the cat upward.

What should you do if your kitten or cat is stuck up a tree? Some people stick by the notion that the cat will come down when he's darn good and ready, but most of us are more softhearted than that, especially when the weather is cold or wet. The easiest and least expensive method is to open a can of cat food while standing beneath the tree and hope the aroma wafting upward is enough to tempt him down.

You can try calling the fire department. If you're in a small town and the firefighters are having a slow day, they might come out and offer assistance -- but don't count on it. There's a good chance they're prohibited by statute from using their equipment for anything other than fires or human rescues.

I once rented a bucket truck to rescue a cat in a tree jam. That's extreme, but in some instances, it may be the only way to get your cat back on terra firma. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Small turtles tied to

salmonella outbreak

-- Four multistate outbreaks of human salmonella infections have been linked to contact with small pet turtles or their habitats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and other public health, veterinary, agriculture and wildlife agencies. The shelled reptiles may look healthy, but they shed salmonella germs in their feces. Turtles with shells smaller than four inches in diameter are a well-known source of human salmonella infection, and their sale is banned, but people still acquire them. When humans -- especially children or people with compromised immune systems -- touch the turtles or come in contact with water or other areas where they've been, they can become infected. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling or caring for any reptile.

-- Back to the future? We know from archaeological digs that it wasn't unusual thousands of years ago for animals and humans to be buried together, but over the millennia, the practice came to be frowned upon. Now the New York state legislature has passed a bill that would give people the option of being interred with the cremated remains of a pet, although cemeteries wouldn't be required to permit the practice. The bill must be signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to go into effect.

-- Legal eagles have finally started to recognize that dogs have more than sentimental value to their humans. Georgia's supreme court ruled recently that in cases of a pet's injury or death arising from another party's negligence, owners may try to recoup costs incurred trying to save the animal, as well as the animal's market value. Factors that may be used to determine market value include qualitative and quantitative opinion evidence, such as breed, age, training, temperament and use. In the case ruled upon, the owners are seeking to recover more than $67,000 spent to treat their dog, Lola, after a kennel gave her the wrong medication. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Include your pets in your family's preparedness plans

Tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods and earthquakes -- there are few places on Earth that are not vulnerable to one or more natural disasters.

We've learned from countless disasters that people often will put their own lives at risk -- and the lives of first responders as well -- if there are no options for relocating with their animal companions. Public planning now includes pets, and your own planning should, too. Here are the basics you need to know:

-- Have a plan. Prepare for all possibilities, and make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. Try to figure out now what's most likely for you and your community, and how you will respond. Where will you go? What will you take? You need to get these answers in advance. Get to know your neighbors, and put a plan in place to help each other out. Find out from local shelters and veterinary organizations -- and your family's own veterinarian -- what emergency response plans are in place and how you fit into them in case of a disaster.

-- ID your pets. Many, if not most, animals will survive a disaster. But too many will never see their families again if there's no way to determine which pet belongs to which family. That's why pets should always wear a collar and identification tags with your cellphone number and the numbers of a couple of out-of-area contacts. Better still is the additional permanent identification that can't slip off, such as a tattoo or an embedded microchip.

-- Practice preventive care. Disease follows disaster, which is why keeping a pet as healthy as possible with up-to-date vaccinations is essential. Prepare a file with up-to-date medical records, your pets' microchip or tattoo numbers, your veterinarian's phone number and address, feeding and medication instructions, and recent pictures of your animals. Trade copies of emergency files with another pet-loving friend or family member. It's a good idea for someone else to know about your pet, should anything happen to you.

-- Have restraints ready. Even normally calm pets can freak out under the stress of an emergency, especially if injured. You should be prepared to restrain your pet -- for his safety and the safety of others.

Keep leashes, muzzles and carriers ready for emergencies. The means to transport your pet shouldn't be something you have to find and pull from the rafters of your garage. Harnesses work better than collars at keeping panicky pets safe. Shipping crates are probably the least-thought-of pieces of emergency equipment for pet owners, but are among the most important. Sturdy crates keep pets safe and give you more options for housing your pets if you have to leave your home.

-- Keep supplies on hand. Keep several days' worth of pet food and safe drinking water ready to go in the event of a disaster, as well as any necessary medicines. Canned food is better in an emergency, so lay in a couple of cases, and don't forget to pack a can opener with your emergency supplies. For cats, keep an extra bag of litter on hand. And pack lots of plastic bags for dealing with waste.

-- Learn first aid. Pet-supply stores sell ready-made first-aid kits, or you can put your own together fairly easily with the help of any pet-related first-aid book or website. Keep a first-aid book with your supplies. If you check around in your community, you should be able to find a pet first-aid class to take that will give you the basic knowledge you need.

-- Be prepared to help. You may be lucky enough to survive a disaster nearly untouched, but others in your community won't be so fortunate. Check out groups that train volunteers for disaster response, and consider going through the training. Disaster-relief workers do everything from distributing food to stranded animals to helping reunite pets with their families, and helping find new homes for those animals who need them. Volunteering in a pinch is not only a good thing to do, it's also the right thing for anyone who cares about animals and people.

Q&A

Quick action can

recover pet bird

Q: A couple years ago, our cockatiel flew out the front door, and we were never able to get her back. We saw her for a couple of weeks in the neighborhood, and then she was gone. Can you suggest how we can protect against losing another? -- via Facebook

A: It can indeed be difficult to catch a bird on the wing, which is why the best strategies for preventing a pet bird from being lost forever are preventive. Have your bird microchipped. Keep his wings clipped to prevent him from flying away, and make sure everyone in the family knows to keep doors and unscreened windows closed.

Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, isn't it? But there are things you can do if your bird flies away:

-- Don't waste time. The longer your bird is out, the smaller the chance of recovery. Immediately start searching nearby. If you have some game you play that would elicit a response from your bird, start playing it. If your bird is used to responding to your whistle or call, you'll have an easier time locating him.

-- Lure your bird with his favorite treats. Even without wings, birds can climb far out of reach quickly. Gathering your bird's favorite treats may lure him back down. Put his familiar cage in an area that's easy for him to see and get to, and put treats inside with the door open. Because birds are more likely to eat at dawn and dusk, even a bird who's not immediately interested in treats may come into a familiar cage at feeding time.

-- Use the hose, cautiously. Because being sprayed by the hose is frightening and may injure the bird, don't go for this technique first. Some bird experts are dead-set against it, in fact. But a bird at large is in as much danger of dying as he is if he falls to the ground after being drenched. Using a hose is a judgment call, and you'll probably get only one chance, so play this card wisely.

Expand the search. If your immediate actions don't bring in your bird, don't give up. Put up fliers around the area and at the local bird shop, pet-supply stores, veterinarians' offices (especially avian veterinarians) and pet shelters. Post everywhere you can online as well.

Many birds are found days, weeks and months after they're lost, but they're found by people who don't know just who is looking for the pet. If you don't keep putting the word out, your bird may be lost for good, even if found. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

The eyes can be key

to decoding a parrot

-- Parrots have the ability to change the size of their pupils rapidly in a display known as "pinning" that offers vital clues to what they may do next.

People who aren't familiar with parrots are ill-prepared to avoid a nasty bite from these brilliant but sometimes mercurial beings. To key in on bird body language, watch the eyes.

Parrots flash their eyes when they're excited or when they're angry. Flashing accompanied by aggressive posturing, such as tail-fanning, signifies a bird who's bound to bite if not left alone. Even people who are familiar with parrots sometimes misread body language. Since the beaks of these birds are well-designed to cause damage, consider a parrot as one pet best admired from arm's length -- or more.

-- A researcher who has decoded the language of prairie dogs says the ability to understand dogs and cats is less than a decade away. Animal behaviorist Con Slobodchikoff, a professor emeritus at Northern Arizona University, told The Atlantic that his 30 years of work can extend to understanding other animals as well. -- Dr. Marty Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

You don't need to work hard to care for a bearded dragon

If you want a friendly reptilian pet who's easy to care for, your choice is an easy one: You want a bearded dragon.

Beardeds are not only tame when handled, but many also seem to enjoy the contact. Even better, they're suitable for almost any pet lover or family situation -- and a great pet for a responsible child.

Bearded dragons enjoy exploring, whether crawling on their owners or around the house. They stick out their tongues to touch new surfaces to determine the temperature and makeup of the area -- a behavior that adds to their appeal.

Beardeds live to be about 10 years old and will measure 18 to 24 inches in length, including the tail. Hatchling beardeds are only about 3 1/2 inches in length, and look more like a gecko than a giant lizard species. Common colorings of the bearded are yellow and tan, though they can be found in more vibrant yellow, orange and albino.

The bearded dragon name comes from the display the pet puts on when trying to act tough. The puffed-beard display is used only defensively to scare away potential threats. Along with puffing out, beardeds also flatten out their bellies to look wider, as well as leave their rather large mouths gaping open to intimidate the potential threat.

Beardeds are quite happy to live alone in the wild, except when in search of mates. If you want more than one, however, there's no downside, since they seem to enjoy the companionship of another of their kind. Female beardeds can usually be housed with another female or male, but males should not be housed together, due to territorial aggression.

Beardeds need human help to maintain their temperature in captivity, using heat lamps or warming pads. They do well in tanks where some areas are cooler and some are warmer -- a range of 85 to 105 degrees by day, dipping into the 70s at night.

You'll also need special lighting, since these reptiles need UVB rays to properly absorb dietary calcium. A full-spectrum light should be provided 12 to 14 hours a day most of the year, and 10 to 12 hours in the winter.

Omnivores by nature, beardeds enjoy both plants and meat in their diet. Juveniles enjoy a carnivorous diet, while adults become primarily herbivores, enjoying a diet of dark, leafy vegetables and some fruit. All food given to the bearded should be shredded into easy-to-swallow, bite-size pieces. Insects should be given to adult beardeds two to three times per week. They eat mainly crickets, but also mealworms, wax moth larvae and pinkie mice in limited amounts.

Beardeds hit sexual maturity between 1 and 2 years of age, when females will start laying eggs, regardless of whether they've been mated.

Veterinary care is minimal for pets who are being properly cared for. After purchase, your bearded should be examined for health and parasites, with treatment for the latter if necessary. After that, annual examinations are recommended, to help your veterinarian understand what's "normal" for your pet, so treatment can be more targeted if there's a problem.

Q&A

Cat meet-and-greet

needs to be slow

Q: What's the best way to introduce a new cat to my current cat? -- via email

A: Having more than one cat is a popular option for many people, though not always for cats.

But living with more than one cat doesn't have to be contentious. The trick to domestic harmony for co-habiting felines is to introduce -- or reintroduce -- them slowly and carefully.

Since the worst territorial spats are between cats who aren't spayed or neutered, your chances for peaceful co-existence are many times greater if the cats are both altered before any introductions are planned.

Prepare a room for your new cat with food and water bowls, and a litter box and scratching post that needn't be shared. This room will be your new pet's home turf while the two cats get used to each other's presence.

Take your new cat to your veterinarian first, to be checked for parasites such as ear mites, and contagious diseases such as feline leukemia. When you're sure your new pet is healthy, the introductions can begin.

Bring the cat home in a carrier and set him in the room you've prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged animal, and don't be discouraged by initial hisses. When the new cat is alone in the room, close the door and let him out of the carrier. If he doesn't want to leave the carrier at first, let him be. Just leave the carrier door open and the cat alone.

Maintain each cat separately for a week or so -- with lots of love and play for both -- and then on a day when you're around to observe, leave the door to the new cat's room open. Above all: Don't force them together. Territory negotiations between cats can be drawn-out and delicate, and you must let them work it out on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Happier trips mean

cleaner car rides

-- Dogs get carsick for many reasons, including anxiety, full bellies and a lack of experience. But most puppies can outgrow car sickness if taken out regularly in the car. If you want your dog to enjoy car rides, take him to dog parks and other fun destinations. Otherwise, if all trips seem to end at the veterinary hospital, he may never think car rides are fun. Talk to your veterinarian about medications (over-the-counter or prescription) that can help if your puppy doesn't outgrow carsickness. And make sure when your pet is on the road that he's safely secured in a crate or with a harness.

-- Would you rather work out or indulge in heavy petting? According to Prevention magazine, 67 percent of us say having a pet is better for long-term health than having a personal trainer. Probably more fun, too.

-- Every healthy dog has a reflex reaction to any passing skin irritation, whether it's an insect crawling between the hairs or a fingernail giving a scratch. If nerve endings detect something that's annoying the skin, the dog's leg will automatically come up to scratch off the pest -- even if there's no pest there. The response is most pronounced if you scratch a dog on the rump near the base of the tail, along the upper part of the flanks or on the belly -- not coincidentally, places where fleas like to congregate. The "scratch reflex" is so predictable that veterinarians will use it to help with their neurological exam when spinal damage is suspected. -- Mikkel Becker and Dr. Marty Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.