May 2015 Issue 二零一五年五月刊
PetsTales
Pet Allergies 寵物過敏
Allergy season is here not only for us, but also for our allergic pets. As the pollen count rises and we start sneezing, our beloved allergic pets are also suffering, but in a different way. While humans may sneeze and get runny eyes, dogs and cats manifest their allergies through their skin. As a result, they may get itchy, and develop ear and skin infections. Some common questions: Atopic dermatitis What is it? An intensely itchy skin condition caused primarily by allergens in the environment. What are examples of allergens? Moulds, house dust mites, house dust, human dander, feathers, and pollens from trees, weeds, and grasses. What are the symptoms? Itching is the main sign of atopic dermatitis, ruling out other common itchy skin diseases. Chewing, itching and secondary infections damage the skin in pets with atopic dermatitis. Skin and/or blood tests are used to identify the cause of the allergy. When does it occur? 1-3 years of age, although it may develop as late as age 6 or 7; atopic dermatitis is usually seasonal initially (e.g. from spring to autumn), but often develops into a year-round problem. How can I prevent it? Keeping your pet away from the cause of the allergy is not always practical and rarely possible, as your pet’s coat is like a dust mop that sweeps up the allergens that cause their allergies. Therefore, you should:
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Bath your pet frequently with a moisturizing product Wipe them frequently with medicated wipes Use medicated shampoos, sprays, flushes and wipes Feed them food and supplement containing omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces inflammation
What are the treatments? Treatment with oral steroids for itchiness and other oral medications to treat concurrent underlying infections are often needed to control these allergies. Topical therapy is almost always needed in conjunction with these medications. Desensitizing injections (allergy shots) may help if avoidance or drug therapy is ineffective. Apart from atopic dermatitis, are there any similar diseases? Pets with atopic dermatitis are usually accompanied by: bacterial skin infections (pyoderma) and yeast (Malassezia) infections. Allergic cats may also have asthma. If you suspect that your pets have an allergy, please discuss it with your vet or vet nurse.
過敏季節不但影響人類，也影響我們的寵物。當我們因為空氣中的花粉量增加 而不停打噴嚏時，我們心愛的寵物也會出現其他過敏反應。人類通常會打噴嚏及流眼 水，而貓狗會在皮膚上呈現過敏反應。因此，牠們會出現皮膚痕癢，最終演變成耳朵 及皮膚感染。以下是一些常見的問題： 遺傳性過敏皮炎 這是甚麼？ 遺傳性過敏皮炎是指因環境中的致敏原所引發的皮膚痕癢 。
致敏原的例子 土壤、家居塵蟎、灰塵、人類頭屑、羽毛以及樹木雜草所散發 出來的花粉。 有甚麼病癥呢？ 痕癢是遺傳性過敏皮炎的最主要病癥。噬咬、搔癢及繼發性感 染都會令寵物的皮膚受損。透過皮膚及/或血液測試可以找出致 敏原，我們的獸醫會建議您何時需要為寵物做這些測試。 寵物甚麼時候會發病？ 遺傳性過敏皮炎通常於寵物一 至三歲時發病，也有機會延至 六、七歲。遺傳性過敏皮炎通 常是季節性的(春天至秋天) ， 但也可能發展成全年性發病。 可以怎樣避免？ 要您的寵物避開致敏原是不實 際也不太可行的，因為寵物的 皮毛就好像一把地拖，會不斷
拂起致敏原導致出現過敏。所以，你應該： • 常常使用滋潤產品為寵物洗澡 • 用藥用的抹布清潔寵物的身體 • 使用市面上的藥性洗髮露、噴霧、沖洗劑和抹布， 清潔之餘可以同時治療受感染部位 • 餵飼包含奧米加3脂肪酸的食物和補充劑
有甚麼治療方法？ 通常可以服用口服類固醇以減輕皮膚痕癢，也有服用其他口服 藥物以防治潛在感染情況。一般來說，局部治療和口服藥物都 會同時使用。 如果避免接觸致敏原或藥物治療都未見成效的話，就可以考慮 使用「靈敏度降低注射針藥」。 有沒有其他類似的疾病? 患有遺傳性過敏皮炎的寵物都會傾向患有皮膚細菌感染(膿皮病) 和酵母感染(馬拉色黴菌)。 患有敏感的貓隻更有可能患上哮喘病 。
如果你懷疑你的愛寵有過敏情況，請尋求獸醫或護士的協 助，並與他們討論寵物的情況。
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