Introduction
If you’ve ever seen your cat suffer from allergies, you know how miserable they can be. They scratch and bite themselves, and they sneeze and wheeze. It’s not pleasant for them or the people who live with them. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
There are ways to give your cat long-term relief from allergies. And one of those is a good medical prescription that doesn’t have any side effects. So if you’re planning on giving your kitty a gift this holiday season, give them something that will make their life more enjoyable. Long-term relief from seasonal allergies could be that gift for your cat.
Your Cat’s Skin and Coat Are the Windows to Their Health
Your cat’s skin and coat are the windows to their health. The skin is the largest organ of the body. It protects them from microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. It serves as a barrier to infection and helps regulate body temperature by releasing excess heat through sweat glands. It also helps protect wounds from bacterial infection.
It is important that we understand what we are looking at when examining a cat’s skin and coat. Their skin and coat can tell us a lot about their overall health. It could reveal allergies that may cause discomfort or pain, infections that could lead to serious illness, and hormonal changes due to pregnancy/lactation.
Irritable skin conditions are one of the many common diseases in cats. According to PubMed, one such skin condition called Atopic Dermatitis had a prevalence rate of 12.5% among our feline friends.
What Is Atopic Dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is a common skin condition in cats. It can be caused by an allergy to something in the environment, such as pollen and dust mites. If your cat has this allergy, it will cause them to scratch their skin excessively, leading to redness and hair loss in the affected area of their body. But you don’t need to worry. The good news is that this condition can be controlled.
Atopica for cats is a type of medication that helps control Allergic Dermatitis in cats. It is an easy medication given by mouth as a tablet once daily. Your cat will love the taste of Atopica, which is similar to canned food.
Atopica doesn’t cure your cat’s allergies, but it controls signs associated with allergies. This way, your cat can live a comfortable life without constant scratching or other symptoms like redness and hair loss.
So, now that you know there is a cure let’s delve a little bit deeper into understanding the nature of the disease and the cure.
What Causes Atopic Dermatitis?
So, what causes Atopic Dermatitis? The answer is not as simple as you might think. While some allergens are well-known, such as pollen and dust mites, others are less. There are a number of environmental factors that can trigger an allergic reaction in cats, including:
- Dust mites and other household pests
- Mould spores or mildew
- Fragrances or perfumes, even natural ones
An Overview of Atopica for Cats
Atopica is a once-daily oral solution that helps control Allergic dermatitis in cats. The active ingredient in Atopica is clobetasol propionate, an immunosuppressant steroid that works by blocking the allergens that cause allergic skin reactions and inflammation. This helps reduce the itching and scratching associated with the disease, which leads to hair loss and other unpleasant symptoms such as scabs or sores on paws or tail tips.
Give your cat Atopica once daily by mouth. The recommended starting dose is 0.5 mg/kg body weight, given as a single daily dose using the dosing syringe and needle. If your pet weighs less than 0.45 kg, give 0.2 mg/kg dose once daily. If it weighs between 2-5 lbs, give 0.5 mg/kg once daily. If it weighs over 5 lbs, give them 1 mg/kg once daily until a response is seen, then switch to the maintenance dose of 0.5 mg/kg once daily thereafter.
What Are the Alternative Ways of Treatment?
According to a survey conducted on feline disorders, dermatological disorders accounted for 15.2% of all the different disorders that a cat suffers from. There are many forms of skin disorders that can plague your feline friend. And the treatment of each allergic dermatitis varies depending on its underlying cause. Some of those common treatments are:
- Topical steroids are a common treatment for allergic dermatitis and can be applied to help control inflammation. These medications can be bought over the counter or by prescription. The latter has a higher concentration of active ingredients that provide faster relief from symptoms.
- Antihistamines help relieve itching and swelling caused by allergies, but they do not treat the underlying cause of your cat’s allergic reaction.
- Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat infections associated with allergy symptoms like yeast infections due to excessive licking behavior.
- Corticosteroids are another type of medication that reduces inflammation throughout your pet’s body. However, long-term use is often discouraged because it carries an increased risk for side effects such as skin thinning or hair loss if used in excess. If used appropriately to treat an acute flare-up, these drugs can help manage short-term discomfort.
Conclusion
It’s important to talk with your veterinarian about your cat’s allergies. There are many treatment options available, but long-lasting relief can be hard to achieve. If you want to help your cat feel better this holiday season and for years to come, ATOPICA may be the right option.
