CBD Oil for Cat Dermatitis
Cat dermatitis is a skin condition that commonly impacts cats, and will cause your pet to scratch themselves in an excessive manner. Once you notice your cat seems unable to keep themselves from scratching all the time, it’s important that you contact your vet right away; if left untreated, this skin condition can turn into a very concerning problem.
Luckily, you have several options when it comes to treating your pet for their dermatitis. One of these options that a lot of pet owners have started to utilize is CBD oil. CBD is a remedy that’s completely natural, and can bring soothing relief to many different skin conditions. On top of helping your cat with their dermatitis, this remedy can give a boost to your pet’s overall health, and many owners are using it for additional benefits as a natural and whole medicine.
What Exactly Is CBD?
CBD is also known as cannabidiol, and it’s a cannabinoid compound that occurs naturally. CBD is well known for its various therapeutic and medical benefits, for both humans and animals. The number of pet owners who use CBD to treat their cat’s dermatitis is very much on the rise. The compound works and delivers great effects because it interacts with mammals’ endocannabinoid system, or ECS, and with cannabinoid receptors.
Any mammal will have an endocannabinoid system. This system is full of receptors that CBD interacts with, CB1 and CB2. The cannabinoid will bind to these receptors if it’s present in the ECS. Altogether, this creates beneficial reactions that can help your cat regulate several different bodily systems.
CBD is a natural cannabinoid that’s derived from the hemp plant. Any mammal’s body also creates cannabinoids naturally. These interact with the ECS in many different ways. Research has shown that together, the ECS and cannabinoids can all work together to help the body maintain and reach homeostasis, and regulate major bodily systems. CBD can help you ensure that all the systems within your cat are working together, and working as they should, so your cat is as happy and healthy as possible.
What Is Dermatitis in Cats?
If any of your cat’s major bodily systems reach instability at all, this can lead to several problems. For example, an immune system that’s over-reactive can cause inflammation all over the skin. In fact, what dermatitis indicates is inflammation all throughout the skin. The medical, technical term for this condition in cats is “Feline Miliary Dermatitis”. Feline miliary dermatitis can indicate a wide variety of skin conditions that can occur in cats. All of these conditions can be separated into three different groups. Each of these groups is classified as distinct, due to the allergens that are involved, which are completely different.
In general, feline miliary dermatitis is a term that’s used to describe a skin condition in cats that tends to result from an allergic reaction. The most common skin allergy among cats is an allergic reaction to fleas, and the technical term for this is flea allergy dermatitis. Because it’s so common, the two terms have now become synonymous. If your cat has this, they will not only be scratching excessively, they won’t be able to stop licking or twitching as well.
The term miliary means “resembling millet seeds.” Clinically, the cat will have a rash that’s very itchy, and they will constantly scratch, bite, and lick at the affected area. In some cases, even a simple touch to this area will offset this reaction. As time goes on, the rash quickly progresses into multiple lesions which develop scabs. The scabs could be a result of the excessive scratching and licking, or it can be a symptom of the allergic reaction itself.
The areas that tend to be affected by skin dermatitis the most are the lower spine, and around the base of the tail. However, the condition can impact your cat anywhere along their body, including their legs, flank, neck, and belly. Usually, they’ll lose hair and their coat will become thin in the area that’s been affected. In severe cases, the rash will get an infection, and you’ll be able to see this as pustules, or pimple-like, lesions along the rash. Cats who have this will spend a lot of time grooming and scratching their affected areas.
What Causes Miliary Dermatitis?
By far, the most common cause of this condition is an allergic reaction to flea bites. Some cats are extremely sensitive to these bites, and just one could unleash a skin reaction that’s very severe. However, the condition could also mean that your cat’s having a reaction to other types of allergens or irritants. For example, your cat could be reacting to Cheyletiella (“walking dandruff” or fur mites), lice, ear mites, and harvest mites.
Your cat’s dermatitis could also indicate that they’re allergic to something within their diet. They also could get sick due to something they inhaled (atopy). Contact allergies/contact dermatitis are even more possibilities, but this happens only rarely. Most likely, contact allergies will be due to materials that are synthetic, such as carpets you have in your house or materials from plants such as pollen or sap.
This is a more in-depth description of each kind of cause:
- Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD). This is definitely the most common type of dermatitis that is caused by allergies. The reason for this is because cats are allergic to what’s contained in the saliva of a flea, antigens. When the flea bites, this is released into the skin of your cat. Once your cat, who has a flea allergy, suffers a flea bite, this can develop into full-flung flea allergy dermatitis. Outbreaks of this type of dermatitis typically tend to happen during the summer, and in warm environments.
- Food Allergy Dermatitis. Food allergies are another cause that tends to occur often for this condition. Your cat could be allergic to certain kinds of protein, or to dairy. Unfortunately, an allergy to food will last their whole life, and the reason food allergies come to be is unknown.
- Atopic Dermatitis. This occurs when your cat’s skin has a reaction that’s allergic to any type of physical contact with an allergen. Good examples of allergens that are environmental are grass, pollen, and mold. These will be put into your cat’s systems typically through physical contact, or they may be inhaled with your cat’s respiratory system.
You should also know that it’s possible for your cat to be allergic to more than one thing at a time. Determining exactly what is causing your cat’s allergies is very difficult, and will require an investment of both money and time. In order to realize what your cat’s going through, you need to discuss your cat’s symptoms with your vet to determine treatment.
How Will My Cat Be Diagnosed with Miliary Dermatitis?
Typically, it’s presumed your cat’s itchiness is due to a flea allergy. Diagnosis, however, will also be based on your pet’s medical history, and any signs and symptoms they have shown of the condition. If you observe any fleas on your cat’s fur and your cat isn’t on any flea preventative, it’s most likely a flea allergy.
If your vet suspects a different kind of cause, or if they give treatment for flea allergies and your cat doesn’t respond to this, your vet may conduct other means of testing. These include biopsies, skin scrapings, serum IgE allergy tests, a food trial, or referral to a veterinary dermatologist.
What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Cat Dermatitis?
The symptoms of this condition can be different, depending on the location of your cat’s inflammation and what exactly caused it. Typically, cats will excessively groom when they’re alone, so be sure to watch them for other symptoms when they’re around you. A cat that’s been afflicted with feline dermatitis could show one of these signs:
- Hair loss, which will happen around the area that’s affected. This happens because of the scratching that won’t stop. As a symptom of dermatitis itself, there may be a loss of hair anyways.
- Excessive or mild scratching around the area that’s afflicted and inflamed. Areas that are commonly impacted include the eyes, between the toes, the underarms, ankles, ears, wrists, mouth, and groin.
- Your cat may also develop hot spots or a rash. Ulcers may even appear.
- Bumps that are crusty, red, and small could also break out around the head, the neck, and along your cat’s spine in their back.
- “Hot spots,” or areas that have been affected, could leak bacteria or puss.
- Your cat’s skin could also become darker and thicker in those areas, compared the regular tone of their skin.
As you can tell, there are many different kinds of symptoms that occur with cat dermatitis. However, there are just as many remedies that have had a powerful effect when it comes to healing this condition. One of these remedies, which is natural and new, is CBD.
How Can CBD Help My Cat’s Dermatitis?
CBD is gaining a lot of steam when it comes to helping both humans and animals deal with various kinds of skin dermatitis. Cannabidiol can be useful in several different ways if it’s used as a treatment for this condition. A great thing about CBD is that you can either give it to your cat orally for consumption, or you can apply it topically, in order to treat them.
There are several different products you can give to your pet, including creams, hemp oils, and sprays that all can be topically applied to the area that’s been affected. This is an excellent way to help your cat with their condition, as well as provide them relief immediately from their itching and pain. Naturally, CBD also contains anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, which not only reduce the current infection, but can also to help prevent any outbreaks from occurring again in the future.
Research has shown that CBD indeed does reduce the inflammation and pain that is associated with outbreaks of dermatitis in animals, including cats. CBD that’s digested can especially be beneficial, and it’s easy to give it to your cat as a supplement to their diet for relief that lasts a long time. In general, CBD can also help promote and maintain your pet’s overall homeostasis.
CBD pet treats, CBD capsules, and CBD hemp oil are all excellent ways to administer CBD to your pet orally. The compound also does not contain any side effects, and it’s great to use in combination with other types of remedies or medications.
Are There Any Other Treatments for My Cat’s Dermatitis That Are Natural?
By itself, CBD can provide lots of relief that’s very therapeutic for cats that have been affected by dermatitis. However, you can also give your cat CBD and use it in combination with many other remedies that are also natural. The results from this combination can provide your cat with even greater therapy and healing overall.
Treatments for cat dermatitis that are also natural are:
- Complete oil supplements or fatty acid supplements, which are also known as skin oil replacements. Great examples of oils that have all the fatty acids you need are peanut, sunflower, corn, and safflower oil. Each of these can help you replenish your cat’s natural oils that are in their skin, which will create a natural and protective barrier of moisture against dermatitis.
- Placing a hot towel wrap around the affected area can provide relief for your cat that’s instant.
- Extending the period of time between baths. If you bathe your cat too much, this can dry out their skin, and rip the skin of all of its natural oils. You can also give your cat an oat bath for soothing relief.
- Refrain from using feeding dishes that are made of plastic. If your cat’s dermatitis is around their mouth or nose, this could be due to plastics.
Conclusion – CBD Oil for Cat Dermatitis
Cat dermatitis can be very painful and concerning. If your cat’s struggling with it, you should determine the cause, then work on treatment to reduce the breakout. Luckily, there are many options for you, including CBD oil, which is a natural way to provide soothing relief.
