If your pet is scratching excessively and you have treated the pet for fleas and ticks, the itching should have long since subsided.  However, if the scratching persists, it is time to look into alternative causes.  One of at least three other conditions can cause the problem.  These would include ear infections, inhaled allergens and skin infections.  Scratching can very definitely be one symptom of any of these problems.

Ear infections are not limited to a particular breed of dog or cat, although dogs with longer, folded ears that remain closed or ones with large amounts of hair in the ear are more likely candidates.  Typically, the ear infection begins in the external ear canal and if left untreated will progress to the middle ear.  The middle ear is that part of the ear canal beyond the eardrum.

Your pet’s ears can develop an infection from a large accumulation of wax, excessive hair in the ear canal, dirt, tumors in the ear, impaired drainage or ear mites.  When these conditions persist, bacteria and/or yeast grow.  Very often, when the infection progresses to the middle ear, the eardrum can rupture.

In addition to the pet scratching its ear, other signs of ear problems include head shaking or a persistent tilt of the head to one particular side.  Often, the skin on the inside of the ear will be red and inflamed; there may be an unpleasant odor to the ear or a discharge from the ear.  If you find any of these symptoms, the ear needs medical treatment.  It is beyond the preventative stage where the owner can preclude the problem.  The longer the infection is allowed to persist, the more difficult it is to cure and the greater the possibility of permanent damage to the ear.

Initially, the veterinarian should examine the internal and external ear skin and then use an otoscope to look into the ear.  A sample of the material in the ear will be examined under a microscope and tested to determine the presence of bacteria and/or mites.  At this point the ears will be given a thorough cleaning to remove all foreign material and then treated with antibiotics.

Once the doctor has treated the ear, the owner will be given medicine to administer each day.  Generally, the post-exam homecare must be followed daily for several weeks.  If the routine is neglected, the infection will persist.  Ear infections can sometimes be difficult to cure.  Therefore, we always recommend that the pet be re-examined after all medicine has been administered.

Pet owners can help to prevent ear infections by regularly cleaning their pet’s ears and removing excessive hair from the outer ear area.  Monthly or semi-monthly cleanings are best with hair removal as needed.  Your veterinarian can recommend the correct cleansing solution and technique for cleaning the ear.

A second possible cause of scratching is inhaled allergens. In dogs and cats inhaled allergens are essentially an inherited predisposition to become allergic to pollens, grasses, trees, mold, dander and dust.  The pet sometimes develops the allergy between the ages of one and three years, usually in warmer months with the symptoms getting worse each year and becoming year-round.  The disease can be treated symptomatically with shampoos, antihistamines and cortisone; however, the results are only temporary and the problem will get worse for the animal.  The best way to help your pet is to have it tested to identify its particular allergies and begin a series of shots for treatment.  Generally, the treatment is successful, but it can take eight to twelve months to see results, and then it is often necessary that the shots be continued at certain intervals for life.

If scaling or crusting of the skin or open sores or redness accompanies the scratching, then a skin infection is probably present.  The veterinarian should scrape a small portion of the affected area and then examine the residue microscopically to determine the nature of the infection.  Treatment is often done with antibiotics and sometimes, special shampoos.

If you suspect a problem more serious than itching from fleas or ticks, please take your pet to your veterinarian.  The condition will only get worse without medical treatment and the pet will continue to be uncomfortable at a minimum and eventually miserable.