Cat rainy days

Anxiety During Storm Season

Written by dermcareadmin on . Posted in Pet Care.

Helping Your Pets Cope With Anxiety During Storm Season

As storm season approaches, many pet owners start preparing for unpredictable weather—but it’s not just homes that need protection. For many animals, thunderstorms trigger intense fear, stress, and anxiety. With early preparation and the right strategies, you can help your animals feel calmer and safer when the thunder starts to roll.

Why Pets Become Anxious in Storms

Storm-related anxiety is more common than many people realise. Pets experience storms through heightened senses. They can detect low-frequency rumbles long before humans can, sense shifts in atmospheric pressure and static electricity, and will often associate these cues with danger. This can trigger fear-based behaviours such as hiding, trembling, vocalising, pacing, panting, or seeking constant reassurance. If left unmanaged, this fear can escalate into a long-term storm phobia.

Cats, while often more subtle, may show signs such as flattening their ears, dilated pupils, frantic running, or withdrawing to hard-to-reach hiding spots.

Early Signs to Watch For

Identifying early indicators of storm anxiety can help you intervene before panic sets in. Look for behaviours such as:

  • Restlessness or pacing
  • Excessive grooming
  • Hiding or seeking out enclosed spaces
  • Vocalising or unusual clinginess
  • Trembling or shaking (more common in dogs)
  • Sudden destructive behaviour or attempts to escape

If these signs recur during storms, it may be time to adopt proactive management strategies.

How to Support Your Animals During Storm Season

There are several effective ways to help your pets feel more secure:

  • Create a safe haven: Prepare a quiet, enclosed area filled with familiar bedding, toys, and comforting scents. Cats often prefer elevated perches or covered spaces. If you have larger outdoor animals (ie. horses) ensure stables are dry and have bedding. Prolonged exposure to moisture softens the hoof wall and creates a perfect environment for bacteria and fungus to breed.
  • Reward calm behaviour: Reinforce moments of relaxed behaviour to help build positive associations.
  • Avoid punishment: Anxiety is not misbehaviour—responding negatively will only increase fear. For pets with severe reactions, your veterinarian may recommend behaviour-modification strategies, desensitisation programs, or short-term medication to relieve acute distress.

Plan Ahead for Success

Storm anxiety rarely improves without intervention. Preparing your pets early—before the peak of storm season—can significantly reduce their fear response over time. Consistent routines, gradual exposure training, and veterinary guidance can all help your pets feel more confident during wild weather.

When to Speak with a Vet

If your dog or cat shows significant distress, or their storm anxiety affects daily life, professional support can make all the difference. Veterinary teams can tailor a management plan specific to your pet’s individual triggers and behaviours.

Itchy Horse

“The Itchy Horse” Webinar with Dr. Tina Baxter

Written by dermcareadmin on . Posted in Equine Care, News, Pet Care.

Dermcare-Vet recently hosted an equine dermatology webinar, “The Itchy Horse,” presented by Dr. Tina Baxter. Dr Tina shared many of her “Two-cent Tips for Totally Talented Equine Vets” that she has developed from being both a lecturer at Uni Vets Camden and clinician. The session focused on helping veterinarians and equine professionals diagnose, understand and manage itchy horses. Her simple yet powerful strategies highlight a distinctive ability to bridge the gap between ideal treatment protocols and real-world clinical application, helping clinicians achieve effective outcomes for their itchy horse patients

At Dermcare-Vet, we believe that better education leads to better patient outcomes. Webinars like “The Itchy Horse” form part of our ongoing commitment to supporting veterinarians and vet nurses with continuing professional development in veterinary dermatology.

This webinar along with other resources are available in the Vet Section of our website.

If you are a veterinarian and would like the log in details for the Vet Section, please contact your local territory representative or the Dermcare-Vet head office.

Itchy Dog Scratching Dermatology

‘Tis the Season to be Itchy: Seasonal Dermatitis in Pets

Written by dermcareadmin on . Posted in Dermcare Products, Dog Care, News, Pet Care.

‘Tis the Season to be Itchy: Seasonal Dermatitis in Pets

Seasonal dermatitis is one of the most common skin conditions affecting dogs and cats. It usually flares up during warmer months and can cause significant discomfort if left untreated. By understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatments, pet owners can help their animals enjoy every season itch-free.

What Is Seasonal Dermatitis?

Seasonal dermatitis, sometimes called seasonal allergies in pets, refers to skin inflammation triggered by environmental allergens such as pollen, grass seeds, mould spores, or dust mites. It often occurs in spring and summer, when pollen counts are higher and pets spend more time outdoors. Pets with atopic dermatitis or flea allergy dermatitis are especially prone to flare-ups.

Symptoms of Seasonal Dermatitis in Pets

Signs that may indicate seasonal dermatitis include:

  • Persistent itching, licking, or chewing
  • Red, inflamed, or flaky patches of skin
  • Hair loss or thinning coat
  • Recurrent ear infections
  • Hot spots (moist, raw skin lesions)
  • Secondary bacterial or yeast infections

Because skin infections in dogs and cats can look similar to allergies, veterinary diagnosis is important.

How to Manage and Treat Seasonal Dermatitis

  1. Reduce Allergen Exposure
  • Wipe your pet’s coat and paws after outdoor walks.
  • Keep grass trimmed and avoid high-pollen areas.
  • Use air purifiers indoors to reduce allergens.
  • Wash bedding frequently in hot water to remove dust mites and pollen particles.
  1. Bathe with Dermcare-Vet Products

Regular bathing with Dermcare-Vet Natural Shampoo or Aloveen Oatmeal Shampoo can wash away allergens, calm itching, and support skin health. This can be followed up with our leave on Natural Conditioner or Aloveen Oatmeal Conditioner, which provide lasting moisture and relief.

  1. Year-Round Flea Control

Fleas are a major trigger of skin irritation. Consistent flea prevention is crucial—even in cooler months.

  1. Veterinary Treatments for Severe Cases

In more persistent cases, veterinarians may recommend anti-itch medications, antibiotics or antifungal therapies for secondary infections, or allergen-specific immunotherapy (injections or oral drops) to desensitise pets over time.

Long-Term Outlook

Seasonal dermatitis cannot always be cured, but it can be successfully managed. With proactive care and early intervention, most pets experience significant relief from itchy skin during allergy season.

If a pet shows signs of seasonal skin problems, early veterinary care is the best way to prevent painful flare-ups. With the right treatment plan, seasonal dermatitis can be controlled, allowing pets to stay comfortable year-round.

For veterinary clinics: For further information on managing seasonal dermatitis, to discuss product options, or information on allergen-specific immunotherapy please contact the Dermcare-Vet team.

Infection Allergy

Allergy or Infection?

Written by dermcareadmin on . Posted in Dermcare Products, News, Pet Care.

Allergy or Infection?

When your dog or cat starts itching, scratching, or showing skin changes, it can be hard to tell what’s really going on. Is it an allergy? Is it an infection? Or both? Understanding the difference between allergies and infections in pets is key to getting the right treatment and helping your pet feel better, faster.

Allergy vs Infection: What’s the Difference?

Allergies in pets are an overreaction of the immune system to things like pollen, food ingredients, dust mites, or even flea saliva. These reactions cause inflammation, leading to red, itchy, and irritated skin.

On the other hand, infections are caused by microorganisms, like bacteria or yeast, that invade and grow on the skin, often when the skin barrier is already compromised. Pets with allergies are prone to secondary infections due to constant scratching and damage to the skin surface.

Signs and Symptoms

Allergy signs may include:

  • Persistent itching or licking
  • Red or inflamed skin
  • Hair loss or thinning
  • Ear infections (often recurrent)
  • Paw chewing or face rubbing

Infection signs may include:

  • Crusty, oozing, or smelly skin
  • Red bumps or pustules
  • Greasy or discoloured coat
  • Thickened skin or dark pigmentation
  • A sudden worsening of itching

Often, allergies and infections occur together—an allergy weakens the skin barrier, and bacteria or yeast take advantage of the broken skin.

How to Treat

Allergy management focuses on a multimodal management regime to reduce inflammation/itching and removing or avoiding the underlying trigger. This may include:

  • Prescription anti-inflammatory medications
  • Prescription diets
  • Regular bathing with a veterinary specific shampoo and conditioner
  • +/- Allergen-specific immunotherapy

Infection treatment often requires one or more of the following:

  • Topical antimicrobials
  • Medicated shampoos and conditioners
  • Systemic antibiotics or antifungal medications

Dermcare Products That Can Help

Dermcare has a concise range of high quality veterinary dermatology products that support both allergy management and infection control:

  • Barazone® – A prescription leave-on conditioner for the symptomatic treatment of canine atopic dermatitis, contact allergy or other pruritic conditions in the dog.
  • Malaseb® Medicated Shampoo – Combines miconazole and chlorhexidine for the treatment of seborrhoeic dermatitis associated with infections with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Malassezia pachydermatitis in dogs and cats.
  • Pyohex® Shampoo and Pyohex® Conditioner – Contains chlorhexidine to aid in the treatment of superficial dermatitis associated with infection by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in dogs.
  • Aloveen® Shampoo and Aloveen® Conditioner – Contains oatmeal and aloe vera to soothe inflamed, itchy skin in dogs, cats and horses.

If your pet is showing signs of skin problems, speak with your veterinarian. Proper diagnosis will determine if it’s an allergy, an infection, or both. With the right care plan and targeted products, your pet can get back to feeling comfortable and happy.