Zoetis celebrates third annual Itchy Pet Awareness Month

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Zoetis has announced that it will continue its August Itchy Pet Awareness Month campaign for the third year in a row, with a goal of raising public awareness about canine skin conditions and encouraging pet owners and veterinary professionals to have more conversations about dermatology.

“Allergic skin disease including atopic dermatitis—an inflammatory, chronic skin disease similar to eczema in humans – was the top reason pet owners took their dogs to the veterinarian between 2012-2019,”¹ said Michele Rosenbaum, VMD, DACVD, veterinary medical lead, dermatology at Zoetis Petcare (a US business unit of Zoetis), in a company release.

“We also see frequent itching and scratching in dogs caused by skin infection from staph bacteria or yeast, hot spots—areas of intense irritation and damaged skin that lead to redness and oozing—and allergies to fleas, food, and the environment,“ she added.

According to the release, some hallmark causes for dermatologic conditions include skin infections, parasites, allergies to food, fleas, and environmental allergens. Symptoms can include frequent licking, biting, chewing, hair loss, recurrent ear problems, body odor, and excessive rolling, scooting, and rubbing.

Zoetis has also launched a new website that will provide veterinary practices with a free educational toolkit for clients. This unique toolkit consists of posters, a screensaver, a sign-off for emails, and over 20 social media images that can be customized for Facebook and Instagram. Along with their new website, Zoetis also offers a unique online platform for pet owners, allowing them to learn more about their dog's skin health.

Reference

Common medical conditions for dogs and cats can lead to costly veterinary visits. March 18, 2021; Nationwide. Accessed August 17, 2021. https://news.nationwide.com/common-medical-conditions-for-dogs-and-cats-can-lead-t-costly-veterinary-visits/