SKIN DISEASES in DOGS & CATS

Skin diseases in cats and dogs can be very troublesome. The two chief complaints in this category are Eczema and Mange. Diagnosis may be difficult between the two especially in the latter stages, where the appearance of the skin has been altered by much scratching or rubbing.

Identifying the position on the body where trouble originally started is a help. Eczema generally appears on the hind part, whereas Mange appears on the head part.

An external application of Calendula will help, while waiting to make sure which remedy will act, as Homeopathy teaches us to give primary consideration to constitutional remedies.

Skin diseases inevitably suggest SULPHUR as a remedy.and where there are no clear indication of another remedy , SULPHUR is a good one to begin with in either ECZEMA or MANGE.

This remedy is particularly indicated , of course, in the case of dirty looking animal, with a tendency to skin troubles. A further symptom is an unusually bright red appearance of mucous membranes.

In ECZEMA with a sticky honey like discharge, think of GRAPHITES.

If with the formation of VESICLES think of RHUS TOX.

When ECZEMA is dry and longstanding, ARSENICUM ALBUM.

With MANGE it is even more important to prescribe as far as possible on constitutional remedy. Puppies develop Demodectic mange far more often than any other age bracket. Ther is a view that demodectic Mange can be hereditary, where constitutional remedies work best.

The above suggestions are based mainly on local symptoms, as constitutional factors may be difficult to obtain.