As spring gets into gear, if you’ve been following this series of skin health articles, you’ll know the issues it can cause for your cat and the problems they can face with their skin. We have learnt how the skin works, what allergic skin disease is and why spring is a problem. We’ve looked at hairballs, why they get them more in springtime and how you can help them, and we have considered what might be causing your cat to overgroom themselves.
This week, we’ll look at how you can help your cat stay comfortable in their skin, look at how Antinol Plus helps, and what you can do at home. So, let’s kick off with the approach to healthy skin.
A Holistic Approach To Healthy Skin For Your Cat
So many factors feed into your cat’s skin and coat health, from medication to diet and environmental issues. So managing their skin health isn't a “one size fits all” answer. You’ll probably need to try multiple different things and employ various options simultaneously before you reach the point where your cat’s skin is consistently healthy.
Things You Can Do To Support Your Cat’s Skin And Coat Health
Talk to your vet about your cat’s skin
This should always be your first step if you’re worried. They will guide you and suggest the best course of action. This may involve medication or may initially involve medication with the ambition of moving off when the condition is more under control.
Consider changing your allergic cat’s diet
Although dietary allergies only make up 10% of skin issues, your cat’s diet has an impact on their skin and coat health regardless of whether they have a food allergy or not. If you suspect a food allergy, it is important to discuss this with your vet. However, regardless of food allergies, considering the quality of your cat’s diet will support their overall skin health. Improving the gut microbiome (the population of microbes that live in their gut) not only impact’s your cat’s ability to digest food but also strengthens their immune system, enabling them to better handle attacks from the outside.
Give them a supplement which supports their skin and coat health
We’ll get into the details later, but adding a high-quality supplement to their daily routine will support their healthy skin and have an impact during more difficult times.
Manage your cat’s parasite control
Don’t forget to regularly worm and treat your cat for external parasites such as fleas and ticks, which will cause itching and scratching that no one wants…especially not in the house.
Keep them clean…but not too clean
If your cat has had fleas, it might be worth considering a bath. As much as they hate baths, fleas can leave irritating saliva behind long after they are gone. So, a bath might soothe that itch. But…don’t wash them too much as it can dry their skin or even encourage skin infections.
Reduce environmental allergens
Regularly washing their bedding, vacuuming your house, and even considering an air purifier will hugely reduce the potential allergens hanging around your home—hopefully reducing your cat’s contact with pollens, dust and other environmental allergens.
How Does Antinol Plus Support Your Cat’s Skin Health
The main function of Antinol Plus in the skin is to support the body's normal inflammatory responses and promote healthy skin function.
The skin requires essential and non-essential fatty acids to function normally (which you can learn more about here). Antinol contains over 90 different fatty acids, all of which play an important role in a cat’s health and well-being, including a range of compounds shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. They are known as LOX and COX modulators.
COX pro-inflammatory pathways (ways in which inflammation occurs) are involved in many inflammatory skin conditions, and Antinol interrupts these pathways to decrease inflammation and soothe skin.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are the two main functional groups of fatty acids. In general, omega-3 fatty acids are involved in the anti-inflammatory processes. Omega 6 fatty acids are incorporated in the cell membranes within the skin's epidermis and dermis. They support the skin's natural ability to hold water by strengthening the skin's barrier function — protecting the skin from external influences (like allergens) and preventing water loss. This results in nourished skin rather than dry, flaky skin.
Other benefits of Antinol Plus
Antinol Plus was originally developed to support pets with joint conditions. And it is still primarily used for these older, stiff pets. However, its uses are wide-ranging and we are more commonly seeing it used in skin health. But here are a few other things it can support for your cat.
- Joint health
- Healthy skin
- Normal urinary and kidney function
- Supports brain health
- Maintains a beautiful coat
- Supports a strong immune system
- Maintains heart health
Many pet parents use Antinol Plus to help keep their cats looking and feeling healthy throughout their lives for overall wellness.
When should you start giving Antinol Plus to your cat?
Whether you are already struggling with your cat’s skin this spring, they have other issues you are concerned about, or you are being proactive and want to give your cat all the help and support they can get, you can get started with Antinol Plus today. Giving them the loading amount for the first 15 days gets them off to the best start, and we would love to hear the differences you see in your cat. Check out our FAQs if you have any questions.
