One of the leaders in software development for pet health monitoring, Pet Health Apps, announced the release of Itchology in January. The iPhone app helps owners of itchy dogs track and monitor their itchiness.
Itchy skin is the most common health issue in veterinary care, and it can be caused by any number of issues. Tracking a dog’s itchiness can give veterinarians and other experts in the pet health field a better understanding of what may be causing it; making diagnoses much faster and easier.
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It is estimated that over 8 million dogs in the United States suffer from allergic dermatitis. Most often, itchy skin is the result of some kind of allergy. Sometimes, the problem can be as easy to diagnose as fleas or some kind of parasite, but sometimes, it takes a great deal of testing to figure out exactly what is causing the problem.
The Itchology app allows dog owners to record their canine's itch level and record any other symptoms that the dog may be having. Users can also record any changes in diet, baths, medications, or behavioral changes. Joe Plant, President of Pet Health Apps, says it’s basically a high-tech “itch diary.”
Variables like weather and pollen levels can have a drastic effect on allergic dermatitis. This app actually imports and charts weather patterns like humidity levels, temperature, and pollen count forecasts. Then, the data can easily be shared with a veterinarian through the app.
In the future, they are hoping to update their website so that veterinarians can log on and see their patient's Itchology data through a web browser. Created by Pet Health Apps, this mobile dog application is not meant to replace veterinary care but rather to help veterinarians gather more information to make more accurate diagnoses.
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In fact, the company already has agreements with some of the largest veterinary dermatology clinics in the US to recommend the Itchology app to dog owners. Many of the dogs that are diagnosed will require long-term care, and the app can help with that, too.
Itchology offers easy-to-use, flexible notification tools to remind dog owners when medications and treatments are due. It also allows users to connect with each other to share their struggles, concerns, and helpful information with each other. Most importantly, the community chat feature can put people in touch with other dog owners who are struggling with the same frustrating issue and understand what they are going through.
The Itchology app is available for iPhone users in the app store for $4.99, however it does require iOS 8.0 or higher. They are hoping to expand the app to Android users in the future as well.
