August is Itchy Pet Awareness Month, a time to bring attention to chronic itching in pets and the underlying causes that often go unnoticed. While occasional scratching is normal, persistent itchiness may indicate an imbalance in your pet’s immune system, microbiome, or skin barrier. What Causes Pets to Itch? Itching, or pruritus, is a biological response triggered when specialized nerve endings in the skin detect irritants or immune reactions. These signals are transmitted t