DERMATOLOGY

When it comes to caring for your pets skin, we offer the diagnostic tests and treatments for wide variety of skin disorders in dogs, cats and small mammals. Dermatology at times comprises up to 30% of our non- routine patient visits.

Allergy: Most allergic diseases of dogs and cats affect the skin. However, recurrent ear infections in dogs and asthma in cats can also be allergic disorders. The more common type of allergies includes air-borne substances (pollens, molds, dust mites), reactions to food, and bites from insects (fleas, mosquitoes). A variety of factors such as the age of the pet, breed, seasonality of the condition and location on the pet's body as well as the appearance of the skin disorder help us to narrow the possible causes for the condition. A systematic approach which includes specific diagnostic tests and your pets response to therapy will give us the best results in controlling your pets condition.

Parasites: Many diseases of the skin can be caused by a sensitivity to fleas, ticks, mange mites, biting flies, and migrating juvenile worms. A thorough examination including skin scraping and in some instances, biopsy is necessary to identify the underlying cause.

Infectious diseases of the skin: Infectious diseases range from bacterial to fungal. Ringworm is a commonly recognized disease, which is not caused by a "worm" but rather a fungus. Bacterial infections may appear as a circular scaly rash or pinpoint pimples and commonly are found secondary to many of our allergic patients.

Ear infections: Dogs more commonly than cats may have recurrent ear infections due to allergies. Many times we refer to the ear canal as an extension of the patients skin and due to its structure, it is often a site of inflammation unseen to us that over time results in infection and ear pain.

Autoimmune skin diseases: These are diseases in which the body's own immune system attacks the skin as if it were a foreign tissue. These conditions appear like other common allergies but then respond poorly to treatment. Autoimmune diseases are commonly diagnosed by exclusion and biopsy.

Hormonal disease: Many internal problems can cause skin disease. Disease of the liver, adrenal glands, and thyroid can result in skin disorders. These hormonal abnormalities are more common in our middle age to older pets. A blood chemistry profile, complete blood cell count, and thyroid analysis are many times recommended.

Skin cancer: Many tumors are located within the skin. Some of these are benign (non-cancerous) and others malignant (cancerous). Pre-surgical biopsies are important for some masses in order to properly plan the extent of the excision. Once diagnosed, a treatment plan may range from close observation of the original site for reoccurrence, staging the illness (which is a search to identify the extent or spread of the abnormal tissue), to chemotherapy.

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