Dermatology

Dermatology includes skin and ear diseases.

Skin and ears diseases are one of the most frequent reason for pets to be presented to the veterinarian.

The clinical signs are very often unspecific:

Itchiness (also called Pruritus): Dogs and cats may scratch, shake their head or lick themselves to the point where severe alterations to the dermis may occur
Rash (also called Erythema): The skin appears red and/or swollen
Scales and crusts: Any alterations to the dermis will generate crusts and scales
Abnormal pigmentation of the skin
Alopecia, which is a lack of hair or no hair at all on certain areas of the body
Suppuration or discharge: Very frequently seen in ear infections

The Etiology (the reason) of these symptoms can be:

Allergies are one of the most frequent causes of skin and ear diseases.
Infections can be bacterial, fungal or parasitic or a combination of them. These infections can be primary (for example ring worm that is a fungus) or secondary to allergies (for example yeasts and bacteria that can be found on the skin or inside the ear canal). The most common parasitic skin diseases are caused by Demodex (a mite affecting young dogs), or Scabies (affecting dogs and cats).
Immune disorders (other than allergies, such as immune induced dermatitis). A well known example would be Lupus.
Endocrine, which relates any problem caused by hormonal imbalances. They are frequent, such as disfunction of the thyroid gland (called Hypothyroidism) or disfunction to the adrenal gland (called Cushing disease).
Neoplasia is a term that refers to masses, cancerous or non cancerous.
Genetic abnormalities are less frequent, however they are usually severe.

Physical examination and patient history are a major part of the diagnosis and usually allow the veterinarian to establish a short list of diseases that would match the clinical presentation. However in order to determine the cause of skin diseases, testing might be necessary.

There are 3 components allowing veterinarians to narrow down a diagnosis which can be confirmed by laboratory testing.

Patient history
Nature of the lesions
Distribution of the lesion

For example a rash in the groin area and under the arm pit is characteristic of Atopic dermatitis, the most frequent skin allergy. Then a blood testing will determine what is causing these allergies.

At CVH, some of the tests we frequently perform include:

Skin or ears cytology (a sample would be examined on the microscope) will help to find parasites, bacteria or fungi.
Blood tests help to evaluate the immune system or endocrine system and determine if they can be responsible for the presented symptoms.
Allergy testing
A skin biopsy is the gold standard diagnostic test for complicated immune, infectious, neoplastic or genetic diseases.

In certain cases, treatments of skin and ear diseases can be complex, costly and time consuming for the owner.

Treatments can be divided into two categories: Topical or General

Topical treatment of skin and ears are responsible for at least 50% of the success of dermatologic treatment. Shampoos, ointments and/or lotions are applied on the lesion to promote healing while improving the comfort of the pet. These typically contain topical antibiotics, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatories combined with other components that stimulate healing while alleviating discomfort and itchiness.
General treatments involve oral antibiotics, anti-fungals or other medications affecting the immune system. They may have to be taken over extended periods of time or in some cases permanently.

Depending on the conditions, treatments can provide a complete cure, or may be required throughout the life of the pet. It can be frustrating for a pet owner to visit the veterinarian a few times throughout the year, yet for chronic conditions, it is often the only way to keep your pet happy and free of itchiness.

Resources

Preparing Your Pet For Surgery

It can be stressful when preparing your pet for surgery. Here are some helpful tips to aid in preparation and recovery.

Testing and Lab Work

Has your pet recently gotten lab work done at our hospital? Here is when to expect test results.

Our Pharmacy

At CVH, we have partnered with an online pharmacy to ensure that your prescription medication ordering process is as easy and affordable as possible.