Many pet owners are concerned about skin issues in dogs and certain cats. A wide variety of skin irritations and infections may arise from numerous reasons, ranging from behavioral indicators such as frequent licking or scratching to physical symptoms such as hair loss, red skin, and scabbing.
If left untreated, these disorders may cause minor irritation to severe discomfort in your pet’s skin, so it’s recommended to see a veterinary dermatologist for the best course of action.
What is the job of a veterinary dermatologist?
Veterinary dermatologists are veterinarians that specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of animal skin, ears, hair, nails, hoof, and mouth. These specialist veterinary services are particularly skilled at treating allergic skin disorders widespread in animals.
When is the best time to seek the assistance of a veterinary dermatologist?
A variety of factors may contribute to skin issues. You may notice hair loss, pruritus (which expresses as scratching, licking, chewing, biting, or rubbing), skin discoloration, strange odor, crusting, or growths in/under your pet’s skin. The skin problem is most likely caused by complicated responses to external and/or internal stimuli.
If your cat or dog exhibits excessive licking and cat or dog chronic scratching, which causes itching and other skin irritations or indications of skin disorders, schedule an appointment with our veterinarians for an inspection, skin scraping, or prescription treatments.
Assume that the symptoms remain or intensify or that the disease is serious. In such a scenario, we recommend scheduling an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist who will carefully inspect your pet to diagnose and establish a customized treatment strategy.
What exactly is considered excessive behavior in cats and dogs? If you observe your dog biting or licking their paws, scratching their face, or sneezing more than once per day for a long time, it’s time to look into what’s causing it.
Cats have a grooming routine like cat teeth cleaning a couple of times a day, particularly after meals, but if you find them continually brushing numerous times, keep an eye out for indicators of skin diseases. Cats and dogs need further information and a dermatological consultation session if these activities cause noticeable irritations.
Common skin irritation symptoms include:
- A coat that is dull or greasy
- Thinning hair
- Watery, red eyes
- Redness
- Skin that is scabbed, scaly, or flaky
- Bruises or swelling regions
Many factors might cause your cat or dog to exhibit these skin problem symptoms. Some may be more readily treated with changes in diet or care routines, but others may be more serious and need more thorough treatment.
Common reasons for itching in cats and dogs include:
- Allergies
- Autoimmune conditions
- Bacterial infections such as staphylococcus aureus, or staph.’
- Yeast and ringworm infections are examples of fungal infections.
- Fleas, ticks, mites, and lice are examples of parasites.
- Cancer of the skin
When you discover indications of irritation on your pet’s skin, talk with your veterinarian for outstanding veterinary care so that we can work with you and your pet to establish the best course of action. If necessary, we may recommend that you consult with a veterinary dermatologist.
