Dermatology

Feline abscesses are common feline wounds encountered in small animal practice and occur when normal or opportunistic organisms are inoculated into the skin. An abscess is a localized accumulation of pus which is composed of inflammatory cells and the infectious organism(s) contained within a cavity. There are several factors that put cats in situations that increase the risk of acquiring an injury that can lead to an abscess. These risk factors include: intact male…

Cat miliary dermatitis is a cutaneous reaction pattern, unique to cats. It is characterized by papules (tiny pimples) which are most commonly crusted. Owners can feel these lesions while petting their cats and often describe their pets as “bumpy and crusty.” Miliary dermatitis is not a disease but merely a clinical sign of some other problem. There are multiple causes of miliary dermatitis, the most common are flea allergy, food allergy, and atopic disease.

A recent study in the United States estimates that 27% of all dogs in the United States have allergies that affect their skin and ears primarily. Veterinary allergists are veterinary dermatologists who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of pet allergies. They have had three to four years of advanced training after obtaining their veterinary degree, and many are involved in the research, development and clinical trials for new products used to treat pet…

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common pruritic skin disease affecting dogs worldwide. It likely affects 10-15% of dogs. In regions where fleas are not a problem, CAD is the most common canine allergic skin disease. Clinical signs are first noted between 6 months and 3 years of age. Several breeds are over represented including the Boston terrier, Boxer, Cairn terrier, West Highland White terrier, Scottish Terrier, Fox terrier, Yorkshire terrier, Chinese shar-pei, Cocker spaniel, English…

Bacterial skin infections in dogs are a common problem encountered in small animal practice. Such infections are almost always secondary to a primary pruritic (itchy) skin problem such as flea bite hypersensitivity, atopic dermatitis, cutaneous adverse food reaction, and other parasitic infestations such as sarcoptic mange. Infection may increase the itch associated with these primary diseases. Infections may also be a secondary problem in non-pruritic conditions affecting the skin such as canine demodex, hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, keratinization…