Your pet's itchy skin can drive your pet – and you – crazy. Worse, if the cause of that itchy skin is left untreated, serious health problems for your pet may develop.
Diseases of the skin and
ears are among the most common reasons pets visit their veterinarians.
Dermatology problems such as these can leave your pet feeling
uncomfortable and affect the quality of your companion's life. Pets are
usually very good at hiding pain and discomfort. However, in the case of
skin disorders, their symptoms are typically much easier to recognize.
These include chronic itchiness, hair loss, odor coming from the skin or
ears and/or excessive licking. Additional symptoms of ear irritation
include frequent shaking of the head, scratching of the ears, the
presence of a discharge or odor and obvious discomfort when you touch
your pet's ears. The good news is that these problems need not be
tolerated.
There are many conditions that could be causing
a pet to experience skin and ear issues. Allergies are one of the most
common. Pets are often allergic to the same inhalant allergens that
humans are, including pollen from trees and weeds, as well as dust and
mold spores. At
Solomon Veterinary Clinic, we offer allergy-testing services as well as customized treatment plans for your pet.
Cats
and dogs can also be highly allergic to fleas. One bite can be enough
to trigger a reaction. If your pet has these pesky parasites, we can
provide recommendations regarding flea treatments to eradicate them.
Endocrine
disorders will often lead to pet skin conditions. Hypothyroidism causes
a range of systems, but one of the most recognizable of these is skin
disease, which is nearly always present. In addition, more than 50
percent of pets with this disorder also will experience hair loss, most
notably in the collar and tail regions. Cushing's disease also results
in signs of skin infections and hair loss.
Our staff is
trained to perform many specialized diagnostic procedures, including
allergy tests, microscopic examination of the skin's cells, cytological
smears, fungal cultures and endocrine blood tests. Many of these tests
can be completed in our in-house laboratory and results can be obtained
within minutes.
By determining the underlying cause of
recurrent skin problems, our veterinarians can provide effective
treatments to spare your pet the misery of years of itchy and irritated
skin. Treatments may include medicated shampoos and wipes, externally
applied ointments and lotions, oral medications and, sometimes, injected
medications. Many skin diseases are chronic diseases, and it is
important to find the right combination of treatments for long-term
management. Our veterinarians will work closely with you to keep your
pet comfortable and healthy.