ALLERGIES & DERMATOLOGY

Is your pet’s itchy skin keeping you both up at night?

There are many different ailments than can affect your pet’s skin. Whether it’s a topical problem, like a hot spot or rash, or something more in-depth like an infection, the symptoms can be unpleasant. You don’t want to see your pal suffer like that, and neither do we! That’s why Creature Comforts Animal Hospital offers professional pet allergy and dermatology services as part of our comprehensive system of care. We want to help get your loved one as healthy on the outside as on the inside.

Diagnosing the Problem

The first step toward helping your pet feel better again is identifying the precise condition he or she is experiencing. Our hospital is outfitted with an in-house laboratory, which allows us to run a number of diagnostic tests quickly and efficiently. We may be able to tell what’s wrong just by examining your pet, or we may need to investigate further. Blood work, skin scrapings and biopsies help us get the answers we need to move forward with a cure.   We are also able to skin allergy test your pet just like the dermatologist to determine what your pet is allergic to and create a treatment plan.

Some of the dermatological issues we can provide assistance with include:

• Allergies (food and/or environmental)
• Infections (acute or chronic)
• Parasites
• Dermatitis
• Hormonal disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Tumors
• Skin cancer

Developing a Treatment Plan

To determine how best to treat the problem, we will consider a number of unique factors. This allows us to develop a tailor-made approach just for your animal friend, designed to achieve the best possible results. Depending on the situation, we may recommend something as simple as applying a topical cream. More complex conditions may call for a combination of treatment methods. We will work with you to ensure that you understand and are comfortable with our recommendations.

Allergies require a little more work to manage. Once we understand what’s causing your pet’s reactions, we will work toward a solution that will eliminate outbreaks as much as possible. Some allergies can be managed through lifestyle changes, such as switching food products. Others may require a longer-term strategy. Our suggested treatment plan will be based on your pet’s specific needs.

Signs of a possible skin problem include:

• Excessive scratching
• Excessive paw licking
• Red, inflamed skin
• Scabbing or flaking of the skin
• Hot spots
• Shedding more than usual
• Biting, chewing or licking at the affected area
• Bumps or lumps on or under the skin

If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, it’s time to schedule an appointment. Give us a call. We can help your loved one live a more comfortable life.