Allergies & Dermatology

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

There are a variety of different ailments that can affect a companion animal’s skin, and the symptoms can be quite unpleasant. You don’t want your four-legged friend to suffer and neither do we! 

West Shore Animal Hospital’s professional allergy and dermatology services are designed to help get your loved one as healthy on the outside as on the inside.

Diagnosing the Problem

To help your pet feel better, we must determine precisely what’s causing the problem. We may be able to tell what’s wrong through a cursory exam, or we may need to investigate further. Blood work, skin scrapings and biopsies provide the answers we need to move forward with a cure.

Some of the common dermatological issues we assist with include:

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

Developing a Treatment Plan

Once we’ve identified the problem, the next step is deciding how to best treat it. Depending on the situation, we could recommend something as simple as applying a topical cream. More complex conditions might call for a longer-term strategy or involve a combination of treatment methods. 

Signs of a potential skin problem include:

• Excessive scratching
• 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 happen to notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Together, we can help your loved one live a more comfortable life.