Pet Dermatology

Dermatology: Treating Cat & Dog Allergies

Your pet’s skin is prone to many of the same dermatology issues that your’s is. Whether caused by allergies, parasites or infection, skin problems can cause a lot of discomfort and affect your pet’s overall health if left untreated. Our veterinarians and staff at Coyne Veterinary Center understand the importance of pet dermatology. We attempt to not only address the symptoms of cat & dog allergies but work to discover the root of the problem, so we can treat it at the source and keep it from recurring. Give us a call at (219) 763-3311.

Common Skin Conditions

Our veterinary staff can treat and manage all common (and many uncommon, too) pet dermatology conditions in pets, including:

  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Allergies (food, contact, or seasonal)
  • Demodectic mange
  • Flea allergy dermatitis
  • Lick granulomas
  • Hot spots
  • Ear mites
  • Sarcoptic mange
  • Ringworm
  • Seborrhea
  • And more

Pet Dermatology Services and Treatment

While skin conditions may seem like they would be caused by surface problems, often the source of trouble lies deeper. Our pet dermatology services help us determine the cause of the condition so we can treat it effectively.

We use the following ways to diagnose skin conditions:

  • Allergy testing
  • Skin biopsy
  • Cytology
  • Fungal culture
  • Skin scraping
  • Allergy maintenance trials (for potential food allergies)
  • Cytopoint (an injectable antibody therapy)
  • Medications (such as Apoquel)
  • Blood testing
  • Antibiotics

Treating your pet is a multi-layered process. First, we want to understand your pet’s lifestyle to give us a better idea of what may be causing the skin reaction. Following the appropriate testing and ruling out other underlying conditions, we begin forming a plan to both alleviate your pet’s symptoms and target the source of the problem. Treatment could include topicals, allergy medication, or a stringent diet plan to detect a food allergy.

Symptoms of Dermatological Disorders

It can be tricky to tell if your pet has a skin disorder beneath all that fur—unless the fur falls out. Keep an eye out for these symptoms and behaviors:

  • Excessive licking and scratching
  • Raw, red, inflamed skin
  • Fur/hair loss
  • Raised, bumpy skin
  • Dandruff
  • Scaly patches of skin
  • Skin lesions
  • Skin infections

If you see your pet exhibit any of the symptoms listed above, call us immediately for a pet dermatology appointment so we can identify the problem and treat your pet as soon as possible.