Veterinary Heroes™ recognition program celebrates the achievements of leading veterinary professionals in today's industry that have helped propel the field forward.

"This is a very exciting time to launch our first ever Veterinary Heroes™ awards program," says Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™, parent company of dvm360

 community of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, practice managers, and client service representatives to nominate a veterinary professional who truly makes a difference in the industry. We look forward to honoring the heroes at our celebration in winter," he adds. 

This special recognition is awarded to those who make a significant impact in improving patient outcomes. One honoree will be selected from each category listed below:

This year’s selected heroes will have the opportunity to partake in an interview with dvm360

 and be honored at a reception held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

If you are a veterinary professional who goes above and beyond or know someone who fits this standard, we are accepting inductee nominations for the 2021 Veterinary Heroes™.

Nominate a veterinary professional who has demonstrated the following

Aptitude to go above and beyond in patient care

knack for showing patience, compassion, and perseverance in the face of difficulties

Understanding of the science and how treatments are designed

Nomination entries will be judged on criteria including

Completed nomination form submitted by the end of the nomination period

In less than 500 words, a thorough and thoughtful description of how the nominee has recently demonstrated a significant impact in the veterinary field

Incomplete and/or inaccurate entries and entries not complying with all 

"We are delighted to celebrate and honor veterinary professionals who have gone above and beyond in caring for animals and their owners, especially during this pandemic," says Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, chief veterinary officer at dvm360

. "Being nominated by fellow peers will make this award even more special and gratifying."

The submission deadline is August 31, 2021, and inductees will be announced in the late fall of 2021. dvm360

thoughtfully selects the advisory board members who will choose the inductees. The board will be announced in September.

, who is a proud sponsor of the Veterinary Heroes™ program. Nationwide

 insures more than one million pets, making them trusted experts in the veterinary field. Their sponsorship has contributed to the success of the program thus far, with more exciting initiatives to come.

For more information about the program and to submit nominations, go 

Articles

Discover the ins and outs of this special recognition program, plus how to nominate exceptional veterinary professionals. 

dvm360® Veterinary Heroes™ recognition program: Honoring standout veterinary professionals

We are thrilled to announce that 8 new members have recently joined our 

. These members will use their areas of specialty to contribute content to our family of publications, including dvm360® and Firstline, as well as current and future multimedia opportunities.

Following are our new board members, including their areas of specialty and a few fun facts about them.

Dr Kelly Cairns graduated veterinary school from Colorado State University in 2004, completed a small animal rotating internship at Cornell University in 2005, and a small animal internal medicine residency with a master's degree at Ohio State University in 2008, at which time she obtained diplomate status. She enjoyed a rewarding career working at a clinical practice as an internist and medical director of a multi-specialty/ER hospital until joining Pathway Vet Alliance in January of 2018. Cairns currently serves as vice president of medical excellence and education for the 400 plus hospitals in the Pathway Vet Alliance family. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her 3 children (7, 9, and 11 years old), husband, 2 cats, and a very sweet but poorly mannered Great Dane/Lab mix!

Cairns is ridiculously afraid of heights to the point where she can’t go more than a couple of steps up on a ladder before having a panic attack and being paralyzed with fear. One time, she nearly got stuck near the top of the Eiffel tower when her husband suggested that they walk the outer stairs from the top elevator platform back down to the middle elevator platform.

Dr Jaclyn Dueñas is a small animal general practitioner in Miami, Florida. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from Florida International University in Miami, Florida. She also attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on the island of St. Kitts and graduated in August 2017. Following graduation, Dueñas returned to the Sunshine State to attend the University of Florida where she completed her clinical studies. Upon graduation, there was no doubt that Dueñas would return home to practice in Miami.

While being a veterinarian is a big part of her life, there is so much more to her! Dueñas is passionate about her family and her role as a new mom. She believes that you can have it all: a successful veterinary career and a flourishing home life. Her goal is to inspire and empower fellow veterinarians, veterinary students, and technicians to find balance and happiness in their work and personal lives.

Dueñas is of Cuban-American descent. Both sets of her grandparents fled Cuba and immigrated to the United States to pursue the American Dream.

Dr Amanda Dykstra completed her veterinary degree at Iowa State University in 2003. She practiced in Missouri as a shelter veterinarian and a city veterinarian before completing a Shelter Medicine Fellowship with the University of California, Davis, in 2013. While a faculty member at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Dykstra completed her MPH with a concentration in veterinary public health and now works primarily as a shelter consultant. She is also the owner of a low-cost veterinary clinic with a mission to improve access to care in Appalachia. Additionally, Dykstra is certified as a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, specializing in shelter medicine practice.

Dykstra was an army medic before attending veterinary school. There she learned suture patterns from her field medical commander who was a plastic surgeon in civilian life. Twenty years later, people are still impressed that her incision closures don't leave visible scars.

Ryan Frazier has been a credentialed veterinary technician since 2004. He has worked in general practice, emergency, and specialty medicine throughout his career. He also received his BS in marketing in 2019 and is working as a marketing and outreach coordinator at a specialty clinic in the Seattle area.

Frazier is dedicated to advancing veterinary technology through his work with professional associations, his Facebook group, Veterinary Support Staff Career Group, and planning continuing education that elevates veterinary technicians. He is currently the program chair for the Washington State Association of Veterinary Technicians, member at large for the National Association of Veterinary Technician in America, and a committee member of Education and Events for PrideVMC.

 Fraizer has well over 50 plants in his house (many in his office at work too) and wants that many yaks too!

Dr Boaz Man is the owner and medical director of Boca Midtowne Animal Hospital (BMAH), an AAHA accredited facility. He is a Fear Free certified professional, which allows his team to prioritize a pet’s emotional well-being. He grew up surrounded by medicine, with his father and both grandfathers being well-respected doctors. Man has 17 years of experience in private practice and opened BMAH in 2013. Being the sole practitioner, he often involves veterinary experts to help provide the most thorough veterinary care available.

Man was the only veterinarian in Florida to be selected as a Trademark Top Doctor in 2020. He earned his bachelor’s at the University of Miami and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University. He also enjoys using his Instagram page (@bocamidtownevet) as an education platform for pet owners. You can check it out 

Man started volunteering at a veterinary clinic at age 12. The back story is quite unique, to say the least. The veterinarian at the clinic was bitten in the face by a dog during an exam. Man's father, a plastic surgeon, just so happened to be the doctor who repaired his nose! This dog bite, although unfortunate for the veterinarian at that time, helped Man get his first experience in veterinary medicine at a very early age!

Dr Charles McMillan received his BS degree in pre-veterinary medicine with a minor in biology from Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware, and later earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) in 2012. McMillan served as TUCVM’s human-animal bond/animal behavior president and has a keen interest in the likeness and differences between human and nonhuman animal behavior. Shortly after graduating from TUCVM, McMillan earned a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Carolina Veterinary Specialists and went on to spend 4 years practicing both emergency and general veterinary medicine at 2 large referral hospitals in New Jersey. He later relocated to Georgia where he currently practices small animal medicine in Atlanta. 

McMillan and his wife Tara, a corporate attorney, share their home with their 2 sons, Luke and Isaiah, and their 2 puppies, Milo and Hugo. You can also find McMillan on Instagram @yourfavoritepetdoc.

: McMillan is a habitue of movie theaters and fancies himself a huge movie buff and sports fan.

Dr Christina V. Tran is a first-generation Filipino-American raised outside of Chicago, Illinois. After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Davis, Tran received her veterinary degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She has spent most of her professional career in small animal private practice, as a full-time associate, relief veterinarian, and house-call practice owner. Additionally, Tran has worked in shelter medicine and academia. She served as veterinary technology faculty at Portland Community College and as veterinary technology program director at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, Tran is on faculty at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine as associate professor and clinical relations lead veterinarian. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Rarebreed Veterinary Partners.

Tran is the immediate past president of the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association. She was also offered a job to become a  Blackjack dealer in Lake Tahoe but turned it down to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

Fred Wininger, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)

New Jersey native Dr Fred Wininger earned his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After completing a small animal rotating internship at the University of Georgia, he finished his neurology/neurosurgery residency at Washington State University. It was there where he developed a love for neuroimaging and the development of a novel neuronavigation device. After joining the faculty at the University of Missouri, he applied these interests to develop therapies for both animals and children with the rare neurodegenerative disorder known as Batten disease (neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) and was awarded the young investigator award by the Batten Disease Support & Research Association for his work. He then moved to St Louis, Missouri, where he practiced for several years and developed the first hybrid private practice/academic neurology residency program, which continues today.

Wininger currently practices at Charlotte Animal Referral & Emergency in North Carolina. In addition to his clinical and teaching responsibilities, Wininger owns and operates 3D Veterinary Printing, LLC, which creates anatomic models and customized surgical tools to aid veterinary surgeons and neurosurgeons around the world. He also is the founding treasurer of the Veterinary Neurosurgical Society, an active member of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, and an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri. In his spare time, Wininger enjoys scuba diving, endurance sports, and exploring new places through their food.

: Wininger is a cyclist, diver, and chef. He has a standard poodle named Brae that opens up doors to their condo so he can spend time with Wininger’s neighbors!

To learn more about the rest of our advisory board members, go 

Learn about the 8 recently added members of our editorial advisory board including fun facts about their personal lives.

dvm360® welcomes new editorial advisory board members 

Vernard Hodges, DVM, co-star of National Geographic's 

, says he never thought he would be on television but is excited to use his unique platform to encourage aspiring veterinarians. In his talk with Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, Hodges explains the day-to-day life of being a veterinarian and a television star, plus offers guidance on diversifying the future generation of veterinary medicine.

“A day typically is [I] get in and I’m hiding from the guy who mikes me up because I’m trying to get my day started...so I’m miked up and then I go about my day. I’m doing surgeries with cameras in my face and that’s kind of the gist,” says Hodges on this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast.

Additionally, Hodges emphasizes an important effect of his show—how it's been inspiring other people from minority groups interested in pursuing veterinary medicine. 

“You see these kids who never seen a black veterinarian in their lives. They’re like, ‘I can do it.’ So that has definitely been a good thing,” he says. “It was the show that was so different and gave me a platform to be that person who’s a minority and show other minorities that you can do it.”

Listen below to learn more about Hodges' dual career, plus his efforts in inspiring diversity within the profession.

Podcasts

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Dr Vernard Hodges, Critter Fixers co-star, offers insight on what it's like practicing veterinary medicine on television, plus highlights his mission to encourage other minorities to pursue veterinary medicine.

Episode 59: Veterinarian TV-star uses his unique platform to inspire others

It is no secret that dental health plays a crucial role in pet wellness. That's why it is important to regularly educate clients about pet dental health. To help you navigate these sometimes murky waters, we have selected 3 articles that cover everything from how to have meaningful discussions about home dental care to when and how to talk about advanced dental treatments.

Make the conversation about dental health memorable

: Not sure where to start when it comes to discussing the importance of dental health with your clients? Here are some suggestions to help get you started.

Episode 41: Tips for educating veterinary clients about dental health

: On this episode of the Vet Blast Podcast, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, is joined by Steve Dale, CABC, who discusses common dental myths and how to best broach the topic of dental health with your clients.

Advanced dental procedures for pets: What’s possible?

: As more technological innovations happen within the veterinary industry, more advanced dental care options become available. Here are detailed descriptions of these treatments, plus find out when a referral for an advanced dentistry referral is appropriate. 

Not sure how to best navigate the pet dental discussion? These articles will help boost your confidence when it comes to having those sometimes challenging pet dental care talks with clients.

3 Must-reads for educating clients about dental health 

Peter Carlos, RVT, has been a veterinary technician for the past decade and works at the Taylor ER Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Turlock, California. Nearly 4 years ago, his path intertwined with the bright and bubbly Jaycee Leonardo, who joined the team as an assistant at just 16 years old.

Not so long ago, the duo combined forces in an unexpected way and have since become social media sensations within veterinary medicine.

“We became such great friends working together and are constantly joking around. We think the same things are funny and have the same sense of humor. We sing, dance, and make work fun,” says Leonardo.

Carlos agrees. “We do have an age gap, but our friendship really grew from liking and laughing at the same things. We just make work fun, so the stress of daily veterinary medicine doesn’t burn us out.”

At the height of the pandemic last year, the pair started an account on TikTok, a newly popular (at that time) video-sharing app. It was a slow day at the clinic when Carlos decided he wanted them to perform the viral “foot shake dance challenge” that had been spreading like wildfire among the medical community. After posting that video, they decided TikTok was something they wanted to pursue and continued to post.

Five video posts later, their following had grown tremendously.

Now more than a year and a half later, they have accumulated nearly 2 million followers and counting, and their TikTok presence continues to flourish, despite neither having prior experience in social media besides personal accounts.

As their popularity grew, the duo decided to shift gears and make their TikTok platform educational—for those inside and outside the veterinary industry.

Carlos began his career in the veterinary industry at the pet store Petco. He started working there during his junior year of high school and continued after he graduated. He says he began experiencing burnout from his job due to customers looking for medications at the store instead of getting treatment for their pets. This, along with his love for animals, led him to Carrington College in Stockton, California, where he began taking veterinary technician courses.

After completing the necessary schooling and requirements, Carlos became an RVT and has been working at Taylor ER Veterinary Emergency Hospital for the past decade. He even married the practice manager, whose father is the owner.

Leonardo’s path that led her to where she is today was significantly different than Carlos’.

“There are so many different routes to get to where you’re going, I just think people need to not be afraid to start,” Carlos says.

Leonardo says she wanted to be a veterinarian her entire life. Or so she thought. Once she got to high school, her mother enrolled her at a local college to begin taking veterinary technician classes. Through these classes, she discovered the differences between veterinarians and veterinary technicians and decided to pursue a career as a veterinary technician instead.

“I always wanted to be a veterinarian until I got started in technician school—and then realized I really enjoyed the technician side of veterinary medicine and focused on becoming a veterinary technician,” says Leonardo.

After taking technician classes and volunteering at the Taylor ER Veterinary Emergency Hospital for 2 years, she received a job offer on her 18th birthday and has been working there ever since. She’s scheduled to take her RVT certification in August (after it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Carlos’ and Leonardo’s videos cover a wide range of clinical content, featuring patients from the hospital or highlighting everyday items to show viewers veterinary medicine through unique approaches. For example, the pair created videos of them inserting microchips, but their spin is adding microchips to fruit to show the process.

“A lot of the comments were...‘Does that hurt’ or ‘What’s the microchip for?’” says Carlos. “Then someone said jokingly, ‘Microchip a grape.’ So I microchipped a grape. That video kind of evolved because then people wanted to start seeing more videos like that. Someone commented, ‘Microchip a strawberry.’ So I did, and that video took off again.”

They’ve also shined a spotlight on dental health, which has become one of their most popular topics. Their videos have shown viewers, among other things, how they remove calculus from teeth as well as extract an abscessed tooth root.

“The most popular topic of our videos would be dental cleanings,” Carlos says. “People can’t believe the amount of gunk and junk we take off the pet’s teeth.

“We’re educating [viewers] on calculus, tartar, [and] toothbrushing and [raising] the overall awareness that pets need daily hygiene when it comes to teeth. People are always so amazed at what’s on dogs' teeth and then what they can look like once they’ve been cleaned.”

Through educational content, Leonardo and Carlos have created a space where pet owners can learn about procedures and proper care and veterinary professionals can learn tips and tricks to help improve the care of their patients.

Although social media is a great resource to help get your brand out there and attract customers, it also poses some challenges for practices, particularly due to negative feedback or comments. Through their TikTok experience, Carlos and Leonardo have discovered the good and bad aspects of social media when it comes to business.

“Negative words will carry much further than good words, and someone who has a negative experience will tell 10 friends,” says Carlos. “And yet, when someone has a good experience, they will maybe tell their neighbor about it.”

According to the duo, there is no way to avoid negative comments. No matter what you post or say, there will always be someone who disagrees or does not like what you’re doing. When you come across this, it’s necessary to defend yourself, your practice, and fellow staff members to maintain credibility and continue to build your online platform.

Use a team-based approach to ensure that all the social media responsibilities are not all on one person.

Be original, and when you see trends, try to put your own spin on them.

Do not oversell or bombard followers with ads or products.

Be consistent. Remember, not every post will get hundreds of likes or views.

Showcase and tag clients and pets. People will most likely share a post they’re tagged in, which can help boost your following. 

Create posts that show off all aspects of your practice.

Instead of using stock images, share real images of your staff, clients, and practice.

On the “pros” side, social media can provide a behind-the-scenes look at how a practice is run, helping clients better understand your clinic. This knowledge can be crucial to your practice because it shows who is taking care of their pet and what exactly is happening.

According to the duo, social media can help illustrate “what all goes into” the blood work, for example, by providing some background on “how everything that we do is not as simple as it sounds.” Take dental health. TikTok has enabled them, through their dental videos, to show “what is really happening. It is not just brushing your dog’s teeth.”

“We just keep posting. We love sharing what we see daily, and we love to share the real side of veterinary medicine,” says Carlos.

Leonardo agrees. “We want to continue to share our side of veterinary medicine and teach people that a lot more goes into caring for pets than just feeding and showing love at home.”

With their passion for educating their viewers, the popular TikTok duo is helping to elevate veterinary medicine to new heights on social media. Their continued goal is to focus attention on the role and importance of veterinary medicine and to help pet owners and veterinary professionals find common ground to learn from one another.

“If we can show just a small side of what we see, then maybe we can change just one person’s view on what veterinary medicine is. Then we feel we have done our job.”

Check out Leonardo and Carlos at @vet_techs_pj on TikTok.

This dynamic duo has transformed their highly followed TikTok account into a learning house for both veterinary professionals and pet owners.

Saving lives, one video at a time 

Topicals such as pour-ons, shampoos and ointments, provide concentrated treatment for both focal and generalized skin problems while minimizing systemic adverse effects. Although there are many other antiparasitic, antimicrobial, otic, and ophthalmic topicals, this article focuses on ingredients available in the United States.

With any dermatologic problem, cytology is the first step for ruling infectious agents in or out.

 Slides stained with Diff-Quick can identify bacteria and yeast.

 A trichogram, which is a direct examination of hairs, has some efficacy in diagnosing dermatophytosis.

 Superficial or deep skin scrapings can detect mite infestations.

 In general, the more samples that can be obtained, the better the likelihood of making a diagnosis.

 The authors recommend sampling from at least 2 or 3 locations on a patient to improve sensitivity. These noninvasive, inexpensive diagnostics can sometimes make the diagnosis or discover the next step to a more expensive and more invasive test. Veterinary technicians can be trained in obtaining and reading cytology to achieve efficiency in busy clinics.

The growing prevalence of methicillin-resistant 

 species in companion animals necessitates judicious systemic antimicrobial use in veterinary medicine and emphasizes the need for topicals as sole-agent therapeutics for superficial and local pyodermas as frequently as possible.

 Chlorhexidine 2% to 4% is effective for 

 and comes in multiple convenient formulations, including shampoos, sprays, wipes, and mousses. For focal lesions, twice-daily application for 10 to 15 minutes of contact time would be ideal. For generalized lesions, bathing twice weekly with chlorhexidine 4% shampoo has an efficacy similar to systemic amoxicillin-clavulanate administration.

 Because the turnover of skin takes about 3 weeks, this study recommends the duration of topical treatment be similar to that of systemic antibiotics for superficial pyodermas: a minimum of three weeks, with one week beyond clinical resolution.

Another effective treatment for superficial pyoderma is a 5.25% solution of bleach. It has been shown that the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) may require a 1:32 dilution (ie, ½ c bleach to 1 gal of water), although anecdotally a 1:50 dilution (ie, ⅛ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water) may still be clinically effective.

 The dilution loses stability after 24 hours. There may be limited published clinical evidence in veterinary medicine.

 Bleach is commonly used in human medicine to decolonize or treat resistant bacterial skin infections.

Povidone-iodine can be bactericidal, but it can also be drying and irritating and cause staining.

 Benzoyl peroxide can be effective by lowering the skin pH but can be drying.

 To attenuate the drying adverse effects of these ingredients, consider pairing with conditioners and/or emollients. Mupirocin ointment can be applied to focal infections. However, a concern for growing resistance has led some countries outside the United States to withhold it from veterinary medicine.

 Silver sulfadiazine cream can also help with focal infections, but may best target gram-negative bacteria.

 yeast dermatitis can be treated topically with twice-daily administration of combination shampoos containing 2% chlorhexidine and 2% miconazole.

Clinics may elect to carry only 3% chlorhexidine products for both bacterial and yeast dermatitis, although there is less evidence supporting this as a sole agent compared with the miconazole-chlorhexidine combination.

 Lotions containing antifungal ingredients such as clotrimazole or miconazole administered twice daily may also be considered in focal infections.

 mites have often been treated with the isoxazoline class, although none is labeled specifically for this indication.

 Many isoxazolines are oral, but in the United States there are topical spot-ons of fluralaner for dogs and cats and of sarolaner for cats.

Benzoyl peroxide shampoos administered twice weekly can be an adjuvant treatment for demodicosis by effectively flushing out mites, but they can be drying.

 Weekly application of a moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on has demonstrated safety but also potentially lower efficacy.

Amitraz dips are the only FDA-approved treatment for canine demodicosis (labeled every 14 days but perhaps more effective weekly), but their use is decreasing due to toxicity risks in both humans and animals.

For cats, 2% lime sulfur dips once to twice weekly have been used for both 

, but efficacy was a variable. The idea of bathing cats may be a nonstarter for many clients.

For dogs and cats, dipping in lime sulfur (8 oz diluted in 1 gal of water) twice weekly along with oral antifungal administration and environmental decontamination can be the fastest clinical resolution, in about three weeks.

 Lime sulfur must be left on for about an hour until dry and should not be rinsed off. There is a rotten-egg smell associated with this product, and animals with white coats in particular man be temporarily stained yellow following administration.

 Young or small animals are susceptible to hypothermia during the drying process, and ingestion may (rarely) lead to oral ulceration, pharyngitis or gastrointestinal upset.

If lime sulfur is not available or owners request a different option, then biweekly use of a shampoo containing 2% miconazole and 2% chlorhexidine may be effective, but not to the same degree as lime sulfur. The topical should be combined with oral antifungal medications and environmental decontamination.

 Chlorhexidine as monotherapy is not effective for the treatment of ringworm.

 For focal lesions, clotrimazole and miconazole can be considered. But due to limited data on efficacy, they should not be used as sole therapy. There is limited in vitro evidence demonstrating some efficacy of shampoos containing other antifungals, such as climbazole, terbinafine, and ketoconazole. Similarly, accelerated hydrogen peroxide formulated as a leave-on rinse may be a future adjuvant, but in vivo studies are needed to confirm safety and efficacy.

Disorders of the superficial layers of the skin, such as ichthyosis, sebaceous adenitis, or primary seborrhea, can cause the skin to be either too dry or too greasy, depending on the condition, resulting in a compromised skin barrier function.

 Topicals used to address these problems are generally classified by their keratoplastic or keratolytic effect. Keratoplastic activity restores normal rate of keratinocyte division and skin layer turnover, whereas keratolytic activity eliminates excessive layers of skin for scale removal.

When degreasing is needed, once- to twice-weekly benzoyl peroxide shampoos are effective options.

 In the past, coal tar or selenium disulfide have been used, but they can cause a rebound increase in seborrhea and/or skin irritation when discontinued; both can be toxic to cats. Regardless of the topical of choice, long-haired dogs will need to be shaved to have appropriate shampoo contact with the skin.

For disorders leading to excessive drying, emollients that soften and lubricate the skin or moisturizers that increase the water content of superficial skin layers are beneficial. These are also indicated following degreasing therapy to balance and restore the protective barriers of the skin. A wide range of ingredients, such as propylene glycol, mineral oil, lactic acid, urea, and glycerin, can carry out these functions.

 The authors’ first choice is 0.1% phytosphingosine administered as a shampoo, mousse, and/or spray. Alternatively, spot-on products containing essential oils can be applied to the skin between the shoulder blades once a week for 2 months, then every 2 weeks for maintenance.

There is some evidence that topical polyunsaturated fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6, may restore the skin’s barrier. However, they are typically an additional ingredient in some veterinary products, rather than the sole therapy for keratinization disorders.

 Coconut oil may be popular among owners, either as a topical or oral supplement, but is not recommended because there is no scientific evidence to support its use and it can aggravate secondary infections.

Clinicians should always address the underlying causes of pruritus, such as allergy or infection, but topicals may provide short-term relief to focal and mild lesions. For moderate-to-severe or multifocal-to generalized pruritus, oral anti-inflammatory doses of steroids are more appropriate.

The chronic administration of topical steroids, like OTC hydrocortisone, or even such a soft steroid like mometasone furoate can lead to focal skin atrophy, hyperpigmentation, or delayed wound healing (if applied to traumatized skin).

Nonsteroidal agents, such as colloidal oatmeal or polyunsaturated fatty acids, have only mild efficacy in relieving pruritus.

 They typically provide relief for 24 to 48 hours, do not have any antimicrobial action, and should be offered only as adjunctive therapy for anything beyond mild pruritus.

 Clinicians may consider offering oatmeal-based shampoos for long-term maintenance. Dogs with atopic dermatitis should be bathed once every other week with this shampoo, which will help remove environmental allergens and support skin barrier function.

Efficacy of treatment largely depends on owner and patient compliance. Topical therapies can be more labor-intensive for owners and may not be feasible for some patients. Slow introduction and positive reinforcement is essential for any patient, but particularly for those with a history of anxiety or aggression. It is important to provide clear instructions and to troubleshoot if an owner is having difficulties with topicals. Here are some of the topics you should discuss with the pet owner about treatment.

 Many topicals need to be left on the animal for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing (chlorhexidine, benzoyl peroxide, bleach) or may require up to one hour to completely dry on the animal without rinsing (lime sulfur, amitraz). Animals will need to be monitored during this time or even wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent licking.

 Bleach, benzoyl peroxide, or lime sulfur may permanently stain towels and furniture before drying. Similarly, chlorhexidine and lime sulfur may temporarily stain the patients’ fur.

: Owners should be instructed to avoid the animal’s eyes and face while bathing or applying topicals. Lesions on the face should be treated only with a cotton ball or makeup pad soaked in lukewarm water to avoid burning or overheating the animal in warmer months or inducing hypothermia in colder months. Drying should be done only with fans or low-temperature hair dryers, as heated air may cause burns and/or inactivate some topicals like bleach.

A handout from your clinic may be helpful to walk a client through the preparations and supplies needed for bathing and the instructions for contact time, rinsing, and drying.

For many superficial dermatologic diseases, veterinarians have the unique advantage of practicing “external medicine” with topicals. If owners are willing to overcome the minor cost and increased time and labor required with topicals, their pets can benefit from a safe, inexpensive, and often effective sole or adjunctive treatment.

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Morris DO, Loeffler A, Davis MF, Guardabassi L, Weese JS. Recommendations for approaches to meticillin-resistant staphylococcal infections of small animals: diagnosis, therapeutic considerations and preventative measures. 

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Borio S, Colombo S, La Rosa G, et al. Effectiveness of a combined (4% chlorhexidine digluconate shampoo and solution) protocol in MRS and non-MRS canine superficial pyoderma: a randomized, blinded, antibiotic-controlled study. Vet Dermatol. 2015;26(5):339-344.doi:10.1111/ vde.12233Hillier A, Lloyd DH, Weese JS, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and antimicrobial therapy of canine superficial bacterial folliculitis (Antimicrobial Guidelines Working Group of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases). 

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Topical therapeutics should be a veterinarian’s first line of defense against superficial dermatologic conditions. Follow this rundown of the ingredients and multiple types of treatments for skin problems. 