Dermatology

Most flea-control products kill fleas fast enough to interfere with most egg production, which breaks the flea life cycle. However, they're not able to prevent fleas from biting and feeding before they are killed. This article can provide insight into the potential effectiveness of flea-control compounds in controlling flea bites and managing flea allergy dermatitis.

Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common dermatologic disease of dogs. As a veterinary technician, you need to understand why managing flea bites is so improtant for allergic dogs-so you can relate this important information to clients.

Orlando, Fla - A new survey shows that tick populations are not only increasing in number but tick-borne diseases are showing up in every state in the country.

Dr. Christine Olver discusses how iron deficiency is identified and treated in dogs as well as when practitioners should perform cytologic exams.

A 3-month-old intact male boxer was presented for a preadoption evaluation at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts University after being rescued in North Carolina.

Canine solar dermatitis, or chronic sun damage to the skin, is a common dermatologic disorder in hot, sunny climates.

There has been an ongoing debate over ototoxicity produced by topical medications.

This allergy season in the Midwest appears to be one of the worst in memory.

Dermatologic problems can be frustrating to treat. Pentoxifylline, tacrolimus, pimecrolimus, interferon, and imiquimod offer potential new therapeutic options.

When do you prescribe cyclosporine in cats and at what dosage? Is cyclosporine helpful in treating otitis externa in dogs?

"Many of the conditions that we see are often a result of some other primary disease..."

As the years go by, I am amazed by the number of difficult cases that I continue to see in my practice.

Your pet is exhibiting clinical signs that could be consistent with an adverse reaction to food.

Most practitioners recognize that some dogs and cats with pruritus or gastrointestinal conditions can be managed either in part or fully by feeding a limited-antigen diet.

The treatment method for corns is as debatable as their etiology. Many techniques have been described. All of these treatment options have varying degrees of success.

The immune system plays a role in the development of juvenile- and adult-onset demodicosis.

Your veterinarian has determined that your dog has allergies to certain substances, such as house dust mites and various grasses and insects, and may benefit from allergen injections to slowly lessen your pet's reaction to the substances. You can easily administer these injections at home.

In this article, I review the efficacy of immunotherapy for treating atopic dermatitis, help you ease your clients' nerves about administering the injections, and show you how to easily adapt the administration protocol based on a patient's responses to the injections.

It seems that pinnal inflammation is much easier to treat than canal inflammation.

In our practice we actually see more cases of Cheyletiella mites "walking dandruff" than fleas!

Triamcinolone topical solution is an effective and safe alternative to systemically administered corticosteroids.

In the simplest terms, allergic dermatitis refers to any inflammatory skin disease caused by any type of allergy. The unifying characteristic of these diseases is that they cause pruritus and subsequent inflammation. Depending on the etiology, the event may be short-lived or become a lifelong condition. Table 1 lists the reported allergic diseases of small animals. 1,2 These diseases are rarely uncomplicated and often involve secondary infections. Furthermore, more than one core allergic disease is often present concurrently. These factors can make diagnosis and management of allergic dermatitis cases challenging.

Topical therapy is an important - and in many cases essential - component of successfully managing allergic dermatitis in dogs. When used as an adjunctive treatment for generalized disease, topical therapy often minimizes dependence on systemic medications that may be deleterious to the patient's health. In addition, topical therapy may be more effective in treating localized or regionalized pruritus.

We are just now determining the best concentration levels to run a skin test for food-storage mites.

If you need help microscopically identifying fungal colonies, visit www.doctorfungus.org.

Recurrent pyodermas are a frustrating skin problem in veterinary patients. The key to treating them is to identify the underlying cause. But first you must discern whether the pyoderma is truly recurrent or is simply relapsing.

Most clients don't realize that dust mites are found in bedding, carpet, upholstery and mattresses — not in furnace ducts.

Many conditions can cause pruritus in dogs and cats, the most common being allergies (atopy, food, flea) and external parasites (e.g. Sarcoptes scabiei, Cheyletiella species).

When trying to diagnose demodectic mange, try plucking the hairs around lesions in addition to scraping the skin.

A 9-year-old castrated male Persian cat was referred with a four-month history of non-pruritic crusting and alopecia involving the face and abdomen.