Did you know that Fleas are the #1 cause of skin problems in dogs?
You may be thinking that it’s impossible for your dog to have a flea problem because you’ve never seen a flea on your dog, your dog is regularly groomed or he or she doesn’t go out that much. Think again!
Just ONE flea bite can induce a severe reaction in your pet, even if the flea hops off after one-bite.
Seasonal Allergies
Pets can suffer from seasonal allergies just like we can. Ragweed, grasses, molds, dust mites and pollen are just some of the allergens that can affect our pets.
We generally experience watery eyes and runny noses, but our pets usually get ITCHY!
Food Allergies
Food allergies occur when an animal’s immune system misidentifies a protein from a food as an invader rather than a dietary/food item and elicits an immune response. This response may result in itchy skin or ear and skin infections in a number of pets, but can also cause gastrointestinal problems.
Some of the most common food allergens include: chicken, beef, dairy, eggs and fish, although the list can be much longer.
While you may have heard of food allergy testing for pets, none have proven to be very reliable. The only tried and true way to diagnose a food allergy is a diet elimination trial where your pet is exclusively fed a diet prescribed by a veterinarian and nothing else for at least 4-6 weeks. Once the allergen triggers are identified we can work together to ensure your pet is on a diet appropriate for him or her.
Skin Infections:
Itchy skin caused by the above allergens can lead to skin infections. Repetitive trauma to the skin from scratching, licking, biting and rubbing can break the skin, allowing entry of bacteria, causing a skin infection to develop.
There are many medications and treatments that can help once a skin infection develops.
Other skin conditions we treat:
- Mange
- Ringworm
- Dry Skin
- Yeast infections
- And more!
Our veterinarians have extensive experience diagnosing and treating skin conditions and allergies.
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