For some cat owners it’s obvious when their cats are itchy. And for others it may not be so obvious because they don’t recognize that overgrooming is a sign of itchiness. Or, some cat owners will say their cats are losing hair and balding, but they don’t see them itchy. Cats can be secretly over grooming (hiding somewhere in the home) or possibly causing a lot of the trauma at night when the owner is sleeping.
Keep this in mind when taking a medical history of a cat with hairloss.
Self induced hair loss, especially when the hair loss is widespread, is more common than spontaneous alopecia in cats. Therefore, err on the side that the cat is itchy and rule out itchy skin conditions.
#cats #catsofinstagram #itchycat #catallergies #catowner #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #veterinarydermatologist #vetmedicine #vetmedworld #petdermatology
The dark specks on this cat’s back is flea dirt. Closer look and there are also adult fleas.
Once you see this much flea dirt and fleas there is no doubt that there are fleas in the pet’s home. What I mean by “fleas in the home” is that the flea life stages (egg, larvae, pupae) are in the pet’s environment. I know it is hard to believe these organisms could be in your home. They are microscopic, you will not be able to see them with the naked eye. But they are there waiting to develop into an adult flea that will bite your pet.
An adult flea spends its entire life on the dog or cat. It will lay eggs that fall into the environment, these eggs will develop into larvae (or maggot like stage) and then molt into pupae (or cocoon stage). From the pupae will emerge a new adult flea.
Oral flea preventatives will kill the adult flea once the flea takes a blood meal. But it is important not to forget about removing the egg, larvae and pupae from the environment. Removal will allow the flea infestation to be resolved much faster, than to wait for those life stages to cycle thru into new adult fleas that will bite the pet and eventually die.
Below are some recommendations I like to give for premise treatment. These tips are good manual removal of the flea life stages without having to use pesticides.
Vacuum thoroughly the entire home daily to every other day. Make sure to vacuum areas like carpets, cushioned furniture, cracks/crevices on floors and along baseboards. Don’t forget to throw vacuum bag away.
Consider steam cleaning carpets, the hot steam and soap can kill flea life stages. Pay extra attention to areas where pet sleeps at.
If the pet sleeps in the family bed or its own bed, wash it weekly with hot water.
Use a flea comb daily to check for adult fleas. If the premise treatment is working, you should see less and less adults.
For outdoors, rake the yard thoroughly and remove organic debris from under bushes/shrubs. Flea life stages like shaded areas. If you have a large yard, the main area of focus for clean-up should be where the pet spends a lot of time at.
#fleas #believeitornot #petowner #vetmedicine #veterinarydermatologist
The lesion is an indolent ulcer. The indolent ulcer in cat is part of the eosinophilic granuloma complex, that also includes the eosinophilic granuloma and eosinophilic plaque (see a previous post on this lesion).
Indolent ulcers are a cutaneous reaction pattern typically associated to allergies (flea, food, or atopy). It is important when you see these lesions to work up the cat for allergies. Make sure the patient is on a flea preventative. I have had a few cases where these lesions were due to food allergy, yes! Food allergy does exist in cats. Most cats, however, have environmental allergies.
The indolent ulcer commonly occurs on the upper lip, near the philtrum or adjacent to the upper canine teeth. The lesions can be present on both sides of the upper lip or one sided, like in this case.
Many times, the indolent ulcer is secondarily infected with bacteria, therefore, antibiotics can help reduce the size. I like to use Convenia antibiotic as a start. I will also place them on steroids to reduce the size of the lesion. Some of these ulcers can get so large it appears uncomfortable for the pet.
An important differential would be squamous cell carcinoma. If the clinical picture and history doesn’t fit allergies, then consider a biopsy.
#catsofinstagram #indolentulcer #catallergies #cats #catowner #veterinarydermatologist #dermatologiaveterinaria #petdermatology #vetmedworld #veterinarymedicine #itsalmosthalloween
There are many shampoos out there available for dogs.
Any regular shampoo or oatmeal shampoo is more than likely going to be safe and keep your dog clean.
The rest of this post is more on medicated shampoos which is what I like to use long term for my allergic dogs, especially the atopic or environmental allergic dogs.
I lean towards medicated name brand shampoos. These are shampoos that have gone thru clinical testing and proven to work for skin infections, and depending on the ingredients, will also help with skin barrier repair.
Although I do primarily use the brand Dechra, there are other great brands like Duoxo and Virbac that I know many dermatologist and veterinarians use. These shampoo brands have created the right formula and concentration of ingredients for a pet’s skin infection and skin barrier. I’m sure I’m missing some other good brands, but these are top ones.
I have seen some generic medicated shampoos on Amazon or pet stores that don’t have the right formula that will work effectively for a skin infection. So don’t be fooled by a shampoo online that says “medicated”.
With that said, it’s important that your pet gets examined by a veterinarian and have them tell you which is the best shampoo for your pet’s skin and skin infection.
What works for me and my patients may not necessarily work for your pet.
Now if you are going to go to the pet store to find a “medicated” shampoo be careful with topicals that have ingredients like tar, salicylic acid and sulfur as these can be drying to the skin and potentially make things worse. Benzoyl peroxide can also be drying but most of the time this shampoo is prescription based.
I like to have clients bathe once to twice a week. But in dogs with resistant infections I have had clients bathe up to daily and surprise surprise I didn’t dry out their skin!!! Of course we are monitoring these patients … and here goes back to my recommendation to make sure you see your vet and have them follow up with your pet’s treatment plan.
#dogallergies #dogbaths #bathingdogs #petowner #dogshampoo #vetderm #vetmedicine #dermatologíaveterinaria #vet #doggrooming
I’m back with another post on “what I wish more people understood “…
One of the easiest and kind of cost effective way to manage an allergic dog’s allergies is with medicated baths.
Bathing with a medicated shampoo removes infections from the skin that can contribute to itchiness.
Bathing also removes pollens and all sorts of allergens from the skin that starts causing the allergy.
Bathing can be soothing on the skin, and from my experience, most pet owners notice reduction in itchiness for 24-48 hours. Sometimes longer.
Some medicated shampoos have ingredients like phytosphingosine, fatty acids and ceramides that restore the skin barrier. Making the skin barrier strong prevents the entrance of allergens and microorganisms.
I’m here to bust the myth that bathing your allergic dog often will make its skin worse by drying it and removing oils.
If the right shampoo is used this will not happen. On the contrary, your dog will likely experience an incredible amount of relief with a good bath weekly to even twice weekly.
I know what you are going to ask next… What’s the right shampoo? Stay tuned for my next video.
#dogbaths #dogallergies #dogshampoo #dogsofinstagram #petowners #dogowner #veterinarydermatologist #petdermatology #doggrooming #doggroomersofinstagram #vetmedicine
This is a young 1 year old Cocker Spaniel with otitis of the right ear. This dog has had ear issues for 6-7 months, and in that period of time the ear became this inflamed and “cauliflowered”. It’s ear canal has also begun to close.
Cocker spaniels have little leeway with ear infections. The glands in their ears can become enlarged with otitis and begin narrowing the lumen of the ear canal. Within a short period of time these breed of dogs can develop marked proliferative changes to the ear canal that can quickly progress to calcified ears if the underlying cause is not addressed.
The most common underlying cause is allergies to food and environmental. Once the ear canal becomes calcified, then the only recourse is surgery to remove the ear canal (total ear canal ablation).
The take home message to veterinarians and pet owners… Make sure to address the underlying allergy cause for all Cocker spaniels with ear infections.
#cockerspaniel #cockerspanielsofinstagram #dogear #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
Paw infections or pododermatitis can be caused by a variety of conditions.
By far the most common cause is allergies to environmentals (pollen) and food.
Many dogs with allergic disease have their paws become secondarily infected with yeast and bacteria making the foot problem even worse.
Although not a common problem nowadays, demodex mites (or mange) should always be ruled out when there is paw infection. Demodex can just present affecting only the paws.
Other differentials to keep in mind and see if it fits the clinical picture, history and signalment of your case are dermatophytes, endocrine disorders, autoimmune disorders, nutritional disorders, manifestations of internal disease and neoplasia.
In some breeds of dogs, like the patient in the video, there could also be a foot conformation problem contributing to the paw issues, from the foot webbing, manner in which the dog walks and obesity.
A good work up for a dog with paw problems should include skin cytology, skin scrapes and fungal cultures. Skin biopsies for culture and pathology may be necessary. A bloodwork panel (CBC, Chemistry and thyroid panel) is never too much to do.
#dogpaws #pododermatitis #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
Allergy skin testing is primarily performed by veterinary dermatologists.
During their residency Dermatologist go thru years of training to perform this test and learn how to read it. Besides this the dermatologist also leans how take the information from the allergy test to formulate an allergy vaccine to desensitize the pet of its environmental allergies.
It takes skill and experience to put together a vaccine that fits the patient’s environment, medical history and symptoms. Efficacy of the vaccine can depend on the right allergens being in the formula. Guiding the pet owner thru the vaccine schedule also takes experience as sometimes the vaccines can cause exacerbation of symptoms that will require adjustments and tweaking of the schedule.
Dermatologist can provide a wealth of information and treatment or management plans for an atopic or environmental allergic pet. Allergy skin testing is one of these.
#allergyskintest #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
The
Ichthyosis (pronounced: ik-thee-ow-suhs)
Ichthyosis is a primary keratinization or scaling disorder. It is a rare genetic or hereditary skin condition where the upper layer of the skin does not form properly and results in scaling.
The degree of scaling on the skin will depend on the dog breed affected. The scales will be pigmented and range in size from small to large. Common breeds affected include Jack Russell Terrier, American Bulldog and Golden Retriever. Goldens in comparison to the other breeds have a milder form of the disorder and it is usually detected at a young adult age, before one year old.
The video in this post is of a 2-year-old Goldendoodle. The crossing of the Golden Retriever breed has now led the condition to be present in the Doodle dogs. A common complaint of this disorder is the dog looks like it has a dirty coat, due to the gray scales over the body (see video). The lesions in this dog almost so innocuous- take note of the scales and dark skin that primarily affected the ventrum of the body.
Diagnosis is based on biopsy, preferably read by a dermatopathologist.
There is no cure for this condition. Treatment involves topical therapy to remove the scales and moisturize the skin. Fatty acids may or may not be beneficial.
Since the condition can cause a secondary bacterial dermatitis, with subsequent pruritus, it can be confused with allergies.
Although there is a strong breed predilection for this condition as mentioned above, mutations can still happen and therefore it can be seen in any breed or mixed breeds.
In a previous post I mentioned of sebaceous adenitis, another type of cornification disorder, in the Doodle dog. Here now I add another skin condition to keep in mind with this breed.
#ichthyosis #goldendoodle #doodleofinstagram #goldenretriever #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology#dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
It is rare that a cat that is over grooming and pulling out its hair has an anxiety or stress disorder.
The barbs on a cat’s tongue can cause an incredible amount of damage on the skin with over grooming and look like the cat in this video.
It is important to work up the cat patient for medical causes for the itchiness: mites, dermatophyte (causes occasional itchiness) and allergies ( flea, food and environmental).
A trial course with an isoxazoline is a good start as it rules out mites and fleas.
And yes! even an indoor cat can get fleas. Finding a flea on a cat can be difficult because due to their over grooming the flea gets eaten up. Flea preventative is a must in your work up of a pruritic cat.
#catsofinstagram #catlover #catowner #catallergies #vetdermatologist #vetmed #petdermatology #dermatologiaveterinaria #petowner
In hairy long coated dog breeds I will often recommend trimming the hair short on the paws when there is an infection to make it easier to wash the paw. The medicated shampoo will have better contact on the skin and it will be easier to remove the debris and infection that accumulates in between the toes of the paw.
Look at the knot of hair in between the toes of this Doodle. You can only imagine how much this poor pup was licking its feet to do this.
In long haired dogs with environmental allergies that are constant paw lickers keeping the hair short on the paws is a must for me for good skin and coat hygiene. With less hair the clients are more apt to see if infection is starting up.
#dogpaws #hairydog #dogsofinstagram #petgrooming #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
The patient in this video is under general anesthesia for a video otoscopy procedure. For pet owners, think of video otoscopy as an endoscope but for the ear.
This dog presented to me last week for chronic unilateral otitis. On otoscopic exam I saw this growth in the ear canal, along with an incredible amount of pus. We scheduled the video otoscopy procedure for this week so that we could remove the growth and flush the ear of all the purulent discharge.
The growth is being sent out for histopathology to see if it’s benign or malignant mass.
It is important to always do an otoscopic exam in all ear cases. Keep polyps or tumors as a differential for unilateral ear infections.
#videootoscopy #dogears #otitisexterna #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
I’m reposting this video on how I recommend my clients to do paw washings on their dogs. In dogs with infection on their feet I find it important to get into those spaces between the toes and underneath the paw to remove the bacteria and yeast.
Also in many dogs the infection produces crusts or oily debris that can be an irritant and should be removed.
Finally, washing the paw like this removes pollens that have accumulated and causing the paw to be itchy.
Initially it may take several minutes to wash the paw(s) well, but once the paw is clean and infection is resolving it can be a quicker process.
#dogpaw #thisishowwedoit #pawlicking #dogsofinstagram #gotitchypet #miamivetderm #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
If you have been treating a dog with Apoquel and Cytopoint and find that it has stopped working as well as it had been previously don’t give up on the medication just yet. Here are some things to troubleshoot thru to see why your patient may be itchier despite these meds being given appropriately.
By far the most common reason why I see Apoquel and Cytopoint either not work or “stop working” is because infections like bacteria and malassezia (yeast) have not been addressed. Make sure to do skin cytology to rule out these infections.
It is possible the pet has entered a season where the pollen is overwhelming the effects of the medication. If you are sure there is no infection on the skin, then you may have to find other therapies to help lower the pruritus. Try another allergy medication, add on another allergy medication, step up on the baths, etc.
Most dogs with environmental allergies are sensitive to fleas. Make sure the increase in itchiness is now not due to fleas. Is the pet on a flea preventative?
Dogs with environmental allergies are known to have other concurrent allergies, like food. Has your patient developed a new food allergy? Or is the pet already food allergic and it is inadvertently now eating something that is causing it to be itchier?
Lastly, I will circle back to skin infections. Dogs with environmental allergies are prone to skin infections. Any increase in itchiness over that pet’s threshold whether due to high pollen, fleas or food can trigger an infection. Can’t say enough why it’s important to be doing skin cytology and looking for bacteria and yeast.
Hope this helps ! 😀
#itchydogs #apoquel #cytopoint #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
Most dermatologist perform skin allergy testing to identify which allergen in the environment is causing the atopic pet to be itchy for the purpose of creating an allergy vaccine for desensitization.
If referral to a dermatologist is not possible then blood allergy testing can be done at a private practice clinic.
It is important for practitioners to understand that blood allergy testing is NOT for diagnosis of environmental allergies.
It is crucial to have ruled out other pruritic (itchy) skin disorders (i.e mites, flea and food allergy etc) before performing this test.
The purpose of allergy testing is to see what allergens are causing the atopic pet to be itchy so that an allergy vaccine is created to desensitize that pet of its environmental allergies.
It takes a level of commitment to do vaccines and the pet owner needs to understand this for successful outcome.
#allergytesting #petallergies #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
Cytopoint is approved for the treatment of allergic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis in dogs.
Cytopoint is the first USDA approved antibody therapy in veterinary medicine. In human medicine, antibody therapy is used in conditions like Crohn’s disease, psoriasis and now Covid-19. Therefore, the science behind this type of therapy is well researched and I find it amazing that we have it now in veterinary medicine.
Although Cytopoint will work to help with the itchiness associated with allergic disease (i.e., flea or food allergy), I will use it long term in dogs with atopy. I will not use Cytopoint long term if a dog has flea or food allergy, as these conditions can be easily resolved with flea preventative or specific diet, respectively. It is important to work up an itchy dog and rule out conditions like flea or food that can be easily fixed without long term use of medications. However, atopy is a lifelong disease and not easy to control. Cytopoint is one of several therapies that can be used to manage this condition.
There is some misinformation that I hear again again that I wanted to correct.
* Cytopoint is not the injectable version of Apoquel. Cytopoint is an antibody that binds to circulating interleukin 31 (IL-31) before it binds to receptors and exerts its effects that leads to pruritus (itchiness).
* Cytopoint is not an every 3-6 month injection. Cytopoint can be administered every month. In most dogs, the injection lasts 4 weeks and it is safe to be administered monthly. If you find that this therapy worked to control your patient’s itchiness, a repeat injection is necessary to keep controlling the itchiness. Dogs with partial response to the first injection may see treatment success with a second or third injection. Therefore, do not give up on Cytopoint if the first injection didn’t work as well as you thought.
* Cytopoint is approved ONLY for use in dogs, not cats. I would not risk trying this in a cat.
If you are a pet owner ask your veterinarian if Cytopoint is an option to manage your dog’s environmental allergies.
#cytopoint #dogallergies #dogsofinstagram #vetdermatologist #dermatologíaveterinaria #vetmedicine #veterinarian
Everyone asking who the big paw belonged to…
#dogsofinstagram #handsomedog #bigdogsofinstagram #bigdog #bigboydog #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
All otitis cases should include an otoscopic exam, palpation of the ear canal, an ear cytology, and +/- an ear culture.
Why is an otoscopic exam important? It is impossible from just looking at the pinna (or ear flap) to assess what is going on inside the ear. Sometimes the pinna looks normal, but there is more going on inside the ear. The only way to evaluate the inside of the ear is by using an otoscope.
*When looking inside the ear with an otoscope: 1) Evaluate the ear canal. Is the canal inflamed or completely stenotic. Is there a mass effect blocking the ear canal, this is especially important in a unilateral otitis case. 2) Assess if the ear drum is present. If it is not present then this indicates a middle ear infection. If the ear drum cannot be visualized because the ear canal is inflamed and blocking your view then these are cases where if not contraindicated, steroids are helpful. 3) What is the nature of the discharge present in the ear? Is it ceruminous or purulent?
It may be hard to examine a dog with painful ears. In these patients, pain medication and/or steroids may be necessary to dispense first and then you can re-examine at a later date. You may also want to consider sedating the patient for a full ear exam.
*Palpate the ear canal. The ear canal is made of cartilage and on palpation it should be pliable. When it is not, and it feels firm or calcified you may be dealing with an end stage ear. This is an ear where there has been such chronic insult to the ear canal that it remains permanently closed. This is not a good sign and may necessitate ear canal removal surgery.
*Ear cytology. Smelling the ear is not diagnostic for the type of infection present. Also, do not assume by the type of discharge present what kind of infection is inside the ear. Waxy debris doesn’t always mean yeast or malassezia. Take a sample of the ear discharge and do a cytology.
*Ear Culture. If rods are present on cytology, it can mean a Pseudomonas infection. Pseudomonas infection is serious and needs to be treated aggressively. An ear culture will let you know if those rods are due to Pseudomonas or not.
#letsdoitright #otitis #vetdermatology #dogears
Elbow calluses are common in large to giant breed dogs. A callus is a thickened area of skin caused by pressure or constant friction over a pressure point site. The elbow is the most common site this is seen, but can also occur on the hocks. In deep chested dogs, you may also find calluses on the sternum.
A callus can be a normal finding in large dogs due to the patient’s preference for hard surface to lie on, inadequate soft bedding, obesity, hypothyroidism or orthopedic problems that forces a pet to constantly be lying down.
No treatment is necessary for calluses, just mere observance. Provision of soft bedding or padding can aid in minimizing the callus size. I will often suggest moisturizing the area with biobalm, my favorite is the Dermoscent brand.
When can a callus become a problem?
It may be difficult to get a dog to lie on a soft padded bed and there is a potential for the callus to become complicated by secondary bacterial infection. In these cases, the area may develop crusts, the skin my crack and bleed, there may be erythema, swelling and even ulceration, to the extent that the area can develop a deep pyoderma. The latter occurs when the hair follicles are impacted due to a thickened dermis, free hair in the dermis acts as a foreign body and leads to deep infection. I have also seen the skin in the elbow area become so hyperplastic that it forms folds and a fold pyoderma then ensues. Once infection develops the area becomes pruritic to the patient.
Treatment will depend if there is infection present. Keep in mind that if there is evidence of deep pyoderma, a long course of antibiotics will be necessary. Calluses that are prone to infection should be washed with a medicated shampoo on some maintenance schedule
.
Should the dog have other lesions on the body, other differentials to consider with crusts or thickening of the elbows is demodex, dermatophyte, hepatocutaneous (usually older dogs), or autoimmune.
#elbowcallus #bigdogsofinstagram #bigdogproblems #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #petowner #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #veterinarian #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
The eosinophilic plaque is a cutaneous reaction pattern commonly seen in cats with allergies to either flea, food or environmentals. It is commonly seen on the flanks, ventral abdomen, and thighs. These lesions can be extremely pruritic.
The eosinophilic plaque is part of the eosinophilic granuloma complex, that also includes the eosinophilic granuloma and indolent ulcer. A cat can present with 2 or 3 of these lesions at the same time.
I encourage general practitioners to do cytology of these lesions as they will often have bacteria. You may be surprised how a course of antibiotics will aid in the resolution of these lesions. I have had case referral that were only treated with steroids and had no resolution to the lesions due to the secondary bacterial infection.
Cats with skin lesions should also have skin cytology done.
#cats #catsofinstagram #catbelly #eosinophilicplaque #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
📖There are many different methods on how to perform a skin cytology.
🐊Using tape is how I learned to do cytologies during my residency at the University of Florida and it’s just stuck with me.
🐾I think it works well for tricky spots like the paws.
📽Here I am using the tape on the trunk, but the rest of the video shows how the tape is looped to the slide and then stained.
🥇Multi scotch tape is the best.
⏰I like diff quik stain. I will do a quick dip in the fixative, but this step can be skipped. I then do 5-10 dips on the other stains, or it can sit in the stain for 30 sec to a minute.
Find a method that you feel comfortable. The important thing is to be doing cytology on all your derm cases.
#thisishowwedoit #cytology #dermdiagnostics #yogainspiration miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
The ventral aspect of the paw is a common area affected by allergies. A client may say that their dog flips its paw over and licks and chews the bottom of the paw.
When examining a pet with these signs make sure to check this area of the paw well: turn the paw over and separate the digits. You may find erythema and greasy like debris. Make sure to do cytology to look for bacterial and malassezia organisms. I find it easier to do tape cytology as I can get the tape well into this space.
I like to treat these paws with an antimicrobial shampoo. I emphasize to the client the importance of getting the shampoo well on the undersurface of the paw to remove any debris, grime and pollens that are acting as an irritant.
Paw baths are better than paw soaks.
#dogpaw #pawlicking #dogsofinstagram #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
I recently posted about skin fold dermatitis or intertrigo. I mentioned that typical areas affected are the face fold and tail fold as often seen in Frenchie’s or English Bulldogs, lip fold and vulva fold in overweight female dogs.
Another area we may not often consider as a type of intertrigo is scrotal fold dermatitis, seen in intact male dogs. The friction of the scrotum and apposed skin can lead to irritation and eventual bacterial or malassezia infection. Infection leads to pruritus and the patient starts to become uncomfortable.
This condition is different from jock itch in men, which is due to a dermatophyte, Tinea cruris.
Scrotal dermatitis in dogs is worse in large intact male breeds with large scrotal sacs.
Pet owners with large breed intact male dogs should be aware of this potential problem and should inspect the scrotal area routinely.
For mild to moderate dermatitis cases, these pets can be treated with a medicated antimicrobial shampoo. It is important to manage these cases early before the dermatitis gets too severe, as these may require systemic therapy.
The scrotal skin is delicate and thin; therefore, if the area is inflamed, I would be extremely cautious with the application of topical steroids in or around the scrotal area. Careful also with benzoyl peroxide as an antiseptic as this can be drying of the skin.
Neutering will help. ✂️✂️😉
#maleproblems #maledog #bigdogsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #scrotaldermatitis #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
A little montage with an update of a few cases I previously posted about. Go check out my posts on these cases.
#beforeandafter #asitwas #updates #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
How many pet owners have to continue to fall for this scam. Buyer beware! Save your money and talk to your vet or a dermatologist about working up your pet for allergies.
#buyerbeware #wasteofmoney #dontbuythis #saveyourmoney #dogsofinstagram #petowners #petownersbeware #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedicine #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
Do you remember Lufenuron? I will admit that I forget about Lufenuron’s existence. I do not blame you if you do too. Isoxazolines have revolutionized our control over fleas, that I see how we could forget about good ole Lufenuron.
Lufenuron is an insect development inhibitor. More specifically it is ovicidal and larvicidal. It stops flea eggs from hatching. Excretion of lufenuron in adult flea feces provides a source of exposure to larvae in the environment, whose development is then impaired. Thus, in essence Lufenuron breaks the flea life cycle and prevents flea infestation in the home. Amazing! Right!? Why aren’t we using this more?!
The only product that I am aware of that contains Lufenuron is Sentinel®. Since I do not dispense heartworm preventatives, I depend on general practitioners to script this to our mutual clients with flea allergic dogs.
General practitioners: If you have a flea allergic dog, consider incorporating Lufenuron into that pet’s flea prevention plan. Lufenuron is not a flea adulticide, therefore, Sentinel® should be combined with an adulticide, like an isoxazoline, to kill the adult flea.
We need to use Lufenuron more in our flea allergic dogs.
#fleas #fleaallergy #dogsofinstagram #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
Pemphigus foliaceus in a cat
Pododermatitis in cats is not as common as it is in dogs. When there are paw problems in a cat, one differential to keep in mind is pemphigus foliaceus. This autoimmune condition can cause swelling and crusting of the paws, more specifically the condition affects the nailbeds. Pemphigus likes to cause crusting and purulent to caseous discharge around the nails. This is a distinct finding for this condition and often confused for a bacterial infection.
Diagnosis is based on biopsy and histopathology evaluation of the tissue. Biopsing the nailbed is tricky, so you may want to consider referral.
The patient in this video is a young 7-month-old M/N DSH. Something to keep in mind when presented with a young pet is to ask about recent vaccine administration or recent medication use, as these could be possible triggers for the autoimmune condition.
#pemphigusfoliaceus #catsofinstagram #catpaws #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #catowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
I have been treating this dog for vasculitis the past few months. Its been a challenge, as she's had some relapse of lesions in the tapering of her immunosuppressive medications. Just recently, new different lesions started to appear on the paws that made me wonder if this patient was having another relapse of its vasculitis.
I scraped this paw to make sure I had not caused demodicosis with the immunosuppressive drugs, but this was negative. However, cytology of the paws showed these organisms.
Yes! Arthrospores. 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️ Fungal hair culture later confirmed dermatophytosis.
Moral of the story… new skin conditions can appear on top of others. Go back to your derm basics (i.e., skin scrape, cytology, DTM) if you are treating a skin case that is not progressing well or has new lesions that you cannot explain.
#dermatophytosis #ringworm #yorkiedog #yorkiesofinstagram #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
It is hard to imagine that dog’s live with ear infections like these for weeks to months.
Most are in pain and severe discomfort.
Unless contraindicated, do not be afraid to use steroids in these patients. Pain medications will help, but steroids by far are necessary to bring down the inflammation in these ears. Once inflammation is reduced the pet will feel more comfortable.
It will be important to reduce inflammation so that it is easy for the client to medicate the ear. I have the client give the steroid first for a few days, then they start the medications into the ears.
Ears like these need cleaning to remove all the purulent debris and biofilm. Keep in mind that certain topical antibiotics will become deactivated with this type of discharge in the ear.
I would advise that the ear be cleaned in your office first, preferably sedating or anesthetizing the pet. It is extremely difficult for a client to do the cleaning themselves properly, especially when it is as severe as these cases. Once the ear is cleaned the client may be able to take it from there and do the cleanings at home. However, it may be best if you schedule the dog to come to your office the next few days so that your technicians can do the cleaning and allow the patient to have a proper start to its ear treatment.
#dogears #otitis #dogsofinstagram #dogearcleaning #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
How many ear infections is too many for a dog? Is it just one? Two? Or is it three?
At one point do you say … “hey, this is too many in my patient!!?”
The age, the breed and whether the infection is unilateral or bilateral may factor in my decision, but two infections is already one too many for me.
It is rare that I see the first-time ear infection in a patient. Most of my patients are coming to me because of months to years of ear infections. At one point in time, that patient had its first ear infection, then its second and now the ear infection has roller coaster out of control.
My message to all general practitioners with this post is to not forget to talk about the underlying causes for otitis with your clients. That it is important to address that underlying cause to prevent repeated infections in their pets.
GPs, you are the ones that see the first time or second time ear infection cases. Sending a patient home with ear medication without having the discussion of primary causes is doing the pet and client a disservice. This is especially so for brachycephalic breeds, like Pugs and Frenchie’s, who have narrowed ear canals to begin with and do not need many infections to occur to cause permanent scarring and closure of their ear canals.
We need to do better for our otitis patients.
#mysoapbox #dogearinfections #dogears #otitis #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
I searched and searched and finally found these cool shoes!
Styling at work!
#styleoftheday #sneakergallery #workshoes #dermatologist #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
An example of a deep skin infection on the hock of a dog. Important to culture these type of lesions to find the right medication to treat.
I prefer to do tissue cultures as sometimes a swab of the discharge will not provide accurate results. Tissue cultures means a biopsy which depending on the site may require the patient to be sedated to take the samples.
#bullydog #bullydogsofinstagram #bullydogproblems #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #allergies #vetdermatology #petowner #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
One of my pet peeves when reviewing medical records. I know someone here needed this clarification 😂
#petpeeves #medicalrecords #miamivetderm #gotitchypet #vetdermatology #dermatologiaveterinaria #vet #veterinarymedicine #vetmed #vetmedworld #vetmedicine #veterinarian #prevet #vetschool #vettechlife #vettech #medicinaveterinaria #petdermatologist
