Allergies & Dermatology

Is your pet’s itchy skin driving you both batty?

There are a wide variety of ailments that can affect a companion animal’s skin, and the symptoms can range from minor to severe. You don’t want your pet to suffer and neither do we! 

The professional allergy and dermatology services at Westside Animal Hospital are designed to help get your loved one as healthy on the outside as on the inside.

Diagnosing the Problem

To help your pet feel better, we must start by identifying precisely what’s causing the problem. We may be able to tell what’s wrong just by examining your pet, or we may need to investigate further. Diagnostic tests like blood work, skin scrapings, and biopsies can provide the answers we need to move forward with a cure.

Some dermatological issues we routinely assist with include:

• Allergies (food and/or environmental)
• Infections (acute or chronic)
• Parasites
• Dermatitis
• Hormonal disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Tumors
• Skin cancer

Developing a Treatment Plan

With an accurate diagnosis in hand, the next step is determining the best course of action for treatment. Depending on the situation, we may recommend something as simple as applying a prescription cream. More complex conditions may require a longer-term strategy or involve a combination of multiple treatment methods. 

Signs of a potential skin problem include:

• Excessive scratching
• Scabbing or flaking of the skin
• Hot spots
• Shedding more than usual
• Biting, chewing or licking at the affected area
• Bumps or lumps on or under the skin

If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to schedule an appointment. Call Westside Animal Hospital. We can help your loved one live a more comfortable life.