Veterinarians

Veterinary Dermatology at CVETS

CVETS proudly partners with Animal Dermatology Clinic - Columbia for all of your pet's dermatology needs.

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Partners in Care with Animal Dermatology Clinic Columbia.

The board-certified dermatologists at Animal Dermatology Clinics are global leaders in the research, diagnosis, treatment, and education of dermatological conditions affecting pets and have pioneered cutting edge treatments for animal dermatology.

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Innovative Veterinary Dermatology Solutions.

The Animal Dermatology Group in Columbia performs the following Veterinary Dermatology services to the Midlands.

Allergy testing is the process of identifying specific allergens that may be causing reactions in an individual animal. This is currently the only reliable method for identifying which environmental allergens are responsible for symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis (skin and ear disease caused by reactions to environmental allergens).

Atopic dermatitis is diagnosed by a veterinary dermatologist by identifying typical age, history, skin and ear lesions, and by ruling out other potential causes. Once a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis is made allergy testing can be performed by intradermal (skin) allergy test or blood test.   The intradermal allergy test is the gold standard for identification of potential allergens and is performed by Animal Dermatology Clinic dermatologists in dogs, cats, horses and other species.

The process of intradermal allergy testing includes sedation or anesthesia (often depending on the breed), clipping of hair along the side of the chest, and injection of multiple allergens into the skin.   Dermatologists then observe these sites within 15 to 30 minutes for signs of reactions and record exact allergens that cause a response.

Chronic ear disease is one of the most common reasons pet owners present a pet to a veterinary dermatology specialist. Ear disease often recurs and persists in dogs due to incomplete or ineffective treatments or failure to diagnose the underlying cause. To improve treatment of pets with chronic ear disease, dermatologists often utilize video otoscopy. Video otoscopy has revolutionized the treatment of ear infections by dermatologists as it provides amazing clarity to assess the condition of the ear canal, eardrum and, at times, the middle ear.

Video otoscopy is the use of a small rigid otoscope with a camera built in that can be passed into the ear canal. The image is then projected onto a screen allowing magnification and much greater clarity to observe the deeper ear canal and structures. Small channels within the otoscope also allow instruments to be passed into the ear canal to facilitate deeper cleaning, polyp or tumor removal and other procedures. The use of video otoscopy in a challenging ear case is often the difference between months of continued struggles and a much more rapid resolution of infection and disease.

The video otoscopy examination typically requires general anesthesia due to the sensitive nature of the ear canal and the need for a perfectly still patient when performing this procedure. In some cases, video otoscopy is required just once, while other cases may need the procedure on more than one occasion over time to resolve a particular infection or challenging condition.

Chronic skin and ear disease can be frustrating for pets and their families. Chronic skin disorders can include constant itching and scratching, paw chewing, hair loss, constant or recurrent ear infections and many other sources of discomfort for pets. Hundreds of different diseases have been identified that may affect the skin and ears including allergy, severe infections, hormonal diseases, skin cancer and many more. And since many of these problems look alike and can occur simultaneously, they may be challenging to diagnose and treat. The veterinary dermatologists at Animal Dermatology Group have extensive experience in diagnosing and managing even the most difficult of these conditions. Veterinary dermatologists often work closely with general practice veterinarians who refer their most challenging patients for further diagnosis and care.

Food allergy is one of the most misunderstood allergic reactions in dogs. It is unfortunately further complicated by marketing and many unsubstantiated claims in the marketplace. In reality, food allergy is a fairly simple concept. Dogs and cats with food allergy have developed a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to one or more of the ingredients they have eaten in the past, or are currently eating. If the offending protein(s) or carbohydrate(s) can be removed from the pet’s diet, then progress should be seen, over a period of 6 to 8 or sometimes 12 weeks.

Since there is no reliable blood test or skin test for food allergy, the specific diagnosis relies on a properly performed elimination diet trial. An elimination diet trial is the complete elimination of all ingredients that an animal has eaten before since many of them could be a cause of food allergy. This must include the elimination of all treats, chews, bones, flavored heartworm or flea prevention since any of these may trigger an allergic response.

Food allergy in dogs and cats can also be complicated by secondary infections, such as bacterial or yeast infections. This can make the diagnosis more challenging since these infections can be itchy on their own and may prevent progress from being seen even when an elimination diet trial is properly performed.

Fleas have existed as a parasite of animals and humans for hundreds of years with more than 2000 species identified worldwide. While significant advances have been made in understanding the characteristics and biology of these parasites, they continue to pose a challenge for pets and pet owners. The presence of fleas on an animal can cause problems including itching, scratching, hair loss, secondary skin infections and in young or very small animals may result in anemia due to blood loss. Some animals may develop an allergic reaction to the bite of fleas, referred to as flea allergy or flea allergy dermatitis.

Unlike flea infestation, flea allergy requires only an occasional flea bite to produce significant inflammation and itching. In dogs, typical symptoms of flea allergy include itching, scratching, hair loss and papules along the back, rump and tail with involvement of ears and paws less common. Flea allergy in cats typically presents as small crusted eruptions often called miliary dermatitis. Lesions are most often seen along the back, rump and tail base or around the neck but may expand from these areas as problems continue. Hair loss may also be seen in cats, due to itching and excessive licking and may occur on the back, sides and abdomen.

Skin and ear disease can represent a variety of different disorders. The good news is that the problem is often literally on the surface. This allows for direct observation of lesions and for diagnostic tests to be performed in a quick and typically painless way. Veterinary dermatologists and the staff at Animal Dermatology Clinic are trained in evaluating these tests on site, in our laboratory to provide results in minutes instead of days. This allows more rapid and accurate decisions on the right course of treatment instead of waiting for test results that may be sent to outside laboratories.

Tests performed during a typical examination may include:

  • Impression smear cytology
  • Superficial or deep skin scrapes
  • Trichography
  • Fungal cultures and in house blood tests

Depending on the individual pet’s presentation of symptoms, a skin biopsy and dermatopathology reading may be recommended and scheduled.

Animal Dermatology Clinic Columbia.

Working with your primary veterinarian, the board certified veterinary dermatologists and patient care team at ADC-Columbia are highly skilled at getting to the root cause and underlying factors of acute and chronic skin conditions in pets. Our doctors are skilled in designing individualized treatment programs to help alleviate pet discomfort and provide you peace of mind about your pet’s health and quality of life.

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