Dermatology & Allergy Testing
Pet Skin- Allergies and Disorders
Skin diseases and allergies in pets can be very upsetting for both the pet and its owner. Often treatment regimes merely address the symptoms rather than the cause, resulting in a heavy financial and emotional toll on the owner.
The effective treatment of any skin disorder relies upon accurate diagnosis of the underlying causes. And the sooner the diagnosis, the faster and more effective the treatment is likely to be. The cost of an accurate diagnosis is often a fraction of the cost of treating symptomatically. More importantly, it can save years of medication and misery for itchy and unhappy pets.
It is important to understand that skin disorders can be caused by a number of factors which can present more of a problem for some breeds than others. Because skin problems in animals are often very complicated, the ability to accurately diagnose and treat the condition requires many years of education and experience.
The advanced dermatology services available at The Vet Centre include diagnosis and treatment of:
- Allergies
- Immune-mediated skin disorders
- Hormonal skin diseases and hair loss
- Ear diseases
- Skin cancers
Wandering Jew (also known as Wandering Willy or Wandering Dew) can cause particularly nasty skin reactions in dogs. The plant is a ground creeper and is very common in many parts of New Zealand. Dogs can develop red, itchy skin around their paws, legs and under the belly. This can then lead to a secondary infection when the dog scratches and bites the area in an effort to relieve the itching.
Intradermal Skin Testing for Assessment of Allergies
Skin allergies in pets are very distressing for both the pet and owner and can be very frustrating to treat. Effective treatment relies upon accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause. Intradermal skin testing is the gold standard in the diagnosis of skin allergies.
Once the diagnosis is made a course of immuno-modulating injections is prescribed to help reduce the pet’s response to the causitive allergen identified by the test. These injections are effective in reducing symptoms in 60-80% of allergic pets.
Stuart Burrough is the only vet in Marlborough with the necessary training and experience to perform intradermal skin testing and accepts referrals from other clinics.