June 23, 2025 by OVRS Staff

Skin issues in pets can bother the whole family. It’s hard to be happy when our pets are suffering, especially when we don’t know what’s causing it. Several factors can contribute to skin issues in animals. Luckily, veterinary dermatologists provide relief for animals suffering from skin conditions. This guide will help you determine what to expect from your pet’s dermatology appointment.

First Step: Diagnosis

Before the dermatology team can find the right treatment for your pet, we must first discover what is causing the animal’s skin issues. Whether your pet is suffering from itchiness, hot spots, or anything in between, it’s important for us to dive deeper to find out what could be causing it. We use a combination of a detailed health history and state-of-the-art diagnostics to determine what is happening inside your pet. Some common reasons for skin issues in pets include:

Be prepared to answer questions about your pet’s daily activities, symptoms, and general health. The more specific you can be with these answers, the faster the veterinary team can determine a diagnosis. If possible, take notes when your pet is having a flare-up, and try to be as descriptive as possible about what your pet did and the environment he was in before the issue occurred.

Dermatology Diagnostics

Depending on your pet’s symptoms and health history, the dermatologist might use a series of tests to better confirm what is happening inside his or her body. Some of these tests include:

  • Biopsy
  • Otoscopy
  • Intradermal allergy testing (skin testing)
  • Serum allergy testing

These diagnostics give us a deeper look into what’s happening internally for your pet and help us find the true source of the skin issues. The results from these tests, combined with what we’ve learned about your pet’s daily activities and health history, can paint a clear picture of what is causing his or her suffering.

Treatment Options

Once we know what we’re dealing with, we can talk through treatment options to determine which is the best for your pet. Our team will provide you with a detailed description of the available treatments and explain how they can help. It is essential that we have your feedback before finalizing a treatment plan to ensure that it works for you and for your pet. A few of our treatment options that could be included in the plan:

  • Immunotherapy
  • Topical products like shampoos
  • Medication
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Long-term maintenance options if there is no cure for your pet’s condition

We aim for the treatment plan to be both effective and achievable, and we will do everything possible to find one that strikes this balance.

At Oakland Veterinary Referral Services, we want you to have access to the specialty veterinary care you need. Our board-certified dermatologist is here to help your pets find relief from their skin issues. At your pet’s dermatology appointment, our specialty team will work diligently to identify the cause of your pet’s issue, enabling us to provide the most effective treatment. Call (248) 334-6877 to schedule an appointment.

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Posted in: Pet Safety | For The Dogs
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