Veterinary Dermatology & Allergies Shropshire

You want your dog to be comfortable and happy. So, it can be upsetting noticing them scratching, gnawing their skin, or displaying other apparent signs of allergy and skin conditions.
Consult a veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog experiencing symptoms of a potential allergy/condition.

The most common types of skin disease include

• Allergies- flea, food and environmental
• Infections- bacterial, fungal
• Mites- sarcoptes, demodex
• Immune-mediated conditions

There are several suggestions an issue with a skin condition is present ranging from minor to severe, that could point to an allergy in your dog:

• Skin Sores
• Skin sores or skin lesions
• Dry skin/flaky skin/scaly skin
• Rashes
• Lumps
• Redness
• Dandruff
• Bumps
• Intense itching
• Excessive licking
• Excessive scratching
• Hair loss/bald patches
• Hot spots of inflamed skin (also known as acute moist dermatitis)

The sooner you seek assistance, the sooner your dog can receive treatment and return to feeling comfortable and contented again.

To get help with diagnosing your dog’s suspected allergies, contact Trusted Vets here

There are three basic categories of allergies, and cats and dogs can have allergies to one or more of these things. Your pet might be allergic to a very specific item inside each group, but in general, the groupings overlap; allergies are like a Venn diagram. Therefore, any one or all the three main types of substances may cause an allergic reaction in your pet.

A step-by-step process is used to exclude groups to determine what your pet is allergic to. The process begins by gathering a thorough history of your pet to learn about parasite control, food diet, etc. The dermatologist will then do a general physical examination before focusing on the skin and any visible lesions.

Testing includes coat brushings, hair pulls, and skin scrapes

Tests such as coat brushings, hair pulls, and skin scrapes can be carried out to rule out skin parasites. If parasites are present, they can be identified when all these samples are examined under a microscope. In some circumstances, additional testing is necessary, and samples must be sent to an outside lab, such as when testing requires a blood test.

Identify and treat skin infections

The next step is to identify and treat any skin infections that already exist. Due to the makeup of their skin, allergic cats and dogs are particularly prone to developing secondary bacterial and/or fungal infections. Often diseases of the skin are extremely uncomfortable and can also be difficult to diagnose.

Diet Trials

A trial of diet can be performed once the skin has cleared of illness. A dermatologist-recommended diet is introduced gradually in place of your pet’s current food over a diet trial. The trial will last six to eight weeks, and the dermatologist will select the diet that is best for your pet. After around six weeks, if your pet has a food allergy, you should see an improvement and an overall reduction in itching.
Your pet will have to be re-challenged, meaning they will be given their old diet back while having their response watched. If a food allergy is the suspected diagnosis after the experiment the change will result back to itching, therefore the food allergy is confirmed as the cause.

Atopic Dermatitis

After ruling out parasites, secondary infections, and food allergies, atopic dermatitis is then identified. Figuring out exactly what your pet is allergic to in the environment and physically reducing their exposure to it can be very challenging. Typically, owners of young to middle-aged cats and dogs can consider immunotherapy as a treatment for atopic dermatitis. Where a blood test is tested against a vast profile of allergens such as parasites, grass pollens and tree pollens.

Alongside an allergy skin test, which is a little more invasive than the blood test. Your pet will be sedated, and a section of hair on its side will be clipped, a small amount of allergen will be injected beneath the skin, and the process will be monitored to see how your pet reacts.

Book dog or cat allergy/condition treatment at Trusted Vets near Shropshire today

If your dog has started scratching and itching more often than normal, it could be caused by one of these common issues: infections, parasites, or allergies.

Each of these elements may be included in some complicated circumstances. Infections triggered by bacteria often resemble spots or pimples. Your pet’s skin can appear greasy or oily if they are suffering from a yeast infection. Ear infections are also common. Otoscopes are tools that veterinarians can use to examine the inner ear in detail. To determine the type of infection present and recommend the correct medication to treat the condition, veterinarians collect a tiny sample of skin or blood. There are a range of various methods for the treatment of ear mites. While some are medication or spot treatments, others are topical solutions. Applying a topical anti-parasite treatment once a month and cleaning your dog’s ears are both effective preventative measures. The best course of action for your dog can be determined by your vet.

Seasonal Allergies

Like hay fever in people, atopic dermatitis affects dogs and cats, but instead of the respiratory system, the skin is affected. Some of these allergies may be seasonal, for instance, the pollen allergy season peaks in the spring and summer. In the pollen season, bathing your dog can reduce the number of allergens that come into touch with the skin, but if the skin is already affected, please ask a professional what shampoo to use.

Dogs can be allergic to many kinds of things, but the skin can only respond in a limited number of ways. Most of the symptoms we observe in dogs that are itchy are brought on by the dog scratching at the skin, which damages its natural flora and allows infections to grow. There are many different types of treatments, including shampoos, dietary supplements, medications to halt scratching, routine injections, and vaccines.

Trusted Vets near Shropshire, expert diagnosis and treatment for allergies and skin conditions

Fleas and ticks affect your dog’s skin by biting and sucking its blood. Flea saliva enters the body after insect bites, which can cause an allergic response. This then irritates your pet’s skin, causing them to itch profusely. Severe parasite allergy symptoms in dogs include inflamed, red skin. Pets will often scratch the bite marks, and dogs may chew at their fur to relieve the itching. In extreme conditions, their fur can fall out in patches.
Fleas are tiny parasites that can survive in our carpets and bedding. It’s so important to vacuum regularly and wash your pet’s bed. Also making sure they’re up-to-date with their preventative treatments to kill off any bugs. Fleas also carry tapeworms so it is important to treat for worms as well as fleas if your pet becomes affected.

Ticks are opportunistic parasites and will feed on any host including dogs, cats and humans. They are common in places with livestock such as deer, cattle and sheep. They can carry diseases such as Lymes disease which are very serious conditions and can be life-threatening. We recommend using a tick repellant if walking your dog across farmland. Or visiting areas with high numbers of livestock such as the southwest of England and Wales.

Sudden onset of itching – particularly to the face, feet, chest and stomach – can indicate an environmental allergy. This is triggered when your dog is in contact with the cause of irritation.
This particular type of allergy in dogs is called ‘atopy’ and is similar to how people have hay fever. Except that dogs show it by having irritated, itchy skin rather than watery eyes and sneezing.
Some of the most common allergens for dogs that cause skin allergies are grass, dust mites and pollen. We’ll perform a blood test to help diagnose whether your pet reacts. Treating environmental allergies can sometimes be difficult and in the most severe cases require shampoos, tablets and injections. Over recent years, there have been some new drugs developed that have revolutionised allergen care. At Trusted Vets, we can offer a combination of treatments to help ease your pet’s symptoms effectively.

Call today to arrange a consultation with one of our Dog Allergists near Shropshire

Increased itching often involving the face, feet, ears and anus are a sign of a potential dog food allergy. They are one of the most common skin conditions in dogs. Dogs can develop food allergies from the type of protein consumed as part of their diet.  For example, beef, eggs, chicken and dairy, although some dogs also suffer from allergies to wheat or even vegetables.
Like humans with food intolerances, pets must go through an elimination diet process for 8-12 weeks to rule out different causes. Your vet will advise step by step on this type of treatment and how best to carry it out. You mustn’t feed your dog any of the suspected allergens during the elimination process. This is to get a clear result and ensure your vet can prescribe an effective treatment process.

Arrange a consultation with our Dog Allergist at Trusted Vets near Shropshire to help ease the discomfort of your pet’s skin condition

Ringworm, despite its name, is not a worm but a fungus that is highly contagious to other animals and humans. The fungal infection appears as crusty, circular patches and is often found on a dog’s head, paws, ears and front legs. Your dog’s skin can also appear inflamed and red from where they have irritated the area from scratching. It’s imperative that you contact your vet straight away if you spot any signs of irritation, who can prescribe a topical treatment to kill the fungus and prevent it from spreading.

Yeast Infections
Warm areas on a dog’s body attract yeast infections, which love to grow in hard-to-reach areas, such as the ear canal, in between your dog’s toe, groin and perineum. With a yeast infection, the skin can thicken, causing your dog to itch and bite at the infected area. Yeast infections and similar skin diseases can lead to discoloured skin and tend to smell unpleasant. A topical cream, washes and tablets will help to relieve the symptoms and help cure the infected site, leading to healthy skin.

Mange is a severe skin condition caused by several species of mites that live on the dog’s hair and skin.

There are 2 main types of mange: one caused by the Demodex mite ‘demodectic mange’, which tends to affect dogs under one-year-old, older dogs or pets with another underlying condition.
Sarcoptic mange is caused by Sarcoptes mites, which is an intensely itchy condition and is often first seen on the dog’s ears. Symptoms of mange include hair loss on the face and legs, along with severe itching and redness around the affected areas.

As with fleas and ticks, if your pet has mange, wash their bedding and make sure any other animals avoid contact with this pet. Mange is diagnosed by the vet by looking at a sample of some of the skin under the microscope. Treatment includes tablets and dedicated shampoos to kill the mite, and ease the itching and inflammation – in fact, some of the flea and worm products that vets prescribe can also protect against mange.