ALLERGIES/DERMATOLOGY

THE FOLLOWING INFO IS FROM VETOQUINOL

All  pets can benefit from a bath as part of their routine maintenance  grooming, as it will help to remove dirt, excessive oils and smells. The  frequency may vary based on the individual, but once per month is a  good starting point for most dogs and this can be increased when your  furry friend finds something dirty or smelly to get into. Your pet may  require more frequent bathing based on their individual circumstances,  such as their coat type, the amount of oil produced by their skin, any  underlying conditions (allergies for example), and the types of  activities they participate in (frequent swimming in a pond/lake, areas  with ticks in the environment, etc.). Cats are less likely to need  regular bathing, but may still benefit from an occasional bath depending  on their individual circumstances. Here are some medical reasons your  pet may require a regular bath:

Allergies
Animals with allergies to environmental substances such as grasses,  pollens, molds, and mildews can benefit greatly from a consistent  bathing routine. Just the simple act of bathing with a quality shampoo  can help to physically remove environmental allergens from the skin  surface before they get a chance to begin to cause inflammation and  itchiness. For routine bathing purposes, without a secondary issue such  as a skin infection, a general use shampoo such as Aloe and Oatmeal  Shampoo is a nice option that offers a gentle soap free shampoo that  lathers well and smells very pleasant. Additional benefit can be  obtained in pets who have dry skin or allergies, by using Aloe and  Oatmeal Conditioner following the shampoo. This will help lend extra  moisture to the skin, which can aid in improving the epidermal barrier.  Think of this epidermal layer of the skin as a shield against the  outside world. Dryness, trauma, and chronic inflammation from allergies  represent cracks in this protective shield, which in turn can lead to  more itchiness, allow allergens to absorb more easily, and potentially  allow for a bacterial or yeast infection to get started.

Skin Conditions
If your pet has an underlying medical issue, they can benefit from one  of the medicated shampoo options. Your veterinarian is a wealth of  knowledge and can help decide which product may be right for your pet’s  particular skin condition. Shampoos, conditioners, sprays, and dips are  available that help combat bacterial infections, yeast infections,  itchiness, ringworm, mites that cause mange, scaling and crusting  disorders.

Skin Infections
Skin infections are one of the most common reasons that our pets visit  the veterinary hospital and medicated shampoo treatments are an  extremely important part of this treatment plan. Once a diagnosis is  made, your veterinarian will most likely prescribe an oral antibiotic or  antifungal medication, depending on the type of infection. Using a  topical treatment in addition to the oral medication is an important  adjunctive treatment that allows us to treat the condition using  multi-modal therapy. This can help to completely clear the infection  quicker and more effectively.

There are a number of options available to suit your pets’ needs,  whether they need a routine use shampoo and conditioner or a medicated  treatment option. No matter what the situation is, we have a helpful  solution to their problem. Your veterinarian is a wealth of knowledge  and will be able to help you determine the best treatment plan for your  pet’s individual needs.

Routine  bathing can be an important part of your pet’s dermatologic health, not  to mention they will smell more pleasant and feel softer as a result!  Beyond routine bathing, a medicated shampoo therapy is indicated if  there is an underlying skin condition such as a skin infection.

How to Bathe Your Pet:

1. Choose a location that is easiest to efficiently  bathe your pet. This may need to be a bathtub to keep your pet confined,  or giving the bath outside may prove to be the easiest location for you  provided the weather is right and you can restrain them properly while  giving the bath.
2. Thoroughly wet your pet with clean, lukewarm water.
3. Liberally apply the shampoo and lather it up while massaging your pet. 
   • Be sure to apply the shampoo everywhere that you need it. This is  particularly important for medicated shampoos so that the treatment is  fully effective in the areas it is most needed. Key areas to remember  include the pockets where the legs meet the body, skin folds, between  the toes, underneath the tail, etc.
   • For medicated shampoos, you must allow a minimum of 5-10 minutes of  contact time for the product to achieve its full therapeutic benefit.  This means you should apply a medicated product everywhere 1st and then  start the clock.

1. Once properly applied and minimum contact time has been met, rinse the product off thoroughly and completely, so there is no product left on your pet’s skin/coat.
2. If additional moisturization is desired, a conditioner can be used after the shampoo process is complete.

Try to make bath time an enjoyable time! Some pets really enjoy a  bath and a massage, while bath time may be lower on the list of favorite  things to do for others. Incorporating small pieces of their favorite  treats can help to keep them distracted and make the bathing process  more enjoyable for everyone involved. It can be useful to have an extra  person who is dedicated to rapidly and nearly continuously providing  very small pieces of treats to the pet. It may be helpful to time the  bath around a time when the pet is hungry to make this technique even  more successful.

If your pet is in need of medicated shampoo therapy or even just a  routine bath shampoo, please consult with your veterinarian for a  treatment plan tailored to your individual pet!

Allergies  are one of the top reasons that dogs and cats end up going to see their  veterinarian. Some of the most commonly diagnosed allergens are  environmental and include pollens (grass, tree, or weed), mold spores,  mildews, and dust mites.

When trying to diagnose the problem, it is important to make sure  that other conditions are not the main cause or at least contributing  concurrently to your pet’s symptoms. Other medical issues can cause  similar symptoms as allergens and it is important to make the correct  diagnosis. Your veterinarian’s experience can help them rule out other  conditions that can cause the same types of symptoms as environmental  allergies. A good timeline and history of when the signs first started,  the seasons when your pet tends to exhibit these signs each year, when  the signs are at their absolute worst, etc. can assist your veterinarian  tremendously in making a proper diagnosis. In addition to the detailed  history that you can provide to your veterinarian, a physical exam and  some basic tests (skin cytology, skin scrapings, etc.) are necessary to  rule out other potential causes of your pet’s symptoms.

Once there is a strong suspicion that environmental allergies are the  main cause of the symptoms, the gold standard for diagnosing patients  with environmental allergies is to do an allergy test – an intradermal  skin test is typically preferred, but a blood test for environmental  allergies is an alternative option. This testing will help identify  which specific substances your pet is allergic to. From here, the most  recommended treatment is giving hyposensitization injections or “allergy  shots”. These shots are typically given once weekly with the  concentration gradually increased over time. These injections can  decrease the body’s inflammatory response to the allergens, which means  less inflammation, less itchiness, and a better quality of life.

Beyond hyposensitization allergy injections, there are other  medications that can be of benefit for allergic patients. It is  important to differentiate that allergy shots go directly to the root of  the problem, while some of these other options may only help to  temporarily alleviate the signs and symptoms associated with the  underlying allergies. Nonetheless, these other treatments can play an  important role when used periodically in conjunction with allergy shots  or if allergy shots are not pursued:

• Fish oil supplementation (Omega 3 fatty acids, which is safe to use long term)
• Regular bathing (maintenance shampoo or a medicated shampoo if secondary problems such as skin infection are present)
• Antihistamines
• Steroids
• Other itch/inflammation blocking medications prescribed by your veterinarian

Environmental allergies are a common problem. Your veterinarian is a  wealth of information and they can help you determine the best way to  deal with your pet’s individual situation. If you have a pet exhibiting  frequent skin issues, ear issues, itchiness, etc. then a consultation  with your veterinarian is important to discuss these issues. If  necessary, your veterinarian can refer you to a board certified  Veterinary Dermatologist for further evaluation.