1. Dr fionnuala fallon MVB Park pets veterinary clinic kinnegad
SKIN DISEASE IN DOGS
Dr fionnuala fallon MVB
Park pets veterinary clinic kinnegad

2. DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL PRACTICE
SKIN – LARGEST ORGAN IN BODY
GIVES VETS THE MOST HEADACHES
SECOND MOST COMMON CONSULTATION AFTER ROUTINE PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE
PRURITIS MOST COMMON COMPLAINT ACCOUNTING FOR 30-40% OF SKIN PROBLEMS

3. VETERINARY DERMATOLOGY - MOSTLY ABOUT DOING DETECTIVE WORK

5. Step one: take a thorough history
Major client complaint
Description of disease onset 
Description of skin disease progression 
Degree and location of pruritus
Current and prior treatments and response 
Parasite history and current parasite control—or lack thereof
Evidence of contagion to other animals or people.
Clinical signs the owner has observed
Evidence of concurrent disease

7. COAT AND SKIN EXAMINATION
Isolating ectoparasites
If ectoparasites are found (fleas, Sarcoptes, Demodex, Cheyletiella spp., Neotrombicula autumnalis, etc.), appropriate treatment should be given and the animal reassessed 3 to 4 weeks later. If we don't find them, a diagnostic therapy can be considered.

8. Clinical exam – nose to tail

9. Basic diagnostic tests
skin scrape to look for parasites
Tape strip for cytology to look for yeast or fungal elements
Hair plucks for fungal culture
Basic diagnostic tests

10. Skin scrape can detect mange 50% of the time

11. SARCOPTIC MANGE
 Sarcoptes mites burrow through the skin causing intense itching and irritation

12. Walking Dandruff

14. Harvest mites

15. Tape strips are useful

16. Performing a tape strip
Press a clear acetate strip onto affected areas of the dog’s skin
Stain and allow to dry.
Place strip onto microscope slide
Examine slide under high power (x400) and oil immersion

17. Tape strip
Yeast (Malassezia) Malassezia have a distinctive ‘footprint’ or ‘peanut’ shape. More than two Malassezia per high power (x400) field is suggestive of Malassezia dermatitis.
Bacteria Neutrophils containing intracellular bacteria are diagnostic of bacterial pyoderma. Cocci are a typical cause of pyoderma. Rods suggest an atypical infection. Consider carrying out culture and sensitivity tests.

18. Tape strip for cytology

19. Hot spots – my favourite
The area usually appears red, raised, irritated and has some degree of hair loss

20. Impetigo – puppies – pus filled blisters
Puppy acne - superficial pyoderma

21. Folliculitis

22. Seborrhea – greasy and scaly – can be genetic and last a lifetime
Topical shampoos can help

23. Changes in texture and colour – chronic – see a vet!

24. Deep pyoderma – takes weeks to treat

25. Dry flaky skin – can indicate bad diet or oil deficiency

26. Acral lick granuloma
Painful and chronic

27. Skin tumours

28. Difficult lesions
Perianal fistulas – german shepherds

29. Immune disorders

30. Anal sac disease

31. Fungal culture - Ringworm

32. Ringworm – zoonotic
dog
cat

33. Hair plucks – for cytology and fungal culture

34. ALLERGIC DISEASE FLEA ALLERGY FOOD ALLERGY ATOPIC DERMATITIS
ATOPIC DOGS ARE ITCHY 100% OF THE TIME
ATOPY MEANS MULTIPLE ALLERGIES
ENVIRONMENTAL ALLERGENS ARE THE MOST COMMON
FLEA ALLERGY
FOOD ALLERGY
ATOPIC DERMATITIS
CONTACT ALLERGY

35. Allergic dermatitis
Common
Frustrating
Sometimes we can only manage these cases

37. FLEA ALLERGY

39. Don’t wait to see adult fleas to treat for fleas
There are a variety of ways you get into trouble when it comes to fleas:
— No treatment all winter, start treating May or June.
— Use over the counter products purchased at a supermarket
— Treat the dogs, but not the cats.
— Only treat the pets that live strictly outdoors.
— Only treat the pets that live strictly indoors.
— Buy products that come with a guarantee – but buy from online pharmacies, voiding the guarantee.
— Wash pets with
. (Please don’t do this!)
— Fail to use products each and every month on every pet.

40. NOW THREE MONTHY AVAILABLE
TOPICAL SPOT ON
ORAL TABLET
COLLARS
TOPICAL SPRAYS
MONTHLY
NOW THREE MONTHY AVAILABLE
Types of flea control

41. ENVIRONMENTAL ALLERGENS

42. Allergy testing

43. Allergy testing – blood tests

44. Immunotherapy – expensive

45. FOOD ALLERGIES

46. Little white dogs ! Food trial Food trial Food trial Feet licking
scooting
Chronic ears

47. CONTACT ALLERGY
MOSTLY ON VENTRUM

48. LET’S TALK ABOUT OTITIS!

49. OTITIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH DERMATITIS
43% OF OTITIS CASES ARE LINKED WITH ALLERGY

50. WORKUP OF NON LESIONAL PRURITIS

51. Systemic disease – cushings

52. Hypothyroidism – in house testing

53. Seasonal flank alopecia – boxers

54. Cavaliers – watch for Syringomyelia
Scratching with no lesions
Genetic

55. Blocked tear ducts

56. Treatments – new and old – but not this !!!

57. Questions?