Thought we'd forgotten?

Did you think we'd already forgotten to post on the blog? Well, sort of. Dr. Shrum was visiting a very cold Mickey Mouse last week which meant Dr. Powell and Dr. Storm were extra busy. So I'm back now (and warmer, believe it or not)and figured I'd better get something posted. So guess what the most common illness I've seen in my 3 days back has been? Skin allergies. In the dead of winter!

Now some of these dogs have had fleas. If a dog or cat is allergic to flea saliva, a condition we call flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), a single flea bite will make the entire animal itch for up to 2 weeks. These animals require consistant, effective flea control to keep this condition under wraps. Come see us or send an email for the products we have found to work the best for most FAD pets. Many of these dogs have had seasonal allergies, a condition called atopy. Atopy will trigger itchy skin or ears and frequently leads to secondary skin and ear infections. Dogs may scratch or lick and chew themselves or shake their ears repeatedly. The list of treatments is too involved for this blog, but it does require quite a bit of commitment on the owner's part to keep the clinical signs at a minimum and the patient comfortable. Most atopy dogs with problems in the winter are allergic to dust mites in the house. I would venture a guess that the excessive rainfall we've had the past couple of months has led to a healthy mold spore population and that may be making this year an especially difficult year for some dogs. Trust me, it's been a bad itchy skin year! The next group of itchy dogs have food allergies. Again, a difficult topic for a blog but suffice it say that success lies in eliminating EVERY protein a dog may be allergic to and keeping it out of their diet. That's not as easy as it sounds.

Most of these dogs will receive steroids to help relieve their itch. Steroids are wonderful drugs IF they are used correctly. That means in the lowest effective doses for the shortest amount of time. That's not always so easy either. We always add other treatment modalities to reduce or eliminate steroid usage. These may include a combination of antihistamines, omega fatty acids, antibiotics or antifungals for secondary infections, topical sprays, and therapeutic baths. We can even test your dog or cat for their specific allergies and start hyposensitization injections. The trick is to find what works for each individual patient. You might get to know your veterinarian quite well!

So, are you glad I got a new post up? Quite a topic for a cold rainy weekend, huh? If you have any friends you think would be interested in this blog be sure to pass the address along. And if you want to be alerted to new postings as they're posted, you can become a "follower" of the blog. Read the instructions though.... I'm not the most high-tech computer geek. I prefer the cuddly critters best!

Dr. Shrum