Pet Dermatology from Your Veterinarian in Mifflintown
People routinely spend a great deal of time and effort to make sure their skin is in optimal condition — but it’s important to realize that a pet’s skin needs attention too. Animals are vulnerable to a wide range of skin threats, from pet allergies and and fungal infections to cancer. Fortunately, Juniata Veterinary Clinic can offer your beloved companion a high standard of veterinary dermatology from your veterinarian in Mifflintown.
Conditions That Call for Pet Dermatology
Any pet can develop the occasional harmless freckle or blackhead — but serious skin conditions can and do afflict animals as well. Issues that may require pet dermatology from your Mifflintown veterinarian include:
- Allergic dermatitis – Food allergies and pet allergies often manifest themselves as itchy, red or swollen areas of skin. This reaction is called allergic dermatitis. Flea and tick bites often cause obsessive pet itching to the point that the skin is broken, an invitation to secondary bacterial infections.
- Mange – Mange is a parasitic infestation. Mites invade the skin to produce severe itching, redness, crusting and patches of hair loss, most commonly on the face. Pets with immune system issues may prove especially vulnerable to it.
- Ringworm – Ringworm isn’t a worm infestation — it’s a fungal skin infection. Ringworm is so named for the characteristic ring-shaped lesions it produces on the skin. Your pet’s hair might hide these lesions, or it may reveal them in the form of circular patches of hair loss. Other symptoms include scaly, thickened or reddened.
- Skin cancer – Skin cancer is not uncommon in many animals. You may notice a lump under the skin, or a sore that never seems to heal. Even though the majority of tumors turn out to be benign, it is important to get them checked out, especially since the deadly form of melanoma can grow and spread quickly.
Every Mifflintown veterinarian on our skilled team can help your pet enjoy healthier skin. Preventative care can bring an end to a lot of skin problems, which is why it’s so important to schedule regular wellness exams with your veterinarian in Mifflintown. Routine inspection and palpation can uncover potential tumors, infections or infestations that may merit additional evaluation and treatment. We can then recommend the appropriate remedies, from medication to tumor removal.
Food allergies can mimic other allergic responses, including pet itching and other skin problems. We can perform blood or skin tests to confirm or rule out other allergens while putting your pet on an elimination diet to isolate a problematic ingredient or food.