Minor Medical Care – Skin Package

Signs of skin disease often look the same regardless of the cause, so successful treatment involves properly identifying the cause of your pet’s skin condition.

by Dr. Julie Sheil, VetIQ Veterinarian

Minor Medical Care – Skin Package

Skin disease in dogs and cats can be triggered by a variety of causes including parasites (such as fleas, microscopic mange mites), skin infections (such as bacteria, yeast, ringworm), environmental allergies, and food allergies. In addition, excessive moisture due to skin folds or matted fur can also result in skin disease. Finally, hormonal diseases such as hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease can cause signs of skin disease.

Because signs of skin disease often look the same regardless of the cause, successful treatment involves properly identifying the cause of your pet’s skin condition. This requires a methodical approach using appropriate, and sometimes repeated, testing. It is also important to note that your pet’s skin condition can be caused by more than one trigger at any given time. For example, pets with allergies or hypothyroidism often have secondary skin infections. If underlying causes are not properly managed, the skin disease will continue. Successful treatment is a team effort between you, the pet parent, and your VIP Petcare veterinarian.

Signs your pet may have skin disease include:

Itching, scratching, licking, chewing, or biting the skin (including feet, face, and mouth)
Visible trauma to the skin such as scratches, bleeding, or open wounds
Changes in the appearance of the skin such as increased redness, thickening, dark patches, flakiness, greasiness, pimples, scabs, or crusty areas
An odor coming from the skin (even after a recent bath)
Patchy areas of hair loss
Discharge or abnormal wetness to the skin, such as a “hot spot” or wet skin folds)

Pet parents should seek medical evaluation for their pet at the first sign of skin disease. Attempting to self-treat your pet is not recommended and may result in prolonged suffering as pets with ear disease are often very uncomfortable if not painful. Incorrect treatment with inappropriate or potentially harmful over-the-counter products is not only a waste of money but will result in prolonged illness for your pet.

VIP Petcare Minor Medical Care – Skin Package includes:

A physical examination
Skin scraping to check for microscopic mange mites
Skin cytology to check for evidence of bacterial or yeast infection
Flea combing to check for fleas (note: fleas can be difficult to find and even one or two fleas can cause significant skin disease in some patients)
Instruction on proper skin care (bathing, grooming, parasite prevention)
Discussion of any additional tests or therapies as needed for long-term management

VIP Petcare Skin Package does not include:

Cost of prescription medications such as antibiotics, antifungals, steroids, allergy medications
Cost of prescription parasite control drugs such as flea and tick medication, medications for treatment of mange mites)
Follow-up examination and testing to confirm resolution of the skin disease
Cost of additional tests or ongoing therapies as needed for long-term management