Diseases Treated By Veterinary Dermatologists

Allergy. Most of the allergic diseases that occur in dogs and cats affect the skin. Cats also experience
allergy of the respiratory tract (asthma), but these cases are usually treated by internal medicine
specialists. Horses also express allergy through both the skin and respiratory tract, in about equal
proportions. The more common types of allergy affecting the skin include: reactions to food
ingredients, air-borne substances (pollens, molds, dust mites), and the bites of insects (fleas,
mosquitoes, gnats). Most types of allergies can be diagnosed and treated with hypoallergenic diet
trials and intradermal skin testing and hyposensitization vaccines. The dermatologist can also provide
help for respiratory allergy patients by offering allergy testing services, which few internal medicine
specialists are able to provide.

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Parasites of the skin. There are many diseases of the skin caused by parasites which may include
fleas, ticks, mites, biting flies, mosquitoes, and juvenile forms of parasitic worms.

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Infectious diseases of the skin. These include a wide range of bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal
diseases. Some of the most common infectious diseases are Staphylococcal bacterial infections in dogs
and "ringworm" (a fungus) in cats.
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Chronic or recurrent ear infections. There are many causes of recurrent ear infections, which are
most common in dogs (less frequent in cats). Evaluation and treatment of ear infections fall under the
expertise of the dermatologist, which is different from the situation in human medicine.

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Diseases of the feet, footpads, and nails. There are a wide variety of causes for diseases of the
feet, footpads, and nails including allergy, infection, parasites, tumors, and autoimmune diseases.
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Autoimmune skin diseases. Autoimmune skin diseases are diseases in which the body’s own
immune system attacks the skin as if it were suddenly recognized as foreign.

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Endocrine (hormonal) and internal diseases. There are many internal problems that can cause
skin disease, including diseases of the liver, pancreas, hormone-producing glands, and gastro-
intestinal tract. The dermatologist may work in concert with the internal medicine specialist to treat
some of these conditions.

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Skin cancer. Some types of skin cancer are treated by dermatologists. Others are treated by the
oncologist (cancer specialist).