Dermatology

Dermatology is the study of the skin. Cats and dogs often come to our referral clinic with abnormalities of the skin or coat, including excessive itching, self-trauma, hair loss or changes in their coat or skin colour. We examine a great variety of complex cases; allergic animals make up the bulk of our cases but we also regularly see auto-immune skin diseases such as pemphigus, bacterial infection, hormone disorders, and congenital problems.

During your one hour’s initial consultation, your pet’s skin will be carefully examined, this may include microscopic examination of skin scrapings, plucked hairs and possibly samples from pustules or other skin lesions. This can usually be done while you wait, sometimes giving you an immediate answer to what is causing your pet’s problem. Patients may also be hospitalised for further investigation such as blood tests, intradermal allergy testing or skin biopsies.

Some investigations need to be done a step at a time. For example we may suggest feeding your pet a special diet for a few weeks before carrying out more complex tests.

If you have an appointment to see the dermatologist at NKR Veterinary Specialists, we will discuss the options with you that are available to diagnose and treat your pet’s skin problems, before jointly agreeing a treatment plan.