dog allergies - Your Vet Wants You to Know

Anxiety and Allergies

Many pet owners may think their pet licks its paws because of anxiety. While anxiety may play a role in how itchy an allergic pet feels, when dogs lick their paws to the point of causing damage to the skin, anxiety it not the only problem. Dr. Lindsey McAuliffe, veterinary dermatologist, set out to study the role of anxiety in dogs with allergies. She found a fascinating change in many behaviors, including aggression, fear, touch sensitivity and trainability. If your allergic dog struggles with behavior problems, this is a fascinating conversation looking at what the research tells us.

Ear Cleaning

Ear cleaning can be incredibly important for dogs with ear infections and allergies. Pet owners may struggle with ear cleaning if the dog is fearful or painful. In this episode, Dr. Amy Pike, veterinary behavior specialist, discusses cooperative care techniques for low stress ear cleanings for your dog with ear infections. This episode is a great resource if your dog has ever had an ear infection and you are looking for a method that decreases pain and anxiety for everyone involved.

Itchy Pet Awareness Month – Dog Allergies Information and Support

August is Itchy Pet Awareness month. Many pet owners are not aware of veterinary dermatologists who can help. There are about 300 board certified veterinary dermatologists in the American College of Veterinary Dermatology who have undergone extensive training and completed research after veterinary school in order to specialize in the study of skin and ear disease, as well as allergies, immunology, and internal medicine. Petra Lee, of the Dog Allergies Information and Support Group, joins us to talk about how she discovered a veterinary dermatologist for her dog, Olive, and how she is advocating partnership between owners of allergic dogs and veterinarians.

Video Otoscopy

Sometimes, despite a veterinarian’s best efforts to clear an ear infection with medicated drops and cleaners, the infection will stubbornly persist. When a veterinarian is worried about conditions such as a long-term ear infection, a mass in the ear canal, material like matted hair, a foxtail, or trapped ear wax, or a deep infection in the middle ear on the other side of the ear drum, a video otoscopy and deep ear cleaning may be recommended. Join veterinary dermatologists and ear specialists Dr. Austin Richman and Dr. Brittany Lancellotti as they discuss the video otoscopy procedure, why they recommend it, the benefits and risks, and questions to discuss with your veterinarian for your dog or cat.

female veterinarian looking into a dog ear canal

Aural Hematomas

An aural hematoma is a painful swelling of a pet’s ear from buildup of fluid when the ear flap is damaged. It is not uncommon for ear infections to cause a pet to shake its head back and forth, leading to a swollen ear flap, also known as an aural hematoma. Golden retrievers, labrador retrievers, and dogs with allergies are at a higher risk for developing one or even multiple aural hematomas. Since these can be treated with several different methods, Dr. Brittany Lancellotti, veterinary dermatologist, discusses the risks and benefits to treatment options based on recent studies.

Cytology

“My pet smells like yeast!” Many diseases can cause an animal to “smell like yeast.” In this episode, Dr. Ashley Bourgeois, veterinary dermatologist and host of The Derm Vet podcast, joins Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to explain how cytology can help us figure out if the stink is really from yeast, or if there are other infections or diseases causing skin problems in your dog or cat. If your pet has ever had a skin or ear problem, allergies, or itching, this episode will help you understand why cytology is so helpful to your veterinarian.

Ear Infections Part 2

Itchy, smelly ears can be incredibly uncomfortable for dogs and cats with ear infections. Diego had such horrible ear infections, he was living in constant pain. This episode’s guest, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Meagan Painter, joins Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to discuss common tests, such as ear exams, cytology, and culture and what these tests tell your veterinarian. They describe common treatments, such as oral and topical medications, and how these treatments allowed Diego to live his best life, no longer in pain.

Ear Infections Part 1

If you have ever woken up in the middle of the night to your pet shaking its head and scratching its ears, you know how uncomfortable a pet can be when they have an ear infection. Ear infections have many causes. The key to treating the infection and stopping it from returning is understanding the primary, secondary, perpetuating and predisposing causes of ear infections. Join dermatologists Dr. Meagan Painter and Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to help you understand why your dog or cat is getting ear infections and how to stop them in their tracks so you can keep your animal happy and healthy.

Skin Infections Part 2

Skin infections with bacteria and yeast can make dogs and cats very itchy. Veterinarians often treat with topical therapy, like medicated bathing or spray. Sometimes the infection is too deep or severe for topicals. In this episode, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Alicia Webb Milum discusses how skin infections are diagnosed and when sets decide to reach for oral or injectable medications to treat those infections. If you have an itchy dog or cat, this episode is packed with information to improve your pet’s health.

Tag: dog allergies