Dermatology Services

Your dog or cat’s skin is their organs’ protective barrier from the outside world. Skin issues can make them more susceptible to certain parasites or could be a sign of an underlying health condition. If you notice any redness, inflammation or other irregularities in your dog or cat’s skin, please contact us at 613-247-0013.

What causes skin issues?

Skin problems are common in dogs and cats. They can be caused by hormonal disorders, allergies, infections, or parasites such as fleas and mites. These issues can be difficult to treat and should be addressed promptly. We can often diagnose a skin problem by simply examining your dog or cat. Some dermatologic diseases or conditions do require additional diagnostic procedures to ensure they’re correctly diagnosed. Depending on their symptoms and the results of our physical exam, we could run bloodwork or perform urinalysis, skin scraping, or biopsy.

What are some common skin issues?

A dog or cat’s skin issues usually stem from allergies, environmental irritants or parasites. When they have allergic reactions to food or environmental triggers like pollen, they could develop red bumps throughout their skin. They are typically extremely itchy so you should notice your dog or cat constantly biting at or excessively itching a particular area of their skin. Environmental irritants like trees, dust and grass can also cause redness and inflammation. Parasite bites from ticks and fleas can cause inflammation and discomfort. Other skin issues include: 

• Patches
• Scabs
• Scaling
• Lumps

How should I treat skin issues?

Depending on the cause of your dog or cat’s skin issue, we could recommend topical ointments or prescribe antibiotics. We highly recommend a monthly preventative to prevent parasite infections, like fleas and ticks. These are usually broad spectrum, which means they protect against a range of parasites.