Just like humans, pets can develop skin infections. If you live in Columbus, OH, and are worried that your pet might have a skin infection, bring him to Hamilton Road Animal Hospital. We have a veterinarian and veterinary team who are skilled in the field of pet skin infections.
What Kinds of Skin Infections Do Pets Get?
There are several types of infections that can affect your pet. They include:
- Bacterial
- Fungal
- Parasitic
- Viral
Your pet can show many different signs that something like this is bothering him. These symptoms include:
- Itching
- Redness
- Raised Areas of Skin
- Hair Loss
- Scabs
- Change in Skin Color
- Pus Discharge
When we examine your pet, we also have to determine if the skin infection is either primary or secondary.
A primary skin infection example would be something like scabies, caused by skin parasites that affect animals that come into contact with them. Ringworm, a common fungal infection, is another example of a primary skin infection.
A secondary skin infection is if your pet is allergic to something and the skin infection occurs because your pet breaks his skin by scratching too much. His allergy did not cause his infection, but led to the condition.
How We Diagnose Skin Infections in Pets
There are several different ways that we can go about doing this. No matter the situation, none of our methods will hurt or stress your pet. We can do:
- Skin Scrapings - We use a dull blade to scrape the top layer of skin to examine for skin parasites
- Skin Cytology - We look at skin lesions through a microscope
- Tape Prep - We use clear tape to get a sample of hair or skin and then look at it through a microscope
- Cotton Swabs - We use this to get a sample, usually from inside the ear
- Cultures - We collect hair, skin, or even discharge and examine it on a growth culture
How We Treat Skin Infections in Pets
While a lot of treatments depend on your pet’s specific situation, a lot of infections can be cured with specific therapeutic shampoos. Other skin infections may be treated with oral medications. In the case of some secondary allergies, figuring out how to change your pet’s environment may be necessary.
Our goal is to make your pet’s skin healthier and your pet happy again. By doing the above, we can achieve that.
Contact Our Veterinary Team Today
At Hamilton Road Animal Hospital, we are ready to help the pets of Columbus, OH, have healthy skin. Call our veterinarian near you today at (614) 239-0027 for an appointment.
