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Spring Skin Concerns

Spring is in the air! Such a lovely time of the year... unless you're an allergic pet.

Skin problems can cause a lot of discomfort so knowing what is normal and what's not can be very helpful.

What can cause skin changes?

  • Fleas

  • Environment

  • Parasites

  • Diet

  • Pollen / Allergens

These signs are not normal:

  • Scratching

  • Red Skin

  • Smelly Skin

  • Pain & Discomfort

  • Smelly ears

  • Change in coat

How We Can Help

Our vets can help by prescribing and supplying you and your pet with:

Shampoo

Medication

Bath oils

Flea control

Dietary changes / supplements

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Atopy

Atopy (inhaled) and grass allergies– itchy feet, ear infections, itchy bottoms and superficial skin infections are common presentations. The approach to this sort of allergy needs to be both short term fix and long term management.

Contact Allergies

Contact allergies – there are several very common plants that re regularly see dogs having contact reactions to. This usually presents as red and itchy belly, groin, axilla's (“armpits”) and around the mouth. Essentially the areas with minimal hair that are in contact with the offending plants. We have some great brochures to identify the common culprits so you can remove them from your environment.

Insect Bites

Insect bites – every spring we see multiple bee stings and ant bites that cause swelling and pain to curious pups who couldn’t help themselves but to investigate these interesting creatures. A visit to the vet for antihistamine injection and pain relief makes a big difference to these poor guys.

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Food Allergies

Up to 20% of allergic skin reactions in dogs are related to food allergies. Our team can assist to diagnose what food allergies could be causing issues by creating a diet plan for your dog. If you suspect your pet might be allergic to part of their diet, feel free to come in and see us for help.

Infections

Another cause for concern when it comes to itching is infection. If you find your pet is scratching their ears or other body parts often, it could be due to an ear infection or another yeast or bacterial infection. Continued scratching from pets can exacerbate problems and make infections worse. These infections can be painful and very itchy, so it's important to come in to see your vet, who can determine if there is an underlying skin allergy, and whether antibiotics or other medication is necessary to treat the problem.

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