Skin complaints are one of the most common presenting conditions in a vet’s medical practice. Many canine epidermal welts are not differentiating in how they look, yet have multiple possible triggers, so an in office exam alone does not always supply the answers required to recommend a specific an approach to care. Before the exam, one of the most important diagnostic methodologies is the taking of a medical history. By asking a specific set of questions about a dog’s past, a veterinarian can start to cut down probable causes of the difficulty. This could save the owner time and help to eliminate costly tests by narrowing the long list of possible dog skin conditions.
Most pet health professionals begin the office visit with a written list of questions. The doctor will then comb through the written answers with you and then will ascertain any actions that should be taken. Typical lines of questioning include:
1. What’s the breed of dog? There are lots of epidermal illnesses with a higher incidence in certain dog breeds. Note that this information can vary by region. As an example, a few breeds have a higher incidence to atopy, which are inhaled seasonal allergens including Gordon Setters, Beagles, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Bullterriers, Cairn Terrier, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Dalmatians, and German Shepherds.
2. What is the age of the patient? Certain dermal conditions are seen in younger dogs such as inborn issues. Others are due to an underdeveloped immunological reaction, which allows issues to develop such as mange. Middle age dogs are subject to food allergic, while older dogs are prone to skin neoplasms.
3. How long has the dog suffered from the difficulty? Sicknesses that appear suddenly are linked with parasitic diseases or a food allergy. On-going issues like itch can be caused by food or rash. Issues that have gone on for years without other Problems, allow issues such as hormonal issues to be ruled out. Dog hair loss without other symptoms can be hereditary or a problem called follicular dysplasia. Dependent on the cause identified, a vet can test for scabies, food sensitivity, or infection.
4. Where on the body did the problem occur? Location is an indicator of the underlying cause of the problem. For instance, conditions on the ears can be the result of summer or seasonal allergy, food sensitivity, mites skin polyps, and secondary infection. Conditions on the extremities are frequently caused by spring, summer or fall allergy, food allergy, parasitic disorders like mange, vasculitis and pemphigus (pus filled lesions). Issues on the head include mites, pollen allergens, food allergy or fungi.
5. What are the symptoms? Symptoms like itchy skin are related to many conditions and are not especially beneficial in determining the reason that the problem occurred. Also, owners may mis-interpret pruritis (itch) as being serious when it is is a small issue.
There are plenty of more questions, including seasons when the problem occurs, other signs and symptoms that aren’t related to the skin such as desire to eat and behavioral change, recent changes in diet, the presence of other pets and whether or not the owner has any skin conditions that could have been passed from a family member to the dog. The benefit of all this is that by taking the time by responding to several inquiries can reduce the price of treatment and get your dog on the path to a great result.
Cathy Doggins is the publisher of many feature stories on canine health. She is the number 1 contributor to the Internet resource, the Dog Health Guide, Cathy is passionate about canine health care and has authored frequently on canine skin disease.