WHAT TYPES OF DISEASES ARE TREATED BY VETERINARY DERMATOLOGISTS/ALLERGISTS?
Allergies: Most of the allergic disease that occurs in dogs and cats affects the skin. Cats also commonly experience allergy of the respiratory tract (asthma), but these cases are usually treated by internal medicine specialists. Horses express allergy through both the skin and respiratory tract, in about equal proportions. The more common types of allergy affecting the skin include: reactions to food items, air-bome substances (pollens, molds, dust mites), and the bites of insects (fleas, mosquitoes, gnats). The dermatologist can also provide help to the respiratory allergy patient by offering allergy testing services, which few internal medicine specialists are set up to provide. Parasites: There are many diseases of the skin caused by parasites which may include fleas, ticks, mange mites (demodex and scabies), ear mites, biting flies and mosquitoes. Infectious diseases: These include a wide range of bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal diseases. Some of the most common are staph,
