Allergy

Most of the allergic diseases that occur in dogs and cats affect the skin. Cats also experience allergy of the respiratory tract (asthma), but these cases are usually treated by internal medicine specialists. Horses also 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 ingredients, air-borne substances (pollens, molds, dust mites), and the bites of insects (fleas, mosquitoes, gnats). Most types of allergies can be diagnosed and treated with hypoallergenic diet trials and intradermal skin testing and hyposensitization vaccines. The dermatologist can also provide help for respiratory allergy patients by offering allergy testing services, which few internal medicine specialists are able to provide.

Parasites of the Skin

There are many diseases of the skin caused by parasites which may include fleas, ticks, mites, biting flies, mosquitoes, and juvenile forms of parasitic worms.

Infectious Diseases of the Skin

These include a wide range of bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal diseases. Some of the most common infectious diseases are Staphylococcal bacterial infections in dogs and "ringworm" (a fungus) in cats.

Chronic or Recurrent Ear Infections

There are many causes of recurrent ear infections, which are most common in dogs (less frequent in cats). Evaluation and treatment of ear infections fall under the expertise of the dermatologist, which is different from the situation in human medicine.

Diseases of Feet, Footpads, and Nails

There are a wide variety of causes for diseases of the feet, footpads, and nails including allergy, infection, parasites, tumors, and autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune Skin Diseases

Autoimmune skin diseases are diseases in which the body’s own immune system attacks the skin as if it were suddenly recognized as foreign.

Endocrine (Hormonal) and Internal Diseases

There are many internal problems that can cause skin disease, including diseases of the liver, pancreas, hormone-producing glands, and gastro-intestinal tract. The dermatologist may work in concert with the internal medicine specialist to treat some of these conditions.

Skin Cancer

Some types of skin cancer are treated by dermatologists. Others are treated by the oncologist (cancer specialist).