Elizabeth R. May, DVM, DACVD

The hypothyroid patient can present with countless symptoms, all related to the underlying cause. As is the case with allergic dermatitis, these patients are typically pruritic, however the pruritus in these situations is due to secondary bacterial and yeast infections, not an allergic disorder.

Much has changed in the management of bacterial skin diseases in veterinary patients since the recognition of methicillin resistant (?-lactam antibiotic resistant) staphylococcal skin infections and their significance in both the human and veterinary medical communities. Awareness and responsible use of antibiotic medications is a must when dealing with these emerging pathogens.

The first step in approaching the case of the "alopecic" cat is demystifying and differentiating the true motivation behind the activities of the over grooming cat from the truly intensely pruritic cat, which then drives the diagnostic tests for differentiating medical versus behavioral problems in the feline.

Recognizing breed associated or genetic dermatologic conditions can prove quite challenging on a daily basis. Such conditions are more obvious when multiple animals from a single litter are affected at birth, however clinical signs of many of these conditions are not present until adulthood and many animals have dispersed to new homes.

My goal is to provide you with a set of questions to guide you through the pitfalls and obstacles associated with diagnosing, treating and successfully managing canine and feline otitis cases. Let's get started!

The allergic patient can present with myriad symptoms, all related to the underlying cause. As is the case with atopic dermatitis, the symptoms manifested result from an "overproduction" of allergen specific IgE to environmental allergens.

There are many reasons to perform dermatologic diagnostics: to guide therapeutic choices, to make decisions regarding further diagnostic testing, to judge response to therapy as well as to actually make a diagnosis! Incorporating these tests into a busy practice schedule mandates that these tests be quick and easy to perform, useful information must be gained in an efficient manner and the results must be easily interpreted within the medical record.

The key to success when utilizing topical therapy involves an accurate assessment of the lesion or problem as well as an understanding of the basic principles of topical preparations. In addition, knowledge of the various formulations available as well as of the drugs and their limitations when applied topically, along with choosing an appropriate physical mode of therapy are all critical factors to consider when utilizing topical therapy.

The autoimmune skin disorders are a group of confusingly similar diseases. In this section the most common autoimmune skin diseases will be presented and they will be discussed from a clinical perspective. Most of the autoimmune skin diseases are treated similarly and this will be discussed in the last part of this section.