The symptoms are numerous: itching, hair loss, dandruff, scabs, or consistency discoloration of the skin or nodules. However, few of these signs are specific to a single disease.

That is why is very important in dermatology to follow   protocols, early detection can get to the correct diagnosis of a problem without ignoring any cause or unnecessary testing.

Similarly, a skin disorder may be a reflection of an internal disease that must be diagnosed and treated if you want to improve the condition of the skin. At Villablanca Veterinary Hospital we have a team under the supervision of the   Dra. Valerie Boulanger, with advanced training and broad experience in dermatology and internal medicine, so that we can address each case on a global basis.

The dermatology session follows several steps: first there will be a detailed questionnaire on the animal and also an onset course of illness. Base on diagnosis, different   supplementary examinations   Serle would be given. Among them we cite the Wood lamp examination, pap smears, scrapings, fungal cultures trichogram, which are performed without the need to sedate the animal. In some chronic diseases it must be necessary to take a small skin sample or biopsy, under mild sedation or local anesthesia.

According to the test results, treatment will be planned, locally or general.  Local treatments   as therapeutic baths are of great importance, and may improve alone more than 80% of the skin condition.

For those animals diagnosed with atopic or allergy, we can perform a blood test or skin test to better target the treatment to follow, using, where indicated, of immunotherapy   or "allergy shots."

Sometimes getting the cure or improvement of the skin can be a slow process, due to the features of it. This is why it is very important to establish a   strong communication   between owner and veterinarian to properly monitor the progress and response to treatment.