SKIN DISEASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Dr. Haarstad uses extensive knowledge and experience to diagnose and treat the root cause of skin disease symptoms in animals, including:

• Frequent itching/scratching
• Excessive licking or chewing
• Abnormal grooming behavior (in cats)
• Sores or swollen areas
• Irritated, crusted, scaly, or flaking skin
• Not wanting to be petted or touched (indicating discomfort)
• Hair loss and/or changes in skin color
• Dull or greasy coat
• Changes in nail color, size, or shape
• Pus, crusting, redness, or swelling around nails
• Head shaking

Proper treatment requires accurate diagnosis. Some common procedures we provide include:

• Skin biopsy and dermatopathology: Minimally invasive test, done under local anesthesia (numbing the skin), where we collect and analyze a small skin sample to diagnose different skin diseases.
• Skin cytology: Simple diagnostic test used to quickly assess skin infections by examining a sample under a microscope, performed in-clinic for rapid results.
• Skin scraping: Quick, simple test to determine if mites (mange) are causing the skin condition by scraping affected and non-affected areas with a small, dull blade.
• Trichogram: Gently plucking hair samples for analysis to identify secondary fungal and mite infections.
• Bacterial and fungal culture: We take a sterile swab or biopsy of the affected area and send it to a microbiology lab to determine if the infection is bacterial, fungal, or both.

Our top priority is the comfort of your pet. If you’re noticing signs and symptoms of a skin condition in your pet, contact us to set up a consultation and exam today.