Itching, ears and paws: skin and allergy care
In Florida the itching season never really ends. We find out what’s driving it before we treat it, with skin tests done here so you usually leave with an answer the same day.
What does skin disease look like in pets?
- Ears: head shaking, scratching, odor, dark discharge, infections that clear and come straight back
- Paws: licking or chewing the feet, rust-brown staining between the toes
- Back and tail: biting at the base of the tail, thinning hair, scabs along the spine
- Belly, armpits, groin: red skin, a greasy or yeasty smell, dark thickened patches
- Hot spots: a raw, wet, painful patch that appears within a day
Cats often hide it. Overgrooming, bald patches on the belly or legs, or scabs around the head and neck are the cat version of the same problem.
What happens at the visit?
It starts with a $49 doctor’s exam. What comes next depends on what the doctor finds, because a dog licking its paws and a dog with infected ears need different tests. We look first at what is on the skin right now: yeast and bacteria are the usual reason a pet is miserable, and they’re treatable straight away. Mites, fleas and food are ruled in or out from there.
Skin cytology and testing are done here, so you generally leave with a plan the same day. If formal allergy testing is needed, the sample is taken here and sent to a specialist allergy laboratory, and allergy shots follow from what it shows.
What does treatment look like?
An infection is treated directly, and some clear up for good. An underlying allergy is usually managed rather than cured. Depending on your pet, that may be a daily anti-itch tablet, an injection that lasts roughly four to eight weeks, allergy shots, or a combination. Treating the wrong cause costs you money and leaves your pet itchy, which is why the exam comes first.
Most skin cases are managed here, and referral to a veterinary dermatologist is uncommon. Pets do best with a vet who knows the history: what worked last spring, what didn’t, what the ears looked like in August.
Paying for it
Many of our clients find that financing part or all of their pet’s care through Cherry works best for them. According to Cherry, the application takes under 35 seconds from start to finish, and “Cherry performs a soft credit check which does not affect your credit score.”
We also accept CareCredit and Scratch Pay, and cash, cards and checks at the counter.
Questions we get a lot
Is it allergies or something else?
Not always allergy, and that matters. Infection, mites, fleas and less common causes all produce itching, and some are curable outright. Often it’s both: an allergy starts it, and a yeast or bacterial infection sits on top. Treating the infection brings quick relief; finding the allergy keeps it from coming back.
Could it be the food?
Sometimes, but less often than people expect. Grass, mold and dust mite allergies are more common here, and fleas can cause severe itching even when you never see one. A food trial is one of our tools, but not the first one in every case.
Why do the ears keep coming back?
Because the ear infection is usually a symptom. Clearing it without dealing with the cause means it returns, often within weeks. Recurring ear problems are one of the most reliable signs of an underlying allergy.
Is there a season for this in Florida?
Not really. Fleas, grass and yeast are year-round here, so most itchy pets need managing through the whole year, with flare-ups rather than a season.
Request an appointment
Tell us about your pet and we’ll confirm a time the way you ask. Your date and window are a request, not a confirmed appointment.