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Why is my veterinarian recommending we see a dermatologist?
Skin disorders are extremely common in dogs and cats, and they often manifest in the same way for different underlying causes.
The most common reason for skin problems in our pets in an underlying allergy. Sometimes it takes multiple visits to your veterinarian to diagnose and treat the problem. This can be time consuming, expensive, and frustrating for everyone involved. If your veterinarian recommends referral to a dermatologist, it is because he or she for sees a chronic or serious issue that is best dealt with by a specialist.
What is a veterinary dermatologist?
Veterinary dermatologists are veterinarians who have had specialty training, often at a university, for 2-3 years after veterinary school, and have passed a certification exam given by the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. They are well versed in animal skin disease and also in teaching pet owners about dealing with their pet's skin problems.
What will the dermatologist do when they see my pet?
First, we ask several questions regarding your pet's skin "issues." Next, we examine your pet and their skin carefully. Then we discuss with you "our thought process." What is happening on the skin, what is the most likely cause, what test's should we do to get a diagnosis, and what we can expect with your pet's condition (I.e. prognosis.) We may do some tests at that first visit; other tests or procedures may be scheduled for a future date. All of this takes 70-90 minutes, depending on the problem and any procedures done that day. At the end of the visit, you get a set of instructions recapping our thoughts, explaining medications and recommendations for follow up phone calls and visits.
What if I am coming a long way and want to get as much done in one visit as possible?
We get this question a lot. Please let us know this when you schedule your appointment and ask your veterinarian to call us to discuss your pet's medical care before your visit. We will get as much done as necessary and possible on the first visit. Because many medications may interfere with allergy testing, we may not always be able to test on first visit. We often need a recheck visit at some point, but we try to do as much as we can through phone calls with you and communication with your primary care veterinarian.
How much does the visit cost?
Please feel free to ask the exam cost when you are scheduling your appointment. If we recommend tests during your visit, we will give you an estimate of those costs if you wish (feel free to ask!)
In the long run, many folks find they spend less money by seeing us and getting to the heart of the problem than they have after 6-18 months of repeated visits to their primary care vet (veterinarians agree!)
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