Tag Archives: pet

Variability of allergen-specific immunotherapy formulation

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is often discussed as though it represents a uniform treatment option.  In fact, the process of customizing an allergen prescription for a pet is not standardized and there is a great deal of subjectivity involved, even when … Continue reading

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Getting the most from your skin biopsies

It’s frustrating for you and your clients if a skin biopsy result comes back non-diagnostic. Here are some of the things I do to get the most information that I can from dermatopathology. 1. For inflammatory skin diseases, do not … Continue reading

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Diagnosing Canine Atopic Dermatitis

How do you diagnose atopic dermatitis in a dog?  That’s right.  Based upon clinical features.  Serum IgE and intradermal testing can be used to identify potential allergens, but the tests are not sensitive or specific enough to rely upon for … Continue reading

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5 Tips for Better Skin Scrapings

What can I possibly teach you about that most basic test in veterinary dermatology, the skin scraping? Taking a skin scraping seems like a simple enough technique, yet at least once per month I am able to find a mite … Continue reading

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