Dermatology

Currently in Germany about 17% of all patients examined in small animal practices are characterized by skin problems.* Thus, they appear in animals almost as often as in humans, which is frequently frustrating for the animal, the veterinarian and the owner.

Despite varying causes, many skin diseases often have very similar clinical symptoms. Often they are treated by the veterinarian with initial success , yet after the end of therapy, a relapse occurs (for example, due to an allergy, a hormonal disorder, a parasitic or an autoimmune disease). 

The scope of this diagnostic tools include - amongst others - special examinations for infections or inflammatory cells (cytology), if necessary also bacterial or fungal cultures, hair examinations (trichogram), parasitological tests (skin scrapings or tape compression samples), fine-needle aspirations and skin punch biopsy, if necessary also blood tests. Since many diagnostic and therapeutic options can be expensive and costly, we always attempt to perform only those examinations that make sense for your animal, in order to keep the level of stress and costs for the patient and the owner as low as possible. For this reason, please bring all the documents about previous examinations and treatments that are available to you for the first visit at our hospital. In addition, on our part we strive for close cooperation with your veterinarian (your consent is required) in order to guarantee optimal treatment of your four-legged friend.

During an examination appointment at the AniCura Tierklinik Stuttgart, before starting special examinations and before the beginning of therapy, we will gladly discuss the purpose and the advantages of these procedures for you and for your animal with you. However, the outcome of some of those diagnostic and treatment options majorly depend on the dermatologic experience of the veterinarian in charge. Furthermore, we ask for your understanding, that for all the above reasons, neither “remote diagnostics,” nor therapy recommendations via the internet nor by telephone are possible without personal examination of the animal.

We are looking forward to your visit to the AniCura Tierklinik Stuttgart!

"Atopic dermatitis" (environmental allergy) is one of the most common skin conditions in dogs and cats and in many cases, symptomatic treatment can be challenging, frustrating and limited outcome or diverse adverse reactions might be observed. In addition to a symptomatic medical treatment, there is a possibility of allergen specific immunotherapy (also called hypesensitization) as the only etiological therapeutic intervention.  Although this treatment has to be continued for at least twelve months until there can be a final evaluation of the individual beneficial effects, a clinical improvement can often be observed within several months, very rarely maybe even within weeks. A shorter treatment duration might lead to false negative or positive results and thus, is not recommended. If performed by an international veterinary dermatology specialist (e.g. DipACVD or DipECVD), about 25% of dogs do show such a good response that besides of immunotherapy no additional treatment is needed. Another 50% do need soft symptomatic therapy in addition to immunotherapy, though in a majorly decreased dosage than without immunotherapy. There is a 75% chance that Prednisolon (steroid) does not have to be given in long-term therapy. 

Those results however can vary depending on the experience in hyposensitization of the veterinarian, so a specialist (DipACVD or DipECVD) should be seen for that.

If an atopic dermatitis / environmental allergy has been confirmed (via exclusion of an insect or food allergy), based on the results of a prior allergy testing a hyposensitization solution can be ordered which is afterwards injected in special time intervals, adapted to the individual patient. 

* Klinger, C. J., A. Krause, B. Rösch, P. Werhahn, V. Wienrich and M. R. S. (2016). “Small animal medicine in Germany – analysis of cases.” Practicing veterinarian 97(9): 774–787.