Pet Skin Irritations and Infections

Animals get irritations all the time. If the pet is well cared for, most stay minor and go away quickly. However, when the animal is outdoors a lot, gets a wound from a fight or scratch, the skin break becomes a pet skin infection, and then things become complicated. If your pet has a skin infection or irritation, visit us at Clanton-Malphus-Hodges Veterinary Hospital & Pet Motel.

Animals Try to Solve Irritations All the Time

Animals, like cats and especially dogs, deal with irritations by grooming and scratching. Cats tend to be a bit better at things, but dogs will just start scratching and chewing aggressively. Because their claws can be such blunt instruments, it’s quite easy for either animal to make a flared-up skin patch worse with scratches, open wounds, and their own saliva licking the spot if they can get to it. All of that mix combines into a potential catalyst for a skin infection.

Both Parasites and Allergies Create Infection Risks

Pet skin infections can also be triggered by pet allergies as well as parasites. Allergies in pets happen just like humans; the body’s immune system overreacts to a trigger, and the body starts producing all sorts of reactions as a result. Pet irritations due to allergies are most notable with itching, uncontrolled scratching, and hot, red irritated patches losing fur.

On the other hand, parasites can be easily mistaken for allergy reactions as well. Small or microscopic in size, parasites get into the skin and trigger all sorts of reactions with burrowing, dander, and secretions. The combination causes skin irritation, itching, and hot spots from swelling. That, of course, triggers scratching as well.

Local Veterinarian Skin Infection Help in Thomasville

As a local Thomasville GA veterinarian resource, Clanton-Malphus-Hodges Veterinary Hospital & Pet Motel regularly deals with pet skin infections and irritations. The reaction can be the result of different causes, noted above, as well as even fungal infections. The first step our animal hospital team takes is to perform a full evaluation and pet exam to confirm what exactly is going on with a given animal patient. The causes can range from staph infections to yeast dermatitis. Whichever the case, once identified, we can develop an effective treatment specific to the pet’s condition and how to improve healing as well.

Don't feel like you have to deal with pet allergies or a pet skin infection on your own with internet cures and over-the-counter frustrations. Our veterinarian team can help any pet patient in Thomasville GA. Call our animal hospital today for an appointment. We can help!