Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - (Page PD4) THE DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH TO THE Candace A. Sousa, DVM, DABVP (CANINE AND FELINE), DACVD Senior Veterinary Specialist, Veterinary Specialty Team • Pfizer Animal Health DOG IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES In veterinary dermatology, the most common species evaluated is dogs and pruritus is the most common owner complaint. In order to treat pruritus effectively, veterinarians should try to make a diagnosis in addition to treating the clinical signs. Obtaining a diagnosis is less difficult if it is approached methodically. First, determine if the pruritus is caused by an infectious condition that could be cured or if it is caused by an allergy, in which case the condition needs to be managed, possibly for life. Allergic conditions can be secondarily infected, so these infections need to be controlled prior to starting the diagnostic process for a suspected allergic disease. Some “infections,” such as sarcoptic mange, can cause pruritus through both an allergic mechanism and the infestation itself. Figure 1 demonstrates how the common pruritic conditions of the dog can be organized and where they can overlap. Figure 1: Is the dog pruritic because it’s “infected,” “allergic,” or both? “Infectious Diseases” 1. Sarcoptes scabiei 2. Malassezia colonization 3. Staphylococcal pyoderma Allergic Diseases 1. Flea allergy dermatitis 2. Food allergy dermatitis 3. Atopic dermatitis 4. Other allergic dermatoses (drugs, contact, etc.) Demodex Hypothyroidism Conformation (obesity) 4. Other (dermatophytosis, Cheyletiella, lice, etc.) 4 PRACTICAL DERMATOLOGY FOR THE BUSY PRACTITIONER
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 Contents Leading Off Editors' Guest Just Ask the Expert Letters Practice Makes Perfect Clinical Exposures Practice Matters Idea Exchange Author Guidelines A Challenging Case: Esophageal Leiomyoma in a Dog Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment Product Preview CE Form/Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 (Page Cover1) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 (Page Cover2) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 (Page 579) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 (Page 580) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Contents (Page 581) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Contents (Page 582) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Contents (Page 583) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Contents (Page 584) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Contents (Page 585) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Leading Off (Page 586) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Leading Off (Page 587) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Leading Off (Page 588) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Leading Off (Page 589) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Editors' Guest (Page 590) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Editors' Guest (Page 591) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Just Ask the Expert (Page 592) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Letters (Page 593) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page 594) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM1) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM2) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM3) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM4) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM5) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM6) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM7) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM8) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM9) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM10) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM11) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM12) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM13) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM14) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM15) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Makes Perfect (Page DM16) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Clinical Exposures (Page 595) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Clinical Exposures (Page 596) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Clinical Exposures (Page 597) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Clinical Exposures (Page 598) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Practice Matters (Page 599) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Idea Exchange (Page 600) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Idea Exchange (Page 601) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Idea Exchange (Page 602) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Idea Exchange (Page 603) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Author Guidelines (Page 604) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Author Guidelines (Page 605) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - A Challenging Case: Esophageal Leiomyoma in a Dog (Page 606) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - A Challenging Case: Esophageal Leiomyoma in a Dog (Page 607) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - A Challenging Case: Esophageal Leiomyoma in a Dog (Page 608) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - A Challenging Case: Esophageal Leiomyoma in a Dog (Page 609) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - A Challenging Case: Esophageal Leiomyoma in a Dog (Page 610) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page 611) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page 612) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page 613) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page 614) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page 615) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page 616) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD1) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD2) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD3) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD4) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD5) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD6) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD7) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD8) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD9) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD10) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD11) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD12) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD13) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD14) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD15) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Osteoarthritis in Cats: What We Now Know About Recognition and Treatment (Page PD16) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Product Preview (Page 617) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Product Preview (Page 618) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Product Preview (Page 619) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - CE Form/Advertiser Index (Page 620) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Marketplace/Classifieds (Page 621) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Marketplace/Classifieds (Page 622) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Marketplace/Classifieds (Page 623) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Marketplace/Classifieds (Page 624) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Marketplace/Classifieds (Page 625) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Mind Over Miller (Page 626) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Mind Over Miller (Page Cover3) Veterinary Medicine - November 2008 - Mind Over Miller (Page Cover4)
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