Hospital Hours: Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm | Saturday: 8am-4pm
(519) 896-0532
Skin problems are one of the most common reasons pets visit the vet, and one of the most frustrating. Without identifying the underlying cause, symptoms tend to come back. At Kingsdale, dermatology is one of our areas of clinical interest.
Book a Skin & Allergy Appointment
Reactions to pollens, mould spores, dust mites, or grasses. In the Kitchener-Waterloo region, allergy flares are common in spring and fall as tree and ragweed pollens peak.
Usually a reaction to a protein source like beef, chicken, or dairy rather than grains. Food allergies cause year-round symptoms with no seasonal pattern.
Even a single flea bite can trigger a reaction in sensitive pets. See our preventative care page for flea and tick control info.
Reactions to specific materials, cleaning products, lawn chemicals, or plants your pet rolls in or walks through.
Yeast and bacterial infections often develop when an underlying allergy disrupts the skin barrier. Treating the infection alone without addressing the cause leads to repeat episodes.
Many skin conditions look similar on the surface. Getting the diagnosis right before starting treatment avoids months of guessing and a pet that never fully feels comfortable.
In cats, skin problems can look different. Watch for over-grooming that leaves thinning patches, scabs along the neck and back, or miliary dermatitis (tiny crusty bumps scattered across the skin).
A quick look at cells from the skin or ears under a microscope. This tells us whether yeast or bacteria are involved and helps guide treatment.
Rules out mites (mange) as a cause of itching and hair loss. If your pet is on a flea and tick preventative, we may not need to perform skin scrapings as these products often target mites as well.
Identifies the specific environmental allergens your pet is reacting to. This forms the basis for allergen-specific immunotherapy, which is the closest thing to a long-term solution for environmental allergies.
We perform serum allergy testing at Kingsdale. For intradermal allergy testing, we refer to a veterinary dermatologist.
The most reliable way to diagnose a food allergy. It involves feeding a single novel or hydrolyzed protein diet for 8 to 12 weeks with no exceptions. We'll walk you through it.
We also factor in your pet's full history from their annual wellness exams, which helps us notice patterns over time and catch recurring issues early.
A daily oral medication that controls itch and inflammation quickly. Often used while a longer-term plan is put in place.
An injectable antibody therapy that targets the itch signal at the source. Works well for dogs with atopic dermatitis and typically lasts 4 to 8 weeks per injection.
Helps manage secondary infections, reduce surface bacteria and yeast, and support the skin barrier. Pets bathed routinely during allergy season often have better symptom control.
For confirmed food allergies, a long-term hypoallergenic diet is often the most straightforward solution. We'll help you choose one, and you can reorder through our online vetstore anytime.
Allergy shots or sublingual drops formulated for your individual pet based on testing results. Builds long-term tolerance to specific allergens over 12 to 18 months.
Pets with allergies have a defective skin barrier, which allows normal surface bacteria to gain access. All infections need to be addressed before we can expect success from anti-allergy therapies.
A pet that's constantly itching is uncomfortable. If you've been dealing with scratching, licking, or recurring infections for more than a few weeks, a proper diagnosis is the next step.
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