We Support Every Stage Of Your Cat's Life
As your feline friend grows, he or she will move through six distinct stages of life:
- Kitten: 0—6 months
- Junior: 7 months—2 years
- Prime: 3—6 years
- Mature: 7—10 years
- Senior: 11—14 years
- Geriatric: 15+ years
Naturally, as a cat grows and progresses through life, he or she will undergo physiological changes and face a variety of life events that will require care and attention. From kitten care to geriatric cat medicine, consistent preventive care can make all the difference in the quality of life of your cat. Ultimately, your cat's health will impact your relationship with him or her.
Cats are very good at hiding illness. In fact, most cats will simply become less active and less interactive when very ill. Any signs of illness that a cat may show will be very subtle. Therefore, any change in their behavior should warrant a consideration that they may be ill. Many clients will return from work to find that their cat simply does not greet them at the door as usual. This may be an indication that your cat is ill. Because the signs of cat illness are so subtle, if you should notice any obvious changes in behavior please call our office.
Cat Health Services and Treatments
At Dermatology Clinic for Animals we offer the following cat health services for cats of all ages, breeds, and circumstances:
- We Treat More Than Just the Skin: Chronic skin and ear problems are not always caused by allergies alone. Hormonal disorders, immune-mediated diseases, nutritional imbalances, infections, and other internal health conditions can all affect the skin. Our doctors take a whole-pet approach to care, combining advanced dermatology expertise with a thorough evaluation of your pet's overall health to help identify the root cause of their symptoms.
- Allergy Testing: We offer allergy testing to pinpoint the exact cause of your cat's itching and skin disease so that we can begin immunotherapy, a targeted treatment to help your cat's body get used to the allergens over time. This is the safest way to treat allergies in most cats and can eliminate the need for strong drugs. We offer both skin testing and blood testing, depending on your pet's needs.
- Anesthesia: We provide safe, individualized anesthesia using modern medications, advanced monitoring equipment, and careful patient oversight. Every anesthetic plan is tailored to your cat's specific health needs to maximize safety and comfort.
- Behavioral Evaluation: Excessive licking, chewing, scratching, or over-grooming is usually caused by allergies or other medical conditions, but behavioral factors and pain can sometimes contribute to these behaviors. We carefully evaluate each patient to identify underlying causes and develop an appropriate treatment plan, which may include medications, environmental modifications, or referral to a veterinary behavior specialist.
- Cancer Diagnosis: Not all itchy pets have allergies. Certain skin cancers can mimic allergic skin disease and may present with itching, redness, sores, hair loss, or recurrent infections. Through a thorough dermatologic evaluation, advanced diagnostic testing, and skin biopsies when indicated, we work to identify the underlying cause of your pet's symptoms and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
- Carbon Dioxide Laser Surgery: Our state-of-the-art CO₂ laser allows us to perform many skin and ear procedures with exceptional precision while minimizing bleeding and discomfort. For select lesions, treatment can often be performed using local anesthesia alone, avoiding the need for general anesthesia and allowing for a faster recovery.
- Cryosurgery: Cryosurgery is a safe, minimally invasive treatment that uses extreme cold to effectively remove many benign skin growths. Because the procedure is quick and causes minimal discomfort, many pets can be treated without sedation or anesthesia and return to their normal activities shortly afterward.
- Dermatology: From mild itching to complex skin disease, we provide advanced diagnostic testing and personalized treatment plans to identify the cause of your pet's symptoms and help them achieve healthier skin, ears, and coat.
- Deworming: Intestinal parasites are a danger to both your pet and your family, so let us ensure that your cat is protected from worms.
- Ear mass biopsy: Masses deep within the ear canal can be difficult to evaluate without specialized equipment. Our advanced diagnostic tools allow us to safely visualize and obtain biopsy samples from many ear canal masses, helping provide an accurate diagnosis and guide treatment recommendations.
- Eye Care: Our doctors are trained to recognize feline specific eye disease and choose treatments based upon efficacy and your cat's tolerance to specific treatments.
- Flea & Tick: We employ safe and effective flea & tick treatments for your cat's health and happiness.
- Food trials: We offer food trials to help determine whether your pet's diet may be contributing to skin, ear, or gastrointestinal problems such as itching, recurrent ear infections, vomiting, or diarrhea. Because many cats can be selective eaters, we offer a variety of highly palatable prescription diets and treats to make the transition as easy and successful as possible.
- Heartworm Prevention: We offer heartworm education prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for your cat.
- Infectious disease diagnosis and treatment: We diagnose and manage a wide range of immune-mediated skin diseases, including conditions that cause severe itching, hair loss, ulcers, crusting, pigment changes, and chronic inflammation. Our advanced training in veterinary dermatology allows us to develop individualized treatment plans designed to control disease activity while maintaining your pet's quality of life.
- Laboratory Testing: We offer laboratory testing to confirm your pet’s health before starting medication, monitor the safety of prescribed treatments, and screen for underlying health issues that could affect skin health, such as hormonal problems like diabetes or hyperthyroidism.
- Light Therapy (Phovia®): Phovia® is an innovative fluorescent light therapy that helps accelerate healing while reducing inflammation and discomfort. It can be used to support the treatment of a variety of skin conditions, wounds, and inflammatory disorders. Treatments are quick, painless, and generally very well tolerated by cats, typically requiring no sedation.
- Medicated Bathing: Medicated bathing is far more than routine hygiene—it is a targeted medical treatment for many skin diseases. We prescribe customized topical therapies, including antibacterial, antifungal, anti-itch, and skin barrier-supportive products, to help control infection, reduce inflammation, relieve discomfort, and promote healthier skin.
- Medications: When your cat requires medication our doctors will provide the right prescription.
- Nutrition: We will address the nutritional requirements for your cat in different life stages and to aid in the management of certain illnesses.
- Pain Management: Pain can contribute to excessive grooming, licking, behavioral changes, and decreased quality of life. As part of our whole-cat approach to care, we identify and address pain when it may be contributing to your cat's symptoms and develop personalized treatment plans to keep your cat as comfortable as possible.
- Parasite-Related Skin Disease: Not all itchy pets have allergies. External parasites such as fleas and mites can cause symptoms that closely mimic allergic skin disease. Our comprehensive dermatology evaluations help identify parasitic skin disorders and ensure your pet receives the most appropriate treatment for lasting relief.
- Semi-Annual Allergy Monitoring Exams: Regular follow-up examinations are an important part of managing chronic allergic and skin diseases. These visits allow us to evaluate your cat's response to treatment, detect infections or disease flare-ups early, monitor for medication side effects, and address concerns that may not be apparent at home.
- Skin biopsy: When a diagnosis is unclear, a skin biopsy can provide critical answers. Our doctors have advanced training in veterinary dermatology and perform skin biopsies with precision to maximize diagnostic accuracy. Many biopsies can be completed using local anesthesia alone, avoiding the need for full sedation or general anesthesia. All samples are reviewed by specialized veterinary dermatopathologists with expertise in skin disease, helping ensure your pet receives the most accurate diagnosis and treatment recommendations possible.
- Surgical Procedures: We offer certain surgical procedures for skin and ear diseases, including cryosurgery, CO₂ laser surgery, and ear canal polyp removal. For select ear canal masses, palliative laser treatment may be performed to reduce discomfort and improve quality of life; however, complete removal cannot always be achieved because of the anatomical limitations of the ear canal. Our team utilizes advanced equipment and individualized patient care to promote a safe procedure and smooth recovery.
- Video Otoscopy & Deep Ear Flushing: Our advanced video otoscopy system uses a high-definition camera to provide magnified images of the ear canal and eardrum, allowing us to see details that may not be visible during a routine ear examination. This technology helps diagnose conditions such as ear masses, foreign objects, chronic infections, and middle ear disease. Combined with deep ear flushing, video otoscopy can improve both diagnosis and treatment of complex ear problems.