Description

Part of the Pet Lover’s Guide series, this handbook covers the most common topics of skin disease in small animals, their causes, and their medical management in a non-technical, informative, and useful manner accessible to both veterinarians and pet owners. The book is organized by skin disorder type, and then alphabetically by disease. Information for each disease is divided into signs, causes, possible secondary consequences, treatment/management, and complications or what to look for. Other topics addressed include healthy haircoat, bathing and grooming your pet, and preventive measures such as flea control.

Key Features

• Full-color line art and photographs show the vast number of skin diseases commonly found in dogs and cats in a useful and informative manner.
• Special boxes labeled “Where We Stand” present the author’s strong opinions on specific (sometimes controversial) issues in a highlighted, easy-to-find format.
• Key terms are highlighted, making them easy to locate and reference — these terms are also included in the glossary with clear, simple definitions.
• Important information is bulleted and placed in a shaded box, bringing the main points to the reader’s attention in a quick and useful way.
• Concise, comprehensive index of diseases provides a quick and easy way to find information on particular diseases.
• Clear readability makes information easily accessible to pet owners, helping them to better understand the skin disease their pet has been diagnosed with and their options for medical management.
• Written by established, recognized veterinarians, this book is a reliable source for veterinary professionals.

Sample Chapters

• Chapter 2: Care of the Skin and Hair Coat

Related Titles

• Pet Lover's Guide to First Aid and Emergencies
• Pet Lover's Guide to Natural Healing for Cats and Dogs
• Pet Lover's Guide to Canine Arthritis and Joint Problems

Table Of Contents

1. Normal anatomy and physiology of the skin a. Functions of the skin b. Structure of the skin c. Hair composition and growth d. Glands of the skin e. Ears f. Claws (nails) 2. Care of the skin and hair coat a. Grooming b. Bathing c. Topical medications d. Ectoparasite control 3. Symptoms of diseases affecting the skin and its appendages a. Hair loss b. Skin lesions (primary and secondary) c. Itching (Pruritus) d. Ear diseases e. Claw diseases 4. Allergies a. Atopy b. Contact c. Food d. Parasite-related 5. Bacterial infections a. Acute moist dermatitis ("hot spots") b. Staphylococcal pyoderma c. Miscellaneous bacterial infections 6. Ectoparasites a. Fleas b. Mites c. Ticks d. Miscellaneous (bees, flies, helminths) 7. Endocrine skin diseases a. Adrenal disorders b. Thyroid disorders c. Sex hormone disorders d. Miscellaneous 8. Fungal infections a. Dermatophytes (ringworm) b. Malassezia c. Miscellaneous (subcutaneous and systemic mycoses) d. Fungal-like infections (pythium, lagenidium) 9. Immune-mediated a. Pemphigus complex b. Lupus complex c. Miscellaneous 10. Pediatric, Congenital and Hereditary Skin Diseases a. Acanthosis nigricans b. Acral mutilation syndrome c. Color mutant alopecia d. Congenital hypotrichosis e. Dermatomyositics f. Ehlers Danlos syndrome (dermatosparaxis) g. Epidermolysis bullosa h. Follicular dysplasia i. Gray collie syndrome j. Ichthyosis k. Idiopathic facial dermatitis (cats) l. Lethal acrodermatitis m. Mucinosis n. Pattern baldness o. "Puppy strangles" (juvenile pyoderma) p. Schnauzer comdeo syndrome q. Sebaceous adenitis r. Zinc-responsive dermatoses 11. Psychogenic Dermatoses a. Acral lick dermatitis ("lick granuloma") b. Psychogenic alopecia and dermatitis in cats c. Miscellaneous 12. Skin tumors

Author Information

By Karen L. Campbell, DVM, MS, DAVCVIM, DACVD, Professor and Section Head, Specialty Medicine; Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, Illinois