Pet Skin Peeves : Veterinary Dermatologists Treat the Problems of Dogs, Cats . . . Even Snakes

There are people who, when they see their dog constantly scratching and biting itself, chalk up their pet’s behavior to the fact that the animal is, well, an animal.

And then there are people like Alison Leeds of Laguna Niguel, who reacted like a concerned parent when Resa, her 3-year-old Dalmatian, suddenly--and inexplicably--began itching almost nonstop in March.

Resa’s general practitioner veterinarian realized the usual remedies were not solving the problem and suggested the dog be taken to Wayne Rosenkrantz, an animal dermatologist in Garden Grove.

There, Resa was subjected to special tests to determine what was causing the excessive scratching: She was found to be allergic to, among other things, her wool blanket and her favorite treat, ice cream.

“You poor thing, all the things you like. She’s going to be miserable,” Leeds said as Resa jumped off the examination table. The Dalmatian was put on a course of antigen injections--every two days to start with, gradually working up to once every three weeks.

Rosenkrantz practices in what has grown from an obscure specialty to a recognized discipline--its small number of practitioners more than tripling in number over the past decade.

Animal dermatology is in fact rather similar to human dermatology. The doctors treat skin problems, perform biopsies of suspicious growths and consult routinely with the animal’s primary veterinarian.

Veterinary dermatology has been a recognized specialty with postdoctoral studies and a certification exam since 1982, when the American College of Veterinary Dermatology was formed with 24 members.

By 1992, the number of veterinary dermatologists had increased to 70, said Dr. Stephen White, president of the college. California, with 13 certified veterinary dermatologists including five in the greater Los Angeles area, has the largest number of practitioners.

There are two ways to become a veterinary dermatologist. After the completion of veterinary school, an animal doctor can choose to stay on for advanced training in dermatology offered by some veterinary programs such as UC Davis.

Or prospective dermatologists can, after a year in general practice, spend two or three years completing a residency at the office of another veterinary dermatologist.

Rosenkrantz even studied human dermatology at UC Irvine School of Medicine as part of his training to become a specialist.

“The structure and function of skin is the same in all species,” Rosenkrantz said. “It functions as a barrier.”

Those who bring their animals to a dermatologist’s office ought to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money. While the charge for an office visit is usually about $10 more than visiting a general veterinarian, fees for the special services offered can quickly add up.

General medical spending on pets has increased notably in the past decade. According to figures compiled by the American Veterinary Medical Assn., in 1987 the average household spent $82.68 on medical care per dog and $54.26 per cat. By 1991, the last year for which figures are available, the numbers had increased to $131.84 and $79.75 respectively.

“We spend anywhere from a half-hour to an hour on an initial consultation. Most vets don’t spend that degree of time” with the animals, Rosenkrantz said. “I would say the same for most specialists who treat humans.”

“Anybody who seeks an (animal) specialist is someone who is devoted to their pets,” Rosenkrantz added. “I would say most of my clients spend a lot of time with their pets and their pet is an integral part of their lives.”

Sharon Pearson first brought her now-lively Scottish terrier, Kea, to Rosenkrantz more than a year ago after her regular vet suggested a specialist.

The dog was constantly chewing and scratching itself and had developed large, unsightly scabs on her muzzle. She was also lethargic and feverish.

Rosenkrantz diagnosed a case of demodectic mange, the presence of a large number of mites within the hair follicles, complicated by severe secondary infections.

“He really saved (Kea’s) life,” said Pearson, an Orange resident. “We never brought a dog to a dermatologist before. . . . We didn’t know such a thing existed.”

While animal dermatologists treat animals with everything from skin cancers to hormonal and immune system disorders affecting the skin, the vast majority of cases they deal with have to do with common allergies, especially in California and the southern United States, where warm climates result in frequent plant pollination and a long flea season.

“We see dogs that lived in New York that moved here that develop problems within a year that never had trouble before,” said Jon Plant, an animal dermatologist based in Santa Monica.

In fact, allergies--particularly to fleas and pollen--could be said to be the acne of animal dermatology.

“Allergic skin disease makes up the majority of our work--easily over 50%,” said White of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.

Treatments depend on the disease the animal is diagnosed with and can include everything from antibiotics to allergy injections as well as changes in diet and baths utilizing special shampoos.

Veterinary dermatologists say that allergy shots are only effective provided they are continued over the course of an animal’s life, a treatment that costs owners several hundred dollars a year. If the shots are stopped, the animals will frequently regress.

Animal owners such as Lauren Cooper of Pasadena say the money spent is well worth it. Cooper has spent more than $1,000 treating her horse’s allergies with shots, antihistamines and special foods.

“She’s a princess and she expects it,” Cooper said.

When Brea City Councilwoman Bev Perry brought her golden retriever, C.J., to Rosenkrantz’s office, he administered an allergy test that showed the dog was allergic to ants, fleas, weeds, dust and pollen, among other common threats.

As a result, Perry has been administering allergy shots to the dog several times a month for more than a year.

“If I was trying to sleep in the morning, C.J. would wake us up with the noise of chewing and scratching,” Perry said. “It was not just the noise that was bothering me, but the fact that he was uncomfortable.”

Perry said C.J.’s scratching is down, but now she has another problem: My husband “and I literally have to hold him down for his shots.”

Some animals are brought to veterinary dermatologists more often than others. Dogs, for instance, account for a good portion of cases, usually between 75% and 85%, depending on the veterinarian.

Cats make up most of the remainder of a veterinary dermatologist’s clients, but the specialists sometimes see other less typical pets, such as snakes (which can get bacterial infections leading to open sores), rabbits (which can get parasites and fungi that can lead to hair loss, scaling and rashes), and ferrets (which can get hyperestrogenism leading to anemia and hair loss).

“The utilitarian approach to animals is increasingly out of favor,” said Dr. Edward Ames, director of scientific activities for the American Veterinary Medical Assn. “Dermatology problems are hard to handle and a typical veterinary practice will have a fair number of intractable cases,” Ames said. “There’s an increasing public demand. We don’t have anywhere near enough dermatologists.”

Rosenkrantz, for example, keeps offices in Garden Grove and San Diego. He also practices in Santa Monica and travels to Las Vegas and Alta Loma once a month to attend to pets in those cities. As if that weren’t enough, he ministers to dogs, cats, horses and other pets in Hawaii and Alaska twice a year at the request of local vets.

And Plant, in addition to seeing animals in his primary office in Santa Monica, tends to others in Woodland Hills and Ventura as well.

“A lot of people have a great attachment to their animals and expense is not an issue,” Ames said. “A lot more people are willing to spend a lot more money on pets than in previous years.”

As people spend more time and money on their pets, the number of veterinary specialists and specialties has shot up dramatically, Ames said.

Besides the general veterinarian, modern pet owners can avail themselves of the services of veterinarians certified in 31 fields, such as oncology or radiology. And, of course, dermatology.

While taking a pet to a skin specialist might seem an excessive level of care to some, to others it is an absolute necessity. Since the No. 1 symptom of skin disease in animals is excessive scratching, rubbing or licking of their bodies, the condition can affect owners almost as adversely as it does their pets.

Still, everyone has to draw the line somewhere.

The same tests that showed Resa was allergic to her wool blanket and ice cream also revealed that the dog was allergic to the carpet in the Leeds’ home and the eucalyptus trees outside it.

“I’ll buy her a new (dog) bed,” Leeds said. “I’m not contemplating a new carpet.”