One of the most common reasons why people bring their pets to our clinic is a skin problem of some kind. In fact, the skin is an animal’s largest organ. The ear is also a part of the skin. Skin problems are often very challenging and finding out their cause and treating them may require numerous visits and examinations. There are many different causes that can bring on similar-looking symptoms.

Skin and ear examinations naturally involve careful inspection of the skin and fur, and often acetate tape impression smears, hair plucks and skin scrapes are performed and studied under a microscope. Skin biopsies can also be taken, and blood samples can be examined to rule out common diseases. Sometimes the diagnosis requires experimenting with various treatments.

The most difficult cases can be ones where the cat/dog that has a skin problem has been treated by several different vets or the owner has experimented with various treatments independently at home. This makes it difficult to get a clear idea of what the situation was before the treatments and what the pet’s response to the treatments has been.

All our vets are qualified to examine and treat “skin patients,” but Kirsi has a special interest in them and has studied them specifically. Sometimes a pet’s skin develops symptoms due to a common disease or unsuitable diet. After all, the skin is an animal’s largest organ!