Animals are often affected by multiple different skin and ear disorders caused by allergies, internal or endocrine diseases, infectious diseases, or parasites. These conditions can often be very frustrating to diagnose and treat, which is why many veterinarians choose to refer their clients to a veterinary dermatologist for long-term management.
The dermatology service at Hope Veterinary Specialists is made up of two board certified dermatologists—Dr. Kevin Shanley, DVM, DACVD and Dr. Brian Palmeiro, VMD, DACDV—and three dermatology nurses. The service deals predominantly with the diagnosis and treatment of allergies (both environmental and food related), but they also diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases of the skin and ears, autoimmune diseases, neoplastic disease, endocrine disorders, parasitic skin diseases (such as mange), and fungal infections (such as ringworm). During your initial consultation, the dermatologist will obtain a thorough history and may obtain skin and/or ear cytologies, skin scrapings, and bacterial or fungal cultures.
Some of the more advanced services we offer include video otoscopy, deep ear cleaning under general anesthesia, interadermal allergy testing and allergen-specific immunotherapy, and skin biopsies.
The dermatology service at Hope Veterinary Specialists is available five days a week. Dr. Palmeiro sees appointments on Mondays from 9:30am to 5:00pm, and Dr. Shanley sees appointments on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Hours are by appointment only—and usually upon referral by your primary care veterinarian. Note that while there are no doctors available on Tuesdays, the dermatology service’s nurses are available to address your questions and concerns.
