“Dr. Souza, as well as the students assisting her, were excellent!”
– Dermatology Client
Our Service
Does your pet shake his or her head? Have a head tilt? Or have stinky ears?
Skin conditions are often the result of your animal’s body reacting to environmental and internal stimuli. Many different things cause dermatological problems, and these problems can lead to more serious conditions if not addressed.
That’s why it’s essential to see a board-certified specialist in veterinary dermatology to formulate a plan to help your animal. It’s better to treat the underlying disease now rather than wait until the symptoms become a severe disease with a poor or costly prognosis.
We treat a wide range of dermatological issues.
Services
- Allergic skin diseases
- Bacterial skin infections
- Ear diseases
- Excessive skin scaling/crusting
- Fungal and yeast skin infections
- Hair loss, alopecia, seborrhea
- Hormonal diseases
- Immune-mediated skin diseases
- Nail and nail bed diseases
- Parasitic skin diseases
- Pruritus, itching/scratching/biting
- Skin cancers
- Thyroid disease
Special Capabilities
- Cryosurgery for treatment of small skin tumors
- Laser surgery to treat skin cancer and chronic skin alterations
- Team approach with pathologists in diagnoses requiring interpretation of biopsies
- Video-otoscopy to evaluate and treat ear diseases
- Intradermal tests to customize subcutaneous or sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy
For allergen orders, call 217-333-5377
Dermatology FAQ
What Can I Expect at My First Appointment?
Dermatology accepts appointments Mondays from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and Tuesdays and Wednesdays all day. Plan to be here for at least for a couple of hours to a full day, especially if any lengthy procedures are taking place, e.g., video otoscopy or intradermal testing. Intradermal tests may or may not be performed on an initial appointment.
What Should We Do Before Our Dermatology Appointment?
Please have your pet’s medical records faxed to (217) 244-9554 to the attention of the dermatology department, or bring them with you to your scheduled appointment. Please make every attempt to be present for the appointment rather than have another family member or friend bring the pet, since more often than not someone else will not be able to provide an accurate and detailed history of your pet’s problem and cannot make decisions on your behalf. Also, it is very helpful to fill out our special dermatology history form and email it to us ahead of the appointment or bring it with you to your appointment.
Will We Have to Come Back?
Most dermatological problems require recheck appointments in 3 to 6 weeks. You will know when you need to return at the time of your pet’s release. In most situations it is preferable for us to perform the recheck appointments. Recheck appointments can be shorter; however, they can still involve a few hours total time, depending on the problem.
Why Do You Have to Repeat Some of the Same Diagnostics My Own Veterinarian Has Already Performed?
In most instances, we will need to repeat certain diagnostics such as skin cytology, skin scrapings, or fungal cultures, even if these have been performed in the past. We will do this only if we feel they are necessary and because certain things may have been overlooked or simply that the results could have changed since they were last performed.
How Much Will It Cost?
The typical cost of an initial dermatology examination is roughly $175 to $250. This does NOT include any medications or food that might be prescribed. This is only an estimate, and prices are subject to change. The bill must be paid in full at the time of discharge.
How Do I Schedule an Appointment?
Call (217) 333-5300 and ask to schedule a dermatology appointment. If you have further questions, you can leave a message with our dermatology technicians at (217) 333-0708 or (217) 300-8401.
