Dermatology

Help for itchy skin, allergies and ear infections

Itchy skin. Recurring ear infections. Hair loss. Irritation. Scratching. Chewing. Licking.

If your pet suffers from allergies or a skin disorder, it can feel like you’re on a merry-go-round of flare-ups, vet visits, and treatments—many of which provide only temporary relief for your beloved pet.

At Mac Animal Clinic, we take an in-depth approach to your pet’s dermatologic issues to ensure we address not only the symptoms but the source of your pet’s discomfort.

While there’s no such thing as a ‘quick fix’ for skin problems, a targeted therapeutic plan—supported by diligent at-home care—can help restore your pet’s comfort and quality of life.

Dr. Mac looking into a black dog’s ear while a team member steadies the dog

Dr. Mac has a special interest in allergies and skin disorders.

How soon will my pet feel better?

We will provide relief as soon as possible. Our focus, however, is on long-term solutions and management strategies rather than short-term fixes, so that your pet stays comfortable well beyond the first few weeks.

If you have been through round after round of treatment, you have not failed your pet. Skin problems often have more than one cause, and it takes a dynamic plan to untangle them.

What improvement usually looks like

First visit
We review your pet’s medical history, provide relief, and start diagnostics.
2 to 4 weeks
We implement the treatment plan, recheck your pet, and adjust the plan to how your pet is responding.
8 weeks or more
Once we have treated secondary infections, we can begin to formulate a long-term maintenance plan based on how your pet has responded to treatment. If your pet was started on a food trial, this is when we will start to see results.
Ongoing
Many skin conditions are managed rather than cured. We will help you create a plan to prevent flare-ups, and give you the framework to manage future flare-ups.

Every pet is different. We will tell you what to expect for yours.

When to Seek Care For Your Pet’s Skin

The skin is the largest organ in the body and serves as a crucial barrier against environmental hazards. Damage to this barrier causes inflammation, pain and irritation, which can result in significant discomfort and impact your pet’s day-to-day life.

While an occasional itch is normal, persistent symptoms, visible discomfort, and changes in your pet’s personality signal a need for prompt veterinary care. Warning signs include:

Excessive scratching, licking, or grooming
Redness or visible irritation
Hair loss
Unusual skin odors
Changes in hair texture or color
Sores that won’t heal
Unusual skin lesions, rashes, or bumps
Recurring skin or ear infections
Saliva staining on the paws
Head shaking and scratching at the ears
Scooting or licking under the tail

Allergies and skin conditions don’t get better with time. If your pet is experiencing one or more symptoms, contact us to schedule a dermatology consultation.

Book a dermatology visit

A Mac Animal Clinic team member holding a dog with hair loss from a skin condition

Life Is Too Short To Wear a Cone: Our Approach to Care

Driven by her special interest in pet allergies and skin disorders, Dr. Mac provides detailed dermatological care. Our comprehensive approach includes:

Detailed discussion

We ask key questions about your pet’s lifestyle, nutrition, and health history to help us see the bigger picture.

Thorough physical exam

The hands-on exam provides vital information about your pet’s skin and coat health, level of discomfort, and any potential underlying problems.

Targeted testing

If indicated, diagnostic tests can help us pinpoint the cause of your pet’s symptoms and make customized treatment recommendations.

Education and understanding

We’ll explain your pet’s condition and treatment options so you feel informed and confident about their care.

Multi-modal management

Combination treatments including medications, topical sprays, shampoos, wipes, or therapeutic diets ensure we address your pet’s condition from multiple angles—treating inflammation, infection, and allergic itch or irritation.

Compassionate support

We understand that managing skin disorders can be difficult, but you’re not alone on this journey. Our caring team provides encouragement, follow-up care, and personalized support to help you navigate life with an allergic pet.

Our Promise To You and Your Pet

While there isn’t always a quick and easy fix for dermatologic conditions, we will provide a detailed assessment of your pet’s symptoms, lifestyle, health, and history to create a personalized therapeutic plan that addresses their discomfort at its source.

Common skin and ear problems

Select the concern that applies to your pet to learn about the common causes, how we approach it, and what you can do at home.

Why does my dog keep licking their paws?

Some paw licking is normal grooming. Licking or chewing every day, red-brown staining on the fur, or red, swollen skin between the toes usually means something is bothering your dog.

The most common causes we see:

Allergies to things in the environment or to food. This is the most common reason.
Yeast or bacterial infections between the toes, which often follow allergies.
Parasites such as fleas or mites.
Pain in a toe, nail or joint.

Please book a visit if the licking lasts more than a week or two, keeps returning, or you notice redness, swelling, odour or limping.

What you can do at home

Rinse your dog’s paws with cool water after walks, or wipe them with a damp cloth, to wash off and mechanically remove irritants such as pollens and other allergens. Pat the paws dry, especially between the toes.
Licking and chewing can cause significant damage in a short time. If the skin is raw, a clean sock or a cone will protect it until your appointment. Once it is on, please call us.
Take a photo of the paws and note when the licking is worst. This helps us find the cause.
Avoid human creams, peroxide, tea tree oil and other essential oils. They can irritate the skin and can be harmful if ingested.

Why does my dog keep getting ear infections?

If your pet keeps getting ear infections, allergies may be part of the problem. Allergies can cause inflammation and irritation inside the ear canal, creating an environment where yeast and bacteria can overgrow and lead to infection. This is why pets with allergies often struggle with recurring ear infections.

Some pets are also more prone to ear infections because of the shape of their ears. Pets with very hairy ears or long, narrow ear canals may have less airflow in their ears, making it easier for yeast and bacteria to thrive.

Treating the infection brings relief, but the infection tends to return until the underlying cause is managed.

At your visit we examine the ear canal. We may also recommend ear cytology, where we take a sample from the ear and examine the cells under a microscope. We choose treatment based on what we find, then make a plan to keep the ears healthy between flare-ups, which may include cleaning at home. Our ear cleaning tutorial shows you how.

Signs to watch for: head shaking, scratching at the ears, odour, discharge, redness, or pain when the ears are touched.

What you can do at home

Do not put anything in a sore ear: no cotton swabs, peroxide, vinegar or oils, and no leftover drops from a previous infection.
Please do not clean the ears for 48 hours before your appointment, so that we can see what is going on.
A cone can stop the scratching that makes the ear worse.
Note any odour or discharge, and take a photo.
Call us as soon as you notice discharge, odour, excessive scratching or shaking of the head, and right away if your dog tilts their head, loses their balance, or cries when the ear is touched.

What should I do if my dog has a hot spot?

A hot spot is a patch of red, moist, painful skin that can appear and spread within hours, often after a dog licks or scratches one area. Hot spots are common in thick-coated dogs and in warm, humid weather.

Call us if the spot is spreading quickly, is very painful, or your dog seems unwell. We will look for the underlying cause of the hot spot, as well as provide relief and treatment.

What you can do at home

Keep your dog from licking or scratching the spot. A cone or a soft T-shirt can help.
Keep the area clean and dry, using cool to cold water only. Do not use peroxide.
Do not use human creams or ointments unless we have recommended one.

Could my pet have a food allergy?

Food allergies are less common than environmental allergies, but they can cause year-round itching and ear infections. The signs we look for include recurring ear infections, paw licking, anal gland problems, intermittent soft stools or gas, and general itching.

There is no reliable blood or saliva test for food allergies in pets. The way to find out is a strict elimination diet trial:

We choose a diet with a protein your pet has not eaten before, or one made with specially broken-down proteins.
Your pet eats only that food for about eight weeks or longer, with no treats, table scraps or flavoured medications.
If the itch improves, we will discuss whether a diet challenge, in which the previous food is reintroduced to confirm the cause, is appropriate for your pet.

Most trials that do not work fail because of one extra treat or flavoured chew, so we will help you plan for every detail. Our diet trial handouts, under Dermatology Resources below, explain each step.

Before your visit

Hold off on trying new foods until we have talked. Each new protein your pet eats is one fewer we can use in a food trial.
Start a list of everything your pet eats: food, treats, chews, supplements, table scraps and flavoured medications.
If you have already tried switching foods, that is useful. Bring the names, how long you tried each one, and whether it helped the skin or the stomach.

What can allergy testing tell us?

We diagnose environmental allergies from your pet’s history, the examination, and by ruling out other causes. Allergy testing is how we confirm environmental allergies: it identifies the specific pollens, moulds or dust mites your pet reacts to.

The main benefit of testing is immunotherapy. The allergens identified in your pet’s panel are used to create an immunotherapy serum, similar in principle to a vaccine.

It is given as allergy injections, which require weekly to monthly visits to the clinic, or as oral drops given at home. Immunotherapy takes about a year to reach its full effect.

Allergies cannot be cured, but they can be controlled. Our goal is a long-term plan that makes flare-ups less frequent and less severe, using the right combination of:

Medications to calm itch and inflammation
Medicated shampoos, sprays and wipes
Diets and supplements that support the skin
Year-round parasite prevention
Regular rechecks, so that we can adjust as seasons and needs change

We will discuss whether environmental allergy testing and immunotherapy are suitable for your pet.

What helps between flare-ups

Keep up parasite prevention all year, even in winter.
Bathe your pet in cool to cold water with the shampoo we recommend, on the schedule we give you.
Keep a simple flare-up diary: dates, weather, and any change in food or routine.

Why is my cat over-grooming?

Over-grooming is one of the most common signs of itch in cats. You might notice thinning fur, bald patches on the belly or legs, or small scabs around the head and neck. Some cats jump up suddenly as if they have been stung, or the skin along their back twitches.

Allergies, fleas and stress are common causes, and some cats have more than one. Indoor cats can still get parasites such as fleas and ear mites. Our separate cat waiting area and Fear Free® handling help cats stay calmer during their visit, which makes it easier to find the cause.

Please book a visit if you see bald patches, scabs, or grooming that does not let up. Cats hide discomfort well, so what you can see is usually only part of the picture.

What you can do at home

Never use a dog flea product on a cat. Some contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats.
Run a flea comb through the fur over a white paper towel. Dark specks that turn red when damp are flea dirt.
Note where the fur is thin and take a photo.
Never put anything in your cat’s ears. The facial nerve runs very close to the ear canal, so even cleaning needs care. We can show you how to do it safely.

Tests we may recommend

Many skin problems look alike on the surface. The right test shows us what is actually happening, so that treatment addresses the cause. We will explain what each test can tell us, and what it costs, before we begin.