Is your pet suffering from Chronic Itching, Ear Infections or Skin Disease?
Our board-certified Phoenix Vet specializes in pet dermatology.
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Conditions Treated
Environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis)
What is atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition caused by an overreaction of the immune system to everyday environmental allergens. Pets are essentially “allergic” to things they breathe in or touch.
Common pet allergens:
- Pollens (trees, weeds, grasses — especially seasonal in Phoenix)
- Dust mites and storage mites
- Mold spores
- Desert plants and grasses
- Indoor allergens year-round
Things to look out for with your pet:
Persistent itching, licking, chewing paws, rubbing face, ear infections, red skin, hair loss, and recurring flare-ups. This is a lifelong condition that is managed, not cured, often requiring long-term treatment plans.
Food allergies
What is it?
Food allergies occur when a pet’s immune system reacts to a specific ingredient in their diet, leading to skin inflammation and sometimes gastrointestinal issues.
Common food allergies in pets:
- Proteins such as beef, chicken, dairy, eggs, lamb, or fish
- Less commonly: grains or additives
- Can develop at any age, even after years on the same food
Things to look out for with your pet:
Year-round itching (often face, ears, paws, rear), recurrent ear infections, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. Diagnosis requires a strict elimination diet trial, not blood or skin testing.
Recurrent bacterial skin infections
What causes repeat bacterial infections?
These infections occur when bacteria normally living on the skin overgrow due to an underlying problem that weakens the skin barrier.
Common causes of skin infections:
- Allergies (environmental or food)
- Hormonal disease (thyroid, adrenal disorders)
- Chronic moisture (skin folds, ears, licking)
- Inadequate immune response
Things to look out for with your pet:
Red bumps, pustules, crusts, hair loss, odor, and itching. Recurrent infections signal an underlying condition that must be addressed to prevent repeated flare-ups.
Methicillin-resistant bacterial skin infections (MRSP/MRSA)
What is it?
These are bacterial skin infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strains, meaning standard antibiotics may no longer work.
Common causes:
- Repeated or inappropriate antibiotic use
- Chronic skin disease
- Hospitalization or prior surgery
- Immune suppression
Things to look out for with your pet:
Infections that don’t improve with typical treatment. These cases require culture and sensitivity testing to select the correct medication and careful infection control.
Ear disease (otitis externa)
What is it?
Inflammation or infection of the external ear canal. This is one of the most common dermatology problems we treat.
Common causes:
- Allergies (very common in Arizona pets)
- Yeast or bacterial overgrowth
- Ear anatomy (floppy ears, narrow canals)
- Moisture from bathing or swimming
- Foreign material (foxtails, debris)
Things to look out for with your pet:
Head shaking, ear scratching, redness, odor, discharge, pain, or hearing changes. Chronic ear disease often reflects underlying allergies and needs more than just ear drops.
Superficial and deep fungal infections (ringworm & others)
What is it?
Fungal infections affect the skin, hair, or nails. Ringworm is common and contagious, while deep fungal infections are less common but more serious.
Common causes:
- Exposure to infected animals or environments
- Young, elderly, or immunocompromised pets
- Certain desert fungi (some fungi are unique to Arizona)
Things to look out for with your pet:
Circular hair loss, scaling, brittle hair, crusts, or non-healing lesions. Deep fungal infections may cause swelling, draining tracts, or systemic illness and require long-term treatment.
Autoimmune and immune-mediated skin disease (lupus)
What is it?
These conditions occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the pet’s own skin, causing inflammation and tissue damage.
Common causes:
- Genetic predisposition
- Immune dysregulation
- Sometimes triggered by medications or UV exposure
Things to look out for in your pet:
Ulcers, sores on the nose or lips, crusting, hair loss, pigment changes, and lesions that don’t heal. Treatment focuses on immune suppression and careful monitoring.
Hormone replacement therapy (endocrine skin disease)
What is it?
Certain hormone imbalances affect the skin’s ability to grow hair and maintain normal function. Hormone replacement restores balance and improves skin health.
Common causes:
- Hypothyroidism
- Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism)
- Sex hormone imbalances
Things to look out for in your pet:
Hair loss without itching, thinning coat, darkened skin, recurrent infections, lethargy, weight changes. Dermatologic signs often improve once hormones are regulated.
Skin cancer
What is it?
Skin cancer includes both benign and malignant growths arising from the skin, hair follicles, or pigment cells.
Common causes:
- Sun exposure (very relevant in Phoenix AZ)
- Genetics and breed predisposition
- Chronic inflammation or trauma
- Age
Things to look out for:
New lumps, bumps, sores that don’t heal, color changes, or rapidly growing masses. Early evaluation is critical, as many skin cancers are treatable when caught early.
Services Offered
Allergy Testing and Immunotherapy
A diagnostic and treatment approach that identifies the specific allergens triggering your pet’s symptoms and uses customized therapy to retrain the immune system and reduce long-term itching and inflammation.
Cryosurgery and Cryotherapy
A minimally invasive treatment that uses extreme cold to safely destroy abnormal or diseased skin tissue without traditional surgical incisions.
Dermatohistopathology
Microscopic examination of skin biopsies by a veterinary pathologist to accurately diagnose complex or unclear skin diseases and guide targeted treatment.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Restores hormonal balance in pets with endocrine disorders, helping normalize skin function, hair growth, and overall health.
Plastic and Cutaneous Surgery
Specialized surgical techniques designed to repair, reconstruct, or remove skin and soft tissue while preserving function and cosmetic appearance.
Skin Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Involves early identification, biopsy, and medical or surgical management of skin tumors to achieve the best possible outcome.
Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA)
A surgical procedure that permanently removes a severely diseased ear canal to eliminate chronic pain and infection when medical management is no longer effective.
Video Otoscopy and Surgery
Uses a high-definition camera to thoroughly examine, clean, and treat the ear canal, allowing precise diagnosis and minimally invasive surgical intervention when needed.
Dr. Mitchell Song, DACVD
Top Accolades
Board Certified, American College of Veterinary Dermatology
35+ years in Veterinary Dermatology practice
