INFORMATION FOR VETS
Dear Colleague,
Not all skin cases are difficult. Some respond well to traditional treatments. However, because allergy is incurable, many on-going cases of pruritus need further workup to establish the cause of the hypersensitivity. Intradermal testing is still considered the “gold standard” diagnostic test in the work up for canine atopic dermatosis. Other skin cases just don’t go according to plan, not all animals have “read the book” so they don’t present in a typical fashion. For these atypical cases, or ones which don’t seem to make any sense, it is almost always worthwhile having another brain on the case, even if it is just to bounce ideas off.
If you feel that a dermatological case isn’t going well, or if you have a presumed hypersensitivity case that needs further work up, I am very happy to be involved. The referral system is easy. You simply send us the clinical notes and the client email and we will do the rest. Although I appreciate referral letters, they are a job that you can probably do without, and the clinical notes are more important. Please include all test results, bloodwork, etc. along with clinical notes. Your exam notes are invaluable!
We will confirm the animal’s appointment time, giving directions on how to find the hosting clinic, and provide a history form for the client to fill out before the referral consultation, giving their version of the case.
After the initial or follow-up consultations, I typically email the same summary to both you and your client the same day. If you do not receive a summary within 72 hours, please contact me. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. I do require all my patients have monitoring bloodwork with me every 6 months if I have prescribed them chronic medications like Apoquel or cyclosporine. I almost never perform intradermal testing on the first visit, unless the diagnosis of environmental allergies is obvious or has been previously confirmed. There are exceptions to every rule, but you and your clients should be aware of this. If you are confident you have made the diagnosis of environmental allergies and are referring just for testing and treatment, please let me know at the time you refer so we can accommodate that at the initial visit.
If you are referring for video otoscopy, we will have asked your client to fast their pet so we can perform the procedure under general anaesthesia or sometimes sedation (depending on what the goal is, what the condition of the ear is, and what the disposition of the pet is). Video otoscopy IS something that can and often is done at an initial visit as a specific referral procedure. If, in the course of the initial visit, video otoscopy is recommended as part of the work up, that will be a return visit. Video otoscopy is a brilliant tool not only for diagnosis and treatment but for increasing value, awareness and treatment compliance.
Not all skin cases are difficult. Some respond well to traditional treatments. However, because allergy is incurable, many on-going cases of pruritus need further workup to establish the cause of the hypersensitivity. Intradermal testing is still considered the “gold standard” diagnostic test in the work up for canine atopic dermatosis. Other skin cases just don’t go according to plan, not all animals have “read the book” so they don’t present in a typical fashion. For these atypical cases, or ones which don’t seem to make any sense, it is almost always worthwhile having another brain on the case, even if it is just to bounce ideas off.
If you feel that a dermatological case isn’t going well, or if you have a presumed hypersensitivity case that needs further work up, I am very happy to be involved. The referral system is easy. You simply send us the clinical notes and the client email and we will do the rest. Although I appreciate referral letters, they are a job that you can probably do without, and the clinical notes are more important. Please include all test results, bloodwork, etc. along with clinical notes. Your exam notes are invaluable!
We will confirm the animal’s appointment time, giving directions on how to find the hosting clinic, and provide a history form for the client to fill out before the referral consultation, giving their version of the case.
After the initial or follow-up consultations, I typically email the same summary to both you and your client the same day. If you do not receive a summary within 72 hours, please contact me. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. I do require all my patients have monitoring bloodwork with me every 6 months if I have prescribed them chronic medications like Apoquel or cyclosporine. I almost never perform intradermal testing on the first visit, unless the diagnosis of environmental allergies is obvious or has been previously confirmed. There are exceptions to every rule, but you and your clients should be aware of this. If you are confident you have made the diagnosis of environmental allergies and are referring just for testing and treatment, please let me know at the time you refer so we can accommodate that at the initial visit.
If you are referring for video otoscopy, we will have asked your client to fast their pet so we can perform the procedure under general anaesthesia or sometimes sedation (depending on what the goal is, what the condition of the ear is, and what the disposition of the pet is). Video otoscopy IS something that can and often is done at an initial visit as a specific referral procedure. If, in the course of the initial visit, video otoscopy is recommended as part of the work up, that will be a return visit. Video otoscopy is a brilliant tool not only for diagnosis and treatment but for increasing value, awareness and treatment compliance.
