Pet Services

If your pet could talk, it’s unlikely that it would complain about its health. Its priorities are to run, nap, play, and above all, please the person it loves best: you. So it’s up to us as pet owners to keep a careful eye out for physical and behavioral changes in our animals.

Problems with a pet’s ears or skin are the top two reasons pet owners seek veterinary help. Most often, the cause of the problem—allergies, skin cancer, mites, mange, and other skin and ear afflictions—can be easily treated with specialized care and minimal discomfort for the patient.

For cats, dogs, and other pets, most skin afflictions can be easily treated once effectively diagnosed. Our diagnostic tests rule out other factors to hone in on what’s really bothering your pet, be it allergies, mites, mange, skin cancer, or simply a reaction to a drug.

When you bring your pet in for a visit, Dr. Williamson will perform an examination and then one or more diagnostic tests, based on her findings.

Dr. Williamson also visits horses across the state of Virginia, performing tests and administering treatments for skin, ear, and allergy ailments. She specializes in making each horse as comfortable as possible in its own familiar setting and educates owners on how best to counteract challenges to equine dermatological health. A shiny coat is not only beautiful to observe, it indicates a happy, healthy horse.

Tests Performed

Skin or ear cytology
Examining a sample of skin cells or ear discharge under a microscope to discover evidence of bacterial or yeast infection, autoimmune cells, cancer cells, or other causes for concern.

Bacterial cultures and sensitivities
Performed when an infection of the skin or ears does not respond to first-line antibiotic therapy.

Fungal culture (DTM)
Checks for ringworm, a fungal infection of the hair.

Allergy testing
Administered when an environmental allergy is suspected, this test looks for skin reactions to a variety of possible factors, such as molds or pollens.

Diagnoses and Treatments

Allergies
Including atopy (environmental), food, flea, and contact allergies.

Ear Disease
Including chronic and acute ear disease.

Ectoparasites
Including mange mites (demodex and scabies), ear mites, ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes.

Endocrine Diseases
Including thyroid disease, Cushing’s Disease, and hormone diseases.

Skin Cancer
Including generalized and localized skin cancers.

Cutaneous Manifestations of Internal Diseases
Including systemic and discoid Lupus, Phemphigus Foliaceus, Phemphigus Erythematosus, Phemphigus Vulgaris, Phemphigus Vegetans and Paraneoplastic Phemphigus, and Bullous Dematitis.

Ringworm

Drug Reactions

Mass Removal