Appointment Preparations

 Upon scheduling your pet's appointment we ask that you complete a comprehensive questionnaire.  You can complete it by clicking here.  This will provide us with a detailed overview of your pet's dermatologic history for diagnostic purposes.  By completing the questionnaire prior to your visit, you will maximize the time we can spend with you your pet.  However, our nursing staff is available at the time of your appointment should you have questions regarding completing the questionnaire.

1. Collect all medical records: they may be faxed or e-mailed to the office prior to your visit (most referring veterinarians will do this directly from their office).
2. Complete the New Patient Questionnaire.
   • Click here to complete the patient form.
3. Bring all medications your pet is currently taking or has taken for the current condition.
4. DO NOT bathe your pet for at least 5 days prior to the appointment.
5. DO NOT clean or apply medication to your pet's ears for at least 2 days prior to the appointment.
6. Please consult your primary care veterinarian regarding other medications your pet is taking if you are unsure whether or not to stop the treatment before the appointment.
7. Withhold food from your pet for at least 8 hours prior to the appointment. This will allow for sedation or blood testing if required. You do not need to withhold water.
8. If this is your first visit, please arrive approximately 15-20 minutes prior to your exam so we can process your registration forms and review your records.
9. Please call Pittsburgh Veterinary Dermatology if you have any other questions about appointment preparation.

Please allow 1-2 hours for your pet's initial appointment. The dermatological examination will take approximately 30 minutes, with additional time required to review your pet's clinical history, reports and lab work and to complete in-house diagnostics as well as discuss the treatment plan with you. Subsequent visits should take no longer than 30 minutes unless special testing is required. 

Should you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, we ask that you let us know at least 48 hours in advance in order for us to fill the appointment with pets from our waiting list.  Pittsburgh Veterinary Dermatology is currently booked several weeks in advance, please be courteous to other pet owners who need to see us.  Those clients that NO CALL NO SHOW without a valid reason may be charged before another appointment will be scheduled.

For allergy testing:

1. Skin testing is rarely performed during the initial consult.
2. Oral and injectable steroids should be avoided for at least 4-6 weeks prior to any scheduled allergy test.
3. Topical steroids (ear drops) should be avoided for 3 weeks prior to any scheduled allergy test.
4. Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), hydroxyzine (Atarax), clemastine (Tavist) and chlorpheniramine (ClorTrimeton) should be avoided for a period of 14 days prior to allergy testing.
5. Be sure to follow your primary care veterinarian's recommendations when suspending medication.

If necessary, we will discuss additional recommended diagnostic testing and treatment options at the time of the appointment, providing cost estimates for each service. Follow-up appointments should be scheduled that day at checkout.  Recheck appointments are vital for us to be able to develop the best plan to manage your pet's condition over time.

Following your pet's examination and testing, we will forward a complete report to your referring veterinarian. While we follow through with your pet's dermatologic care, your pet's general care is still the responsibility of your primary care veterinarian.