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Periocular dermatitis can occur for a multitude of reasons. The first step is to figure out if the eye itself is involved or not. Once we know the eye is healthy, it is time to figure out why the SKIN AROUND the eye is losing hair, crusty, itchy, etc.

It is important to return to the basic diagnostics. Cytology can be sampled with tape (if the lesion is dry) or swab (if the lesion is wet) to not risk damaging the eye. A trichogram can be used instead of a skin scrape to also protect the eye from a scalpel blade!

Anything that can cause folliculitis to other areas of the skin can impact the periocular dermatitis. Allergies, mites, dermatophytosis, pyoderma, yeast dermatitis, autoimmune diseases and neoplasia can cause lesions. Dive into the details on this week's episode of The Derm Vet podcast!

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
03:00 Periocular Dermatitis
05:21 Cytology Techniques
06:45 Allergies and Facial Pruritus
08:20 Demodex
12:00 Biopsy
13:20 Neoplasia
16:00 Outro

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I asked a few of my vet friends what "derm gifts" they received in 2025. I loved their answers and wanted to share them on our final episode of the podcast this year!

1. More confidence in cytology

2. Comfort in using new tools and innovations

3. Improving client communication and utilization of staff

4. Treating dermatology like a puzzle you have to put together

5. Prioritizing referral for allergy testing and immunotherapy

And mine... be curious and collaborate!

Thanks for another wonderful year of podcasting! Can't wait to see what 2026 has to bring.

00:00 – Intro
01:55 – Derm Gifts of the Year
02:26 – Gift 1: Improving Confidence in Cytology
04:33 – Gift 2: Becoming Open to Try New Things
06:11 – Gift 3: Learning More About Client Communication
09:28 – Gift 4: Realizing Derm is a Puzzle
12:08 – Gift 5: Being Thoughtful When Referring Immunotherapy
15:27 – Gift 6: Remaining Curious and Collaborative
18:52 – Outro

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It is very common for clients to present their pet to the veterinarian complaining that an allergy medication that used to work is no longer effective. Before changing therapies, it is important to consider four different things.

1. Rule out simple mistakes like missed flea prevention, diet change, etc.
2. Identify infection
3. Progression of allergies
4. It is no longer just allergies

Learn more details on this week's episode of The Derm Vet podcast!

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:20 Looking for Simple Causes
03:47 Identify Infections
06:10 Allergy Progression
08:30 When It Isn't Just Allergies
10:22 Overview
12:05 Outro

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Zinc responsive dermatitis is a skin condition in dogs resulting from a zinc deficiency or an inability to properly absorb the mineral. It is a rare condition that typically presents as scaling, crusting, and hair loss around the head (especially muzzle and periocular region) and pressure points.

The most common form is syndrome I which is almost exclusively seen in Nordic breeds like Huskies and Malamutes. They have a genetic defect that impairs intestinal absorption of zinc (even when sufficient quantities are in their diet). 

Learn about this disease process including diagnosis and treatment on this week's episode of The Derm Vet podcast!

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:00 Zinc Basics
04:12 What Happens If You’re Not Absorbing Enough Zinc
05:55 Syndromes Seen With Zinc Deficiency
07:22 Zinc Responsive Dermatitis in Huskies
08:31 Presentations of Zinc Responsive Dermatitis
09:50 Other Differentials You Can See
11:53 Treatment for Zinc Responsive Dermatitis
13:35 Length of Treatment
14:10 Other Treatment Methodologies
15:19 Outro

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Solar dermatitis (actinic keratosis) is skin damage from prolonged UV exposure, affecting both dogs and cats, particularly those with light-colored or thin coats. So, pets that have white fur and live in high UV exposure areas (like the southern US) are predisposed. Symptoms include redness, scaling, hair loss, and thickened, crusty skin. Commonly affected areas include the nose, ears, abdomen, and inner thighs. 

This condition can lead to more severe issues, including pre-cancerous lesions and aggressive skin cancer like squamous cell carcinoma. We will discuss ways to identify this disease and treatment options such as CO2 laser ablation, etc.

00:00 – Intro
04:06 – Nasal Solar Dermatitis
06:32 – Classic Canine Solar Dermatitis
08:15 – Treatment Options for Solar Dermatitis
16:52 – Outro

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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I like to reflect on the things I am thankful for in the world of veterinary dermatology and life. Check out the products and people I am thankful for on this celebratory 300th episode of The Derm Vet podcast!

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
1:53 New Product Launches
4:30 Dr. Bourgeois’s Experiences
5:30 Dr. Bourgeois’s Family
7:21 New Research
8:29 Patients and Clients
10:21 The Viewers
11:39 Outro

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For how common we see pyoderma in cats and dogs in veterinary practice, the appearance can be variable. A cutaneous bacterial infection can appear as crusting, erythema, scaling, moth-eaten alopecia, epidermal collarette, etc. 

Differentials can also be varied. Pyoderma can mimic dermatophytosis, demodicosis, pemphigus foliaceus, epitheliotropic lymphoma, etc. 

Check out this week's episode The Derm Vet podcast! Also, I highly encourage you to check out the YouTube channel to see some clinical images.

00:00 – Intro
01:20 – Moth-Eaten Alopecia
03:18 – Diffuse Alopecia
04:21 – Erythema
05:27 – Scaling
06:40 – Epidermal Collarettes
07:57 – Crusting
11:15 – Urticaria-like Lesions
13:58 – Outro

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As dermatologists, we LOVE topical therapy. However there are some basic things that need to be considered when suggesting a protocol. 

What are you treating?

What is the ultimate goal?

What do you or the owner have?

Can it happen?

Check out some simple tips on this week's episode of The Derm Vet podcast!

00:00 – Intro
01:15 – Q1: Why Are You Using Topical Therapy?
04:41 – Q2: What is the Goal of the Product?
05:58 – Q3: What Do You Have Available?
08:45 – Q4: Can the Owner Do It?
11:34 – Overview
12:44 – Outro

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Even as a specialist, I still get cases that surprise me or change appearances. It can leave me doubting what the next step is. But, if you take a breath, it is amazing what can happen when you figure them out. Check out three cases that recently threw me for a loop.

1. A dog with weird paw pad ulcers

2. A cat with an ulcerated nasal planum

3. A service dog with non-pruritic alopecia and scaling

Hint: If you check out the YouTube channel, there are a lot of clinical photos!

00:00  Intro
02:14  Case Number 1: Veni
08:02  Case Number 2: Gadget
14:42  Case Number 3: Bruno
19:19  Outro

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Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO returns to the podcast to discuss something other than allergies! There are so many non-allergic things that can occur with eyeballs (or the skin around the eyes) that may also include input from a dermatologist?

What non-allergic cause can lead to periocular dermatitis?

How do you start evaluation of blepharitis or chemosis?

We dig even deeper into eyes this week on The Derm Vet podcast!

00:01 – Intro
01:21 – What is the most common reason for periocular alopecia
03:48 – What topical antibiotic can you safely use around the eye
08:02 – Basic guidance on blepharitis
12:09 – When should general practitioners consult ophthalmologists
15:07 – Breeds with a strong overlap in skin and eye conditions
18:01 – Outro