Healthy skin is in! Protect the skin your pet is in.

In human medicine, patients see their family doctors for routine wellness checks and general health concerns. But often, the primary care doctor recommends a specialist. The same is now true of veterinary medicine. Get to know our Veterinary Specialist in Dermatology, Dr. Melanie Hnot [NOT].

Does my dog need a manicure?

Symmetric Lupoid Onychitis in dogs
Do you have a dog whose nails are brittle or where the nails have started to fall off? Symmetric lupoid onychitis (SLO), an immune-mediated condition that affects your dog’s nails and paws. I’ve seen this recently in some patients so I wanted to give an update on this dermatologic disease. 
Luckily, this disease isn’t that common, but if it’s your dog, you want to bring them to your veterinarian right away. 

What is it?
SLO has been reported in many dog breeds. I’ve seen it in Vizslas, Greyhounds, German Shepherds, Giant Schnauzer and mixed breed dogs. Commonly occurring in middle age, dogs can present with brittle nails or with nails falling off on multiple paws. Understandably, this can be painful and discourage your pup from walking or playing. This disease usually only affects the feet so dogs are typically still eating and drinking normally.

What can I do?
The best way to diagnose this disease is to biopsy an affected nail. The biopsy is helpful because it can differentiate SLO from other diseases.
Treatments for SLO varies as does the response of from each dog. Often a combination of treatments are used. Some dogs respond to strict diet trials, whereby a food allergy causes this disease. Other dogs respond to omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, doxycycline (an antibiotic) along with niacinamide (a B-vitamin) and some need stronger medications like prednisone. Nails grow slowly so treatment can take time. Most patients need to be treated for at least 8 weeks before seeing improvement and dogs may need treatment lifelong. Even with treatment, the nails can grow in abnormally. We also want to make sure our patients are comfortable so pain management is part of the initial plan. 

The good news, most patients respond well to treatment of SLO.

Itchy Cats

Itchy Cats
Ever had a cat that is licking excessively or scratching so much the skin bleeds?  Hopefully not, but if you have an itchy cat, you know heartbreaking it can be to watch.  If you’ve been reading up on the multitude of causes of itching in cats online, you might get discouraged.  We’re here to help guide you through the process of figuring out what’s making your cat itch!!

What causes this?
There are many causes of itching in cats. They can include parasites, infectious diseases, allergies, and behavioral issues, among other diseases. Your veterinarian will take a detailed history to learn more about your cat and will then perform their exam. Looking for parasites is one of first things we want to do. We see a lot of flea allergy dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) so we will want to perform a combing to check for fleas. Some cats are fastidious groomers and can lick fleas off of their hair coat before we even find them so we often recommend a flea prevention. Looking for other parasites is important too. Superficial and deep skin scrapings can be taken to look for certain types of mites. Skin cytology can be helpful to look for bacteria and yeast infections and testing for ringworm can be performed.

Could it be allergies?
Once parasites and infectious diseases are ruled out, the next step is determining if your cat has allergies. Allergies can be caused by fleas, foods or even pollens, dust mites and molds in their environment. 

What can I do?
A strict, prescription 2-3 month diet trial may be recommended to see if your cat has a food allergy.  We know that cats can be picky eaters, which is why we have multiple dry and canned foods to try.  If environmental allergies are suspected, allergy testing can be performed.
With all of these possible causes, we recommend taking your cat to their veterinarian so they can help you determine the cause of itching and help treat it.

*New product update in cats: Revolution Plus is a new topical preventative for cats. It helps to provide protection against fleas, some ticks, heartworm, roundworms, hookworms and ear mites. It requires a prescription so you will need to talk with your veterinarian to see if it is an option for your cat.

A veterinary dermatologist is an expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of animal skin, ear, hair, nail, hoof and mouth disorders. Our specialty teams work closely with your pet’s primary care veterinarians to develop the best possible treatment plan for your patient.  If you have questions about our dermatology services or any of our other specialized services in Surgery, Cardiology, Internal Medicine or Emergency & Critical Care, please contact us via our website at vcahollywood.com, by phone at 954-920-3556 or by email at au1000@vca.com.

Welcome Dr. Sarah Mounedji!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Sarah Mounedji was born and raised in Southern California. She received her Bachelor’s in Animal Science and Management at the University of California, Davis. While at Davis, Sarah was a member of Chi Omega and served as Secretary and President of Alpha Zeta, an honors agricultural fraternity. She spent over two years working with parrots during her Parrot Cognition Internship and earned several awards during her undergraduate studies for both academic achievement and contribution to the student experience.

Sarah earned her veterinary degree at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. During which time, she was actively involved in various extra-curricular activities through the university and in the Edinburgh community. She was a member of the ladies rugby team and served on the Staff Student Liaison Committee and Veterinary Student Council. Sarah’s outside interests include Krav Maga, kickboxing, martial arts, jewelry making, arts and crafts, and traveling.

Sarah has done veterinary related volunteer work in various countries including Canada, Costa Rica, Egypt, Scotland, and the United States. She was trained to work with multiple species and underwent marine mammal medic training. Sarah is interested in animal behavior and animal welfare. She is committed to helping maintain the human-animal bond.

Pets play an important role in the family and Dr. Mounedji is committed to helping you keep your pets healthy and happy.

Welcome Dr. Lauren Vezzosi!!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Lauren Vezzosi is originally from Chicago IL, but spent most of her childhood in Charlotte, NC and Wayzata, MN. She attended Penn State University where she received her undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences. While in undergrad, Dr. Vezzosi was a member of the Penn State Equestrian Team. She received her DVM degree from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Vezzosi’s veterinary interests include preventative care, internal medicine, and dentistry. In her free time, Dr. Vezzosi enjoys traveling as often as possible, spending time outdoors, horseback riding, and spending time with her family and dog, Uno. She is thrilled to join the VCA HAH team and is looking forward to exploring South Florida.

Dr. Vezzosi has already made her mark on our clients and pet community with her wonderful care and commitment. We are glad she is a part of our team.

Welcome Dr. Kristi Medearis!!!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Kristi Medearis grew up in the Los Angeles, California area.  She completed a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology at California State Dominquez Hills before attending Veterinary School at UC Davis.  She enjoys emergency and critical care as well as client communication.  

Dr. Medearis has only one cat at home, a tabby named Buddy but looks forward to hopefully getting more pets soon!   In her spare time, Dr. Medearis enjoys the ocean, camping, video games, and going to concerts.  

Dr. Medearis has brought a lot of energy and passion for animal care to our family and we look forward to you and your pets meeting her.

Welcome, Dr. Matthew Schexnayder!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Matthew Schexnayder was born and raised in South Louisiana. His love for animals domesticated and wild was evident from a young age and he vividly recalls bandaging his stuffed animals after a veterinarian visited his Pre-K class. He attended Louisiana State University for undergraduate, graduating in 2012 with College Honors, a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, and minors in Asian Studies, Chemistry, and Chinese. During his undergraduate years at LSU, Matthew competed in several club sports, including rowing, powerlifting, and quidditch.  In 2009 he was the Quidditch Captain and led LSU to fourth place in the Quidditch World Cup.

Matthew stayed on at LSU for veterinary school, where he worked as an after-hours laboratory and surgery technician. Additionally, Matthew was a Co-Chair of the Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana, devoting his free time to the rehabilitation and release of injured birds. Matthew also volunteered as a surgeon at a local animal shelter throughout his final year of veterinary school.

These days, Matthew enjoys nature photography, trail running, paddle sports, tennis, becoming a better author, and spending time with his dwarf rabbit Blackjack. His professional interests are broad, but he particularly loves cytology and plans to pursue a residency in veterinary clinical pathology.

Welcome Dr. Denise Lukacs!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Denise Lukacs was born and raised near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She received her Bachelor’s in Animal Biology from the University of Guelph in 2010. She went on to complete her Master’s in Animal Behavior and Welfare, with a research interest in the behavior and thermoregulation of elephants and giraffes.  During university, Denise continued to work at a companion animal hospital, as a veterinary assistant, where she gained valuable experience in general practice and reproduction medicine.

Denise completed her veterinary degree at the Ontario Veterinary College.  Denise served as the president of the Animal Behavior Club, and enjoyed volunteering with various animal and community outreach organizations, while completing her veterinary degree. Denise is excited to join VCA HAH, and hopes to further develop her special interests in emergency, critical care and internal medicine.

In her free time, Denise enjoys horseback riding, having competed to the international level in eventing. Denise also enjoys spending time with her dogs, and competing with her Border Collie, Anky. She also owns a loveable black cat named Jagger. Denise is excited to explore southern Florida, and spend time by the ocean.

Education: Ontario Veterinary College

Welcome Dr. Abigail Kreines!!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Abby Kreines was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from University of Wisconsin – Madison. While in Madison Abby served as the social chair of the Pre-Vet Club for two years. She also spent weekends volunteering at the local Henry Vilas Zoo educating children about various animal species.

Abby received her veterinary degree from St. George’s University in Grenada and completed her clinical year at University of Florida. In Grenada Abby served as first the zoo rep and later the president of the Exotics and Wildlife Society. She also spent one of her summer vacations in South Africa learning from a wildlife veterinarian.

When not working, Abby enjoys taking her German shepherd, Captain, on long walks or hikes. She also enjoys cooking, traveling and reading. Abby is interested in zoo and exotic animal medicine but she loves all animals of all sizes.

Welcome Dr. Rebecca Rittenberg!!!!!!!!!!

Rebecca Rittenberg originally hails from Charleston, SC. Her first experience in Florida came when she attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables for undergraduate where she received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Judaic Studies and a minor in history. While attending the U, she was involved in an internship program that allowed her to meet a Holocaust survivor with whom she wrote and published his memoir after graduation. 

After graduating in 2008, Rebecca moved to Israel with her now husband for 6 months before returning to Charleston where she began courses to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Rebecca attended veterinary school at the University of Minnesota with a focus in small animal medicine.

Rebecca’s veterinary interests include internal medicine as well as preventive medicine. 

Her interests outside of the veterinary field include traveling with her husband any time she gets the chance, hiking with her perfect dog, Sababa,  attending plays and concerts, and being with family and friends. She is excited to make this move to South Florida and catch up on much needed heat after four years in “America’s Icebox.”