Skin conditions are very common in companion animals and may result from bacterial, fungal or
parasitic infection. Diagnosis can rarely be made on the appearance of the lesion alone as many skin
infections present with crusting of the skin, hair loss and may or may not cause the animal to
scratch.
Good sample collection is vital in the interpretation of skin microbiology results as many bacteria
and fungi may be found as normal commensals on healthy skin. A swab from a fresh pustule or of
exudate from underneath a fresh crust is the preferred sample for bacterial culture. Skin scrapes and
hair plucks from the edge of the lesion are the preferred samples for detection of parasites and
ringworm.
