Skin Biopsies and Specialized Histopathology

Skin biopsies are a very common test performed at Pet Dermatology Partners. They are used for many purposes, including for histopathology to diagnose immune-mediated diseases and for deeper bacterial and fungal cultures. Most often, your pet will not need to be sedated for a biopsy because it is not painful or scary for them. In rare instances light sedation may be needed, such as if your pet is stressed or if we have to sample your pet’s face, ears, or feet. We use a short-acting local anesthetic to numb 3 – 4 areas on your pet’s body, and then a sample the size of a pencil eraser is collected from their skin at each spot using a circular scalpel blade. The small incisions are closed with stitches and will heal within 10 – 14 days.  The samples we collect for histopathology are sent to a specialized lab that can examine all the layers of your pet’s skin to diagnose their disease.

At home care after biopsies:

While your pet’s incisions are healing, please keep them clean and dry. Your pet may need to wear an E-collar (plastic cone) or a t-shirt to stop them from biting the stitches. Small biopsies like this should not be painful, so if your pet is uncomfortable or seems bothered by the biopsy sites, please call us so we can help!