CASE #8 - "Buffy"

Signalment: 10 year old FS DSH cat

Client complaint:
1 yr history of progressive hair loss
-not pruritic
-began shortly after another cat (kitten) was brought into household

Describe the lesions

What are your differentials?

What about allergic dermatitis or psychogenic alopecia?

What easy tests could you do to determine if the hairs are being licked out or are falling out?

What else, besides pruritus, can cause broken-off hairs?

In this cat's case, microscopically the ends of the hairs were tapered. Thus, pruritus in this cat seems unlikely.

The hairs also did not epilate easily making endocrine alopecia unlikely as well.

Now what?

Results

Diagnosis?

Is feline demodicosis common?

Demodex can be localized or generalized in cats.

Localized demodicosis
  1. Especially face and feet
  2. Focal alopecia patch(es)
  3. Usually self-limiting
  4. Treatment
    a. Scientific neglect
    b. Topical goodwinol
    c. Topical canex in mineral oil

Generalized Demodicosis
  1. Clinical signs - variable
    -Multifocal to generalized areas      of alopecia
    -Exudative dermatitis
    -Erythematous, papular and/or      crusting dermatitis
  2. Pruritus - none to mild

Generalized demodicosis is almost always seen in cats with some other underlying disease.

Generalized demodicosis has been described in cats with:
1. Feline leukemia
2. Diabetes mellitus
3. Toxoplasmosis
4. Systemic lupus erythematosus
5. FIV
Thus, a complete workup is essential in any cat with generalized demodicosis

Treatment - Generalized Demodicosis
Treat underlying disease
2. Total body clip if long-haired
3. Weekly dips with 2% lime sulfur or biweekly dips with Mitaban until skin scrapes negative plus 2-4 more dips for insurance.

Mitaban
1. Half-strength every 2 weeks reported effective for feline scabies and demodex
2. Not licensed for use in cats
3. Side effects
-depression
-anorexia
-vomiting, diarrhea
-excess salivation

The cat in this case was FeLV positive. She was treated with 6 weekly 2% lime sulfur dips.
Results: Demodicosis cured. Two years post treatment, she remains clinically healthy.

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