Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New skin hair loss linked to thymoma in a cat
By Fournier, Quentin et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2019·Department of Small Animal Teaching Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A previously undescribed cutaneous paraneoplastic syndrome in a cat with thymoma.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 14-year-old female domestic short hair cat was brought in for hair loss on her back that was not inflamed. After thorough examinations and imaging, the vet discovered a mass in her chest, which was identified as a thymoma (a type of tumor). The mass was surgically removed, and afterward, the cat's fur began to grow back in the areas where she had lost hair. Unfortunately, she was later euthanized due to complications from surgery, but her skin condition had improved significantly before that.
People also search for: cat hair loss · thymoma in cats · cat skin problems · cat surgery recovery · alopecia in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Exfoliative dermatitis is a well-recognized cutaneous paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) associated with thymoma in cats, of which the clinical and histopathological presentation has been well-characterized. OBJECTIVES: To describe a novel clinical skin manifestation associated with thymoma in a cat. ANIMAL: A 14-year-old neutered female domestic short hair cat. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Physical, abdominal ultrasonographic, thoracic radiographic, ultrasonographic and computed tomographic examinations, histopathological assessment of the skin and mediastinal mass. RESULTS: The cat was presented with noninflammatory alopecia, with a dorsal multifocal distribution. Examination of the alopecic areas using a dermascope indicated an apparent lack of follicular ostia. Histopathological assessment of alopecic areas confirmed follicular and epidermal atrophy, trichilemmal keratinization and mild orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. Diagnostic imaging revealed a mediastinal mass, which was surgically removed. Histopathological and immunohistopathological examination of the mass was consistent with a thymoma, associated with multiloculated cyst formation and multifocal cholesterol granulomas. Following surgery, hair re-growth was noted in the previously alopecic areas. The cat was euthanized 3.5 months later because of recurrent chylothorax suspected to be a postoperative complication. The alopecic lesions had improved markedly. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Thymoma-associated PNS might not always manifest as an exfoliative dermatitis and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of multifocal noninflammatory alopecia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30908751/