Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with itchy hair loss and liver disease diagnosed by ultrasound
By Kimmel, Susan E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2003·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinicopathological, ultrasonographic, and histopathological findings of superficial necrolytic dermatitis with hepatopathy in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Maine Coon cat was taken to the vet due to itchy skin and hair loss, along with elevated liver enzymes. An ultrasound of the abdomen showed unusual patterns in the liver, and further tests revealed liver damage linked to a condition called hepatocutaneous syndrome, which often causes skin issues. The vet found specific changes in both the skin and liver that confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment options typically focus on managing the liver condition and improving skin health, but the details on the cat's recovery were not provided.
People also search for: cat itchy skin treatment · Maine Coon liver disease symptoms · hepatocutaneous syndrome in cats
Abstract
This report describes the antemortem diagnosis and antemortem and postmortem findings of superficial necrolytic dermatitis with hepatopathy (i.e., hepatocutaneous syndrome) in a cat. A 5-year-old Maine coon was evaluated because of a history of pruritic alopecia and liver enzyme elevations. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a reticular pattern to the hepatic parenchyma. Histopathological findings of the liver were nodular regeneration with bands of vacuolated hepatocytes and bile duct hyperplasia, characteristic of the hepatopathy frequently associated with superficial necrolytic dermatitis. Skin histopathology revealed multifocal parakeratosis, midepidermal spongiosis, and basal cell hyperplasia consistent with superficial necrolytic dermatitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12549610/