Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with fragile, easily torn skin from collagen disorder
By Sequeira, J L et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·1999·Departamento de Clinica Veteriná, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Collagen dysplasia (cutaneous asthenia) in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 6-month-old male crossbred cat was brought in with two skin wounds on his side and back that were easily torn with minor trauma. The vet found that the cat's skin was unusually stretchy and smooth, indicating a condition called cutaneous asthenia, which is a genetic disorder affecting collagen in the skin. A closer look at skin samples showed that the collagen fibers were abnormal, leading to the skin's fragility. While the study doesn't mention specific treatments, managing this condition typically involves protecting the skin to prevent injuries.
People also search for: cat skin problems · why is my cat's skin so stretchy · cutaneous asthenia treatment for cats
Abstract
Hereditary collagen dysplasias comprise a complex group of connective-tissue disorders that result in the reduced tensile strength of affected tissues. These processes are called cutaneous asthenia in the skin of dogs and cats. We report here the case of a crossbred male cat, aged 6 months, that presented with two skin wounds in the region of the right thorax and right iliac tuberosity. The skin of these regions and of the animal's dorsum was hyperextensible, smooth to the touch, and easily torn with minor trauma. Microscopic examination of skin samples revealed reduced dermal connective tissue consisting of shortened and fragmented collagen fibers. Normal fibers were intermingled with altered fibers. Ultrastructural changes in collagen fibers included disorientation of fibrils within the same bundle, marked spacing differences, and variation in the diameter of transverse sections. The fibrils maintained the transverse striations characteristic of normal collagen.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10568442/