Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with itchy skin and hair loss linked to thymoma tumor
By Mendoza-Kuznetsova, Ekaterina et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2021·Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comorbidity of ectopic thymoma-associated exfoliative dermatitis and pemphigus foliaceus in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old cat was brought to the vet because it was scratching a lot and had skin issues like scaling, crusting, and hair loss. After examining the cat and performing tests, the vet found signs of two skin conditions: exfoliative dermatitis and pemphigus foliaceus (an autoimmune skin disease). Unfortunately, a thymoma (a type of tumor) was discovered during a later examination after the cat passed away. This case shows that if a cat has severe skin problems, it’s important for vets to check for underlying issues like thymoma.
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Abstract
An 8-year-old cat was presented with pruritus, purulent paronychia, scaling, crusting, and spontaneous alopecia. Histopathology revealed intraepidermal neutrophilic pustular acantholytic dermatitis and hyperkeratotic cytotoxic interface dermatitis. No thoracic mass was seen on a lateral radiograph. Ectopic thymoma was discovered on necropsy. This case highlights the necessity for thorough investigation of any case of feline exfoliative dermatitis and pemphigus foliaceus for the presence of thymoma. Key clinical message: Comorbidity of exfoliative dermatitis and pemphigus foliaceus in a cat should prompt a thorough investigation for presence of a thymoma, possibly with advanced imaging techniques.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34602633/