Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with itchy skin and head tilt linked to ear and brain effects
By Kim, Suyeon et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2025·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine and BK 21 project team, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline atopic syndrome: An insight into its effects on the central nervous system through vestibular disease.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old male Abyssinian cat was brought to the vet with a left head tilt, lethargy, and compulsive walking in circles to the left, along with severe itching and skin bumps. After imaging tests showed issues in the left ear, the vet diagnosed him with an inner ear infection related to his skin allergies. The cat was treated with prednisolone (a steroid), antibiotics, a special diet, and probiotics, which helped improve both his skin and neurological symptoms. Although he still had a slight head tilt after treatment, he did not experience any severe neurological problems again.
People also search for: cat head tilt treatment · Abyssinian cat skin allergies · cat inner ear infection symptoms
Abstract
A 2-year-old male Abyssinian cat was presented with a left head tilt, lethargy, compulsive walking with a left-circling tendency, medial strabismus, a delayed pupillary light reflex, abdominal papules, and severe pruritus that began at 4 mo of age. Imaging revealed mineral opacity foci in the left ear, and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed heterogeneous signal changes, suggesting a diagnosis of otitis interna. No abnormal findings were observed on cerebrospinal fluid tests. Treatment with prednisolone, antibiotics, a hypoallergenic diet, and probiotics led to the resolution of skin issues and neurological improvement. Despite a persistent head tilt after more than 5 mo, there was no recurrence of severe neurological symptoms during the tapering off of prednisolone treatment. Key clinical message: This is the first case report illustrating the potential impact of feline atopic syndrome on the central nervous system. It emphasizes the importance of viewing feline atopic syndrome as more than just a skin disorder.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40170943/