Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline eosinophilic granuloma complex skin lesions and treatment
By Buckley, Laura & Nuttall, Tim·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2012·Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK, United Kingdom·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Feline Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex(ITIES)
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with itchy, painful skin lesions was diagnosed with feline eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC), a condition that can cause severe skin problems. These lesions can be chronic and may come back even after treatment. While some cats may only have one episode that resolves, others might experience recurring issues that are hard to treat. It’s important for pet owners to work closely with their veterinarian to find the best long-term management plan for their cat's specific situation.
People also search for: cat skin problems treatment · why is my cat itching · feline eosinophilic granuloma complex symptoms · cat skin lesions management
Abstract
Practical relevance: The feline eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) comprises a group of clinically well recognised but poorly understood dermatoses that are common in cats. In many cases, lesions are severe and can be accompanied by varying degrees of (and sometimes considerable) pruritus and/or pain. In addition, lesions can be chronic and recurrent. It is, therefore, important to achieve a prompt and accurate diagnosis in order to provide optimal, often life-long, treatment for affected cats. Patient group: There is no age predisposition or well documented breed predilection for the development of EGC lesions in cats. Some studies have reported a possible female predisposition, but this has not been consistently documented. Clinical challenges: The clinical diagnosis of EGC lesions is usually straightforward, but investigation of the potential underlying aetiology can pose a challenge for the clinician. Information on the indication for various diagnostic tests and their interpretation is lacking, and the tendency for these cases to be managed with chronic medical intervention prior to achieving a definitive diagnosis can further complicate the interpretation of any diagnostic investigation. In addition, successful therapeutic management of these cases can be challenging. Some cats suffer only a single episode of disease that resolves with treatment, while others have recurrent lesions and some of these can be refractory to treatment. The individual variation in both the clinical nature of the disease and the response to therapy could be related to disease severity, but could also be explained by differences in the underlying aetiopathogenesis. Evidence base: This article reviews the published literature to discuss the complex aetiology of the EGC and present an overview of the different clinical presentations and diagnosis. A further and particular aim has been to provide some evidence-based recommendations for the management of this unusual group of dermatoses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x12451549