Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rare ear tissue death and growth in 3-month-old Persian kitten
By Vidémont, E & Pin, D·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2010·Unité, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Proliferative and necrotising otitis in a kitten: first demonstration of T-cell-mediated apoptosis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old Persian kitten was brought in with severe ear problems, showing red and necrotic tissue in its ears. The vet diagnosed a rare type of ear infection called proliferative and necrotising otitis, which is unusual in cats. Treatment included a topical medication called tacrolimus and a daily ear cleaner. After 10 days, the kitten showed significant improvement, and the ear lesions completely healed within three weeks.
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Abstract
Otitis externa in cats is relatively uncommon. This report describes a case of a rare, visually distinctive, proliferative and necrotising otitis in a three-month-old Persian kitten. The cat had proliferative, erythematous and necrotic tissue covering most of the proximal pinnae and vertical ear canals. On histopathological examination, the most striking feature was the existence of scattered apoptotic-appearing keratinocytes within severely hyperplastic epithelium. For the first time, immunohistochemistry was used to show a closed association between CD3(+) T cells and caspase-3 stained keratinocytes, consistent with a keratinocyte apoptosis by epidermal-infiltrating T cells. Treatment was initiated using topical tacrolimus twice daily and an ear cleanser once daily. A marked improvement was observed after 10 days of treatment and the lesions completely resolved over a period of three weeks. The origin of T cells directed against keratinocytes is currently unknown.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20973789/