Affiliation:
1. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Tufts University North Grafton Massachusetts USA
2. Veterinary clinic ‘VetPet LT’ Jonava Lithuania
3. Matise Veterinary Pathology Service Riga Latvia
4. Veterinary clinic ‘Beliy Klik’ Moscow Russia
5. Department of Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundIn humans, figurate erythema (FE) represents a heterogenous group of dermatoses with circular or serpiginous erythematous skin lesions; FE has not been reported in cats.ObjectivesTo report clinical and histological characteristics and outcomes of FE in sphynx cats from Baltic sea‐bordering countries.AnimalsEleven client‐owned sphynx cats with FE.Materials and MethodsWe recruited cases meeting the following criteria: (i) a sphynx breed, (ii) FE with or without scaling, (iii) a chronic, waxing‐and‐waning course lasting longer than a month and (iv) an absence of other skin diseases.ResultsOf 11 cats, there were seven Donskoys, one Peterbald, one Ukrainian Levkoy and two presumed Canadian sphynxes; all except one were males, and the age of onset was <12 months in eight cats. Skin lesions lasted between 1.2 and 56 months, and they consisted of erythematous plaques with a linear‐to‐serpiginous, annular, gyrate or iris configuration predominating on the trunk and extremities. Scaling was often seen trailing the edge of the centrifugally expanding erythema. All cats were otherwise asymptomatic or mildly pruritic. Dermatophytosis was ruled out by special stains and/or fungal cultures in eight cats. Microscopic lesions revealed focal, mild‐to‐moderate epidermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis, minimal‐to‐mild dysplasia and subepidermal collagen smudging. Special stains were negative for dermatophytes. The clinical remission of FE was not achieved with diet changes or medical interventions; yet, a spontaneous, transient, partial or complete improvement occurred in most cats.Conclusion and Clinical RelevanceThis is the first report of FE in sphynx cats from Eastern Europe.