Delayed post‐traumatic alopecia of the dorso‐lumbar area following a road accident in a cat without pelvic fracture

Abstract

An 11‐month‐old female, neutered domestic short‐haired cat was presented for non‐pruritic alopecia of the dorso‐lumbar area which had appeared 1 month after a road accident. After the trauma, a fracture of the left hind limb was demonstrated without dermatological lesions on the dorso‐lumbar area. One month later, hair loss was observed in this area. Four months later, clinical examination revealed dorso‐lumbar alopecia. Histopathological findings included an absence of all adnexae, a mild fibroplasia and fibrosis without oriented collagen deposition, individual to coalescing pyogranulomas at the dermo‐hypodermal junction and a moderately stenotic hypodermal artery. Clinical history, physical examination and histopathological findings were compatible with post‐traumatic dorso‐lumbar alopecia. Special features of this case include the location of the fracture and the more developed histopathological lesions with pyogranulomas at the dermo‐hypodermal junction, the absence of hair follicles and a stenosing arteriopathy.