Pemphigus Foliaceus in Cat: Two Cases Report
World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress Proceedings, 2009
A. Filho De Biaggi1; Ueda Erika1; C.P. De Biaggi1; P. Taboada2; R. Santos1
1Centro Veterinário Dalila Groke, São Paulo, Brazil.; 2Histopet, São Paulo, Brazil

Pemphigus is characterized by intraepidermal fissures caused by loss of cellular adhesion in the epidermis. Their incidence is very low in the cat, although pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is the most common form. The pathomechanism of PF in domestic species to date has been defined only in dogs. The trigger factors are not clearly established. No breed, age and sex predisposition has been noted in cats with PF. Several authors have reported drug associated PF. PF produces exclusively cutaneous lesions, initially localized to the nose, pinna and footpads. Primary lesions are mainly vesiculobullae or pustules, develop into erosions, ulcers, scales and crusts. Pemphigus is normally diagnosed from clinical information and histopathology. Glucocorticoids are recognized as the first drug of choice. The prognosis is good in the majority of cases although most cats require lifelong therapy. The two cases report were attended on Dalila Groke Veterinary Center and were FIV and FeLV negative. The first case was a neutered male fifteen-year-old mixed domestic cat with paronychia, pustules which due to their fragility, developed into erosions, ulcers, scales and crusts arranged in a serpiginous pattern on the abdomen, inguinal regions, axillae, nose and pinna. The thoracic radiography showed a mediastinal mass and histopathologically confirmed as thymoma. Skin histopathology was performed to rule out exfoliative dermatitis underlying thymoma and showed a large number of acanthotic cells and granulocytic cells within crusts in the stratum corneum and neutrophilic mural folliculitis with acanthotic cells. The second case was a spayed female three-years-old, mixed domestic cat with hyperkeratosis of planum nasale, pinna and footpads. The thoracic radiography didn't show any abnormality. The skin histopathologic showed the presence of acanthotic cells within pustule in the corneal and intragranular stratum. It was not observed fungi, bacteria and parasites in both samples. The both cats were treated with prednisolone plus chlorambucil and there were remission of the clinical signs These two cases prove that pemphigus doesn't have sex, age nor breed predisposition. Clinical signs also were different from each other. The first case had a cutaneous manifestation more diffuse and aggressive, what is a rare condition with few reports in the literature. The skin changes, both grossly and histologically, were considered to be different from those described in the exfoliative dermatitis, which is the most common cutaneous manifestation underlying thymoma. This article reports an unusual (case 1) and a usual (case 2) manifestation of pemphigus foliaceus in cat.

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Filho De Biaggi
Centro Veterinário Dalila Groke
São Paulo, Brazil


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