Miliary dermatitis in the cat

Abstract

Miliary dermatitis is a cutaneous response to disease states seen in the cat. It is not in itself a diagnosis. Conditions which may lead to miliary dermatitis lesions can be divided into hypersensitivity disorders, parasitic causes, infections and miscellaneous causes. A thorough investigation frequently leads to a diagnosis which enables specific therapy. Symptomatic, empirical therapy is less satisfactory and may in the long term cause side effects, The single most important cause of miliary dermatitis in the UK and elsewhere in the world is flea-bite hypersensitivity. Other important and increasingly recognised causes include atopy and food hypersensitivity. With determination and a thorough approach to diagnosis the number of idiopathic cases of miliary dermatitis are small.