Pathological Study of Skin Disorders in Dogs and Cats at Alexandria Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Skin disorders in dogs and cats are among the most common health problems seen in veterinary medical hospitals. This study aimed to determine the histopathological classification of skin affections and their prevalence among different breeds of dogs and cats. Thirty-three cases of animals (29 dogs and 4 cats) of different breeds and ages (1.5 month up to 4.7 years) were collected during the period from February 2018 to February 2020. The cases were investigated at the Alexandria Veterinary Medicine Directorate and Private Clinics at Alexandria, Egypt. The animals were of both sexes (16 females and 17 males). The results revealed that the affections were divided into infectious and non-infectious (miscellaneous) skin affections. The highest percentage of infectious skin affections estimated as flea allergy dermatitis (dogs 24.14%, cats 75%) followed by juvenile onset canine localized demodicosis (dogs 17.24%), juvenile onset canine generalized demodicosis (dogs 3.45%), dermatophytosis (dogs 3.45%) and feline gangrenous mastitis (cats 25%). The highest percentage of miscellaneous skin affections was found as primary irritant contact dermatitis (dogs 31.03%) followed by food allergic dermatitis (dogs 13.79%) then epidermal necrolysis (dogs 3.45%) and thermal burns (dogs 3.45%). In conclusion, our data indicated that the skin disorders were higher in dogs than in cats. The infectious skin affections were the most frequent evaluated affections than miscellaneous skin affections. The infectious affections were represented as parasitic skin affections mainly flea allergy dermatitis however, miscellaneous affections represented mainly as primary irritant contact dermatitis.