Distinguishing Between Dermatologic Disorders of the Face, Nasal Planum, and Ears

Facial dermatitis in cats can be caused by a broad range of infectious, allergic, immune-mediated and neoplastic disorders with very different treatments and prognoses. Baseline dermatologic diagnostics (skin scrapings for mites, cytology for infection and to characterize inflammatory infiltrate, and dermatophyte culture) are required, as well as possible further diagnostics, including therapeutic trials for parasites and feeding a hypoallergenic diet, bacterial culture, and skin biopsies for histopathology in order to achieve a diagnosis. Clinical presentations of diseases affecting different parts of the feline face are presented and discussed.
Source: Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice - Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Source Type: research