Feline Atopic Dermatitis: A Retrospective Study of 194 Cases (1988–2003)

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 13.8% of the feline dermatology cases and 0.9% of all cats examined over a 15-year period. No age or sex predilection was found, but Abyssinians, Himalayans, and Persians were over-represented. Clinical signs were nonseasonal in 62.4% of the cats. Cutaneous reaction patterns – in descending order of prevalence – included initially lesionless symmetrical pruritus (especially face, ears, and neck), self-induced hair loss (especially abdomen, back, and legs), miliary dermatitis (especially back and neck), and eosinophilic granuloma complex (especially lips, abdomen, and medial thighs). Multiple cutaneous reaction patterns were present in 36.2% of the cats. Secondary bacterial or yeast infections occurred in 18.6% and 6.6%, respectively, of the cats. Only 4.5% of the cats had concurrent food allergy, and none had flea-bite hypersensitivity. Medical management with systemic glucocorticoids, antihistamines, omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids, allergen-specific immunotherapy, or combinations of these provided satisfactory control of clinical signs for the majority of affected cats.