Abstract
A thirteen-year-old, castrated male, Japanese domestic cat was hospitalized with a chief complaint of generalized multiple skin lesions. Alopecia, erythema, erosions, large scales, and crustae were observed in the skin of the head, lumber back, abdomen, and lower thigh. Numerous non-degenerative neutrophils and acantholytic cells were found in the smear samples collected from the crusts. A skin biopsy revealed subcorneal pustules with acantholysis. These findings were consistent with pemphigus foliaceus. The administration of prednisolone or triamcinolone alone failed to improve the skin lesions. Further, continuous administration became difficult because of a gradual increase in liver enzyme levels in the serum. Therefore, combination therapy using low doses of triamcinolone and cyclosporine was applied, resulting in a distinct improvement in the skin lesions. The cat remained free of the rash until its death due to pulmonary edema.
