Contact Dermatitis in Cats

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Contact Dermatitis in Cats

By: Dr. Rosanna Marsalla

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Section: Veterinary Care In-depth

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Diagnosis In-depth

Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, distribution (variable depending on the type of substance involved), resolution of clinical signs with avoidance, and recurrence of clinical signs with re-exposure. Implicating a specific allergen is difficult and requires cooperation with the owner to identify possible sources.

Contact allergy can be differentiated from inhalant allergy (atopy) by the persistence of a primary papular eruption (red bumps) after appropriate antibiotic therapy. In addition, contact allergy completely resolves with confinement whereas atopy does not.

Boarding the animal at the hospital for 1 to 2 weeks is recommended to accomplish avoidance. Animals should be shampooed before beginning confinement to remove possible residual material from the skin.

Patch testing can also be used to diagnose contact allergy.

Patch testing is difficult and time-consuming but allows identification of the specific substance responsible for clinical signs. The skin on the chest wall is clipped one to two days before the test and potential allergens are applied in close contact with the skin for 48 hours. Thorough bandaging is the best way to achieve contact with the allergen (closed patch test). An open patch test consists of applying the potential allergen to the inner part of the ear and observing the skin for 48 hours.

Specialized devices called Finn chambers may be used to apply the suspected allergen. A positive reaction is indicated by the appearance of edema (soft swelling) and a papular eruption (red bumps) 24 to 48 hours after application of the allergen.

Microscopic pathology. Skin biopsies show inflammation around blood vessels and swelling of cells in the epidermis.

Treatment In-depth

The main therapy of allergic contact dermatitis consists in allergen avoidance and topical or systemic corticosteroids. Anti-inflammatory doses of prednisone (0.5-1 mg/kg for 5 to 7 days and then on alternate day regimen as needed) are usually sufficient to control clinical signs. Topical steroids that may be beneficial include Resicort® or FS shampoo®.

Hyposensitization has been ineffective.

Antihistamines and essential fatty acids are not effective for contact allergy.

Secondary bacterial infections should be addressed with a course of systemic antibiotics (e.g. cephalexin 10 to 15 mg/lb twice daily orally for a minimum of 3 weeks)

Follow-up

Complete resolution of clinical signs usually is obtained after 10 to 14 days of avoidance of the offending substance. No prevention is possible unless the offending substance has previously been identified.

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1Allergic Dermatitis in Cats
Allergic dermatitis is a general term to describe a group of skin allergies that may be caused by a multitude of factors.
Read More
2Atopy in Cats
Atopy is a pruritic (itchy) skin disease of animals that is caused by an allergy to substances in the environment. It can be difficult to diagnose in cats and, therefore, is probably under-diagnosed.
Read More
3Ear Dermatitis in Cats
Dermatitis involving the ear is an inflammation of the pinna (external part of the ear lying outside of the head). There are a variety of causes of ear dermatits, ranging from infections to parasites to...
Read More
4Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy in cats and is caused by flea bites, specifically the saliva of the flea. It is a very itchy disease and predisposes to the development of secondary skin...
Read More
5Food Allergy in Cats
Most pets develop allergies to food ingredients that they have been fed for a long time, usually more than two years. In fact, if your cat has an immediate adverse reaction to a new food, it is probably...
Read More
6Miliary Dermatitis
Miliary dermatitis is a papular, crusting skin disease accompanied by varying degrees of pruritis. Cats with miliary dermatitis have multiple, small bumps on their skin that are usually associated with...
Read More
7Pruritus (Itchiness) in Cats
How pruritus affects your dog’s health depends on the degree of the pruritus. Severe pruritus leads to intense scratching, which may result in painful skin lesions that may become infected.
Read More

Contact Dermatitis in Cats

Contact Dermatitis in Cats

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