Management of Dermatophytosis in a Short-haired Cat

Abstract

A two-year-old male domestic short-haired cat was presented to the Veterinary Clinical Complex, Rajendranagar, with a history of progressive generalised alopecia, scaling and cutaneous lesions affecting the face and trunk. Clinical examination revealed multiple areas of hair loss characterised by crusting, scaling and broken hairs. Dermatological evaluation, including Wood’s lamp examination, demonstrated characteristic apple-green fluorescence of the affected hairs, suggestive of Microsporum canis infection. The diagnosis of feline dermatophytosis was further supported by fungal culture findings. The cat was treated with a combination of systemic antifungal therapy, topical antifungal treatment and nutritional supplementation. Progressive clinical improvement, resolution of the skin lesions and satisfactory hair regrowth were observed during follow-up examinations. This case emphasises the importance of combining clinical and diagnostic findings for the timely diagnosis of feline dermatophytosis and demonstrates that effective combined therapeutic management can result in favourable clinical outcomes.