Complications of Cutaneous Skin Allergies (Skin Infections)

© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved. In dogs, cutaneous allergic diseases have characteristic clinical presentations, which can be suggestive of the underlying aetiology. In cats the presentation of allergic diseases is not, usually, typical of the underlying aetiology. Dogs with allergic skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis and cutaneous adverse food reaction, are predisposed to secondary microbial infection of the skin. This chapter discusses the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of superficial skin infections in allergic cats. The diagnosis of superficial bacterial infections in cats is based on the cytological examination of material collected from the skin surface. Superficial fungal infections described in cats include Malassezia spp. overgrowth and dermatophytosis. In dogs, the most common predisposing factor for Malassezia overgrowth is hypersensitivity disorders, especially atopic dermatitis. Cytological examination is the most useful technique for the assessment of Malassezia density on the skin surface.