Demodectic Mange Associated With Lymphoma in a Ferret

Ferret Dermatology

Skin diseases commonly affect pet ferrets, with neoplastic, endocrine, and parasitic diseases being the most common. This review includes clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment of diseases with a dermatologic presentation in ferrets.

Evidence-Based Advances in Ferret Medicine

This literature review covers approximately 35 years of veterinary medicine. This article develops the current state of knowledge in pet ferret medicine regarding the most common diseases according to evidence-based data and gives insight into further axis of research. Literature review was conducted through identification of keywords (title + ferret) with Web-based database searching. To appreciate the methodological quality and the level of evidence of each article included in the review, full-text versions were reviewed and questions addressed in the articles were formulated. Analysis of the articles' content was performed by the authors, and relevant clinical information was extracted.

Localized demodicosis due to Demodex cati on the muzzle of two cats treated with inhalant glucocorticoids

BACKGROUND

Feline demodicosis due to Demodex cati is a rare skin disease often associated with concurrent disease and generalized immunosuppression. Local immunosuppression due to the application of topical immunomodulatory drugs, such as glucocorticoids and tacrolimus, or by tumour cells has been suggested as a potential trigger for development of localized demodicosis in humans and animals.

OBJECTIVES

The goal was to describe two cats with asthma that developed localized demodicosis on the muzzle as a result of chronic therapy with a glucocorticoid administered via dispensing inhaler mask.

RESULTS

In both cats, the muzzle area exposed to the fluticasone-dispensing chamber exhibited patchy alopecia, mild erythema, crusting and scaling. Deep skin scraping revealed D. cati. Discontinuation or reduction of fluticasone and administration of milbemycin resulted in resolution of clinical signs within 2 months in both cats. A negative skin scrape was obtained after 7 months of milbemycin in one of the cats.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Demodicosis should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis in cats with primary alopecia or other skin lesions on the face exposed to inhalant glucocorticoids. Minimization of contact between the inhalant glucocorticoid and the skin can be achieved by wiping residual powder from the face and by keeping the mask tightly pressed to the skin to avoid contact with the surrounding area.

Ectoparasites in small exotic mammals

Ectoparasites inhabiting the skin are responsible for significant problems in small mammals, owing to ingestion of blood, lymph, sebaceous secretions, and scavenging skin debris, as well as a hypersensitivity reaction to parasite antigen resulting in severe pruritus and subsequent self-trauma-induced lesions. In general practice, the most common diagnosis in exotic pets is an unspecified mite infestation, but other ectoparasites such as lice, fleas, insects, or even helminths may cause dermatologic diseases. If treatment with topical insecticides is planned, the small mammal should be isolated for a few hours to enable drying and spreading of the product.