QUARTERLY BEAT / OCTOBER 2025
FELINE REACTION PATTERNS: 1. Head and neck pruritus. The pruritus may be focused around the head and neck but can also be generalized and is not pathognomonic for one type of hypersensitivity disorder. Differential diagnoses include atopic dermatitis, food hypersensitivity, adverse cutaneous drug reaction, flea allergy dermatitis.
Eosinophilic granulomas on the tongue (left) and indolent ulcers on the lips (right) can be components of eosinophilic granuloma complex in cats (Photos courtesy of Dr. Joya Griffin, DACVD) 4. Self-induced hair loss and trauma, aka the “fur-mowing” cat (symmetric lesion-less pruritus). History is particularly important and can be challenging as some cats do not report excessive licking or grooming. Cats can often groom in private. Owners instead, may report excessive licking or grooming, vomiting of hairballs, or note hair in the feces, or large tufts of hair in the environment. On close examination, barbered or broken hairs can be seen. Can prove whether a cat is causing hair loss and it is not spontaneous by performing an “E-collar test” or by examining hairs via trichogram to see if hairs are broken or split from excessive grooming. Differential diagnoses include atopic dermatitis, food hypersensitivity, adverse cutaneous drug reaction, ectoparasites (fleas, Cheyletiella, Otodectes, Demodex gatoi ), hyperthyroidism, and psychogenic (less likely if symmetric).
Facial pruritus in a cat (Photo courtesy of Dr. Joya Griffin, DACVD)
2. Miliary dermatitis which appear as pinpoint crusted papules that are often rimmed by erythema and felt before they are seen as they can underly haired skin. Can be found commonly around the head and the neck and on the dorsum. Differentials include hypersensitivity disorders, bacterial infection. drug hypersensitivity, hypereosinophilic syndrome, ectoparasites: Cheyletiella, Otodectes, Lynxacarus , chiggers, lice, dermatophytosis.
Miliary dermatitis on a cat’s neck (Photo courtesy of Dr. Joya Griffin, DACVD)
3. Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex which includes the indolent ulcers, eosinophilic plaque, eosinophilic (linear) granuloma and eosinophilic granuloma causing a swollen or “pouty”-appearing chin. Differentials include hypersensitivity disorders or idiopathic and in the case of indolent ulcers can mimic squamous cell carcinoma. If not responding to treatment, biopsy is warranted.
Self-induced hair loss on the ventral abdomen of a cat (Photo courtesy of Dr. Joya Griffin, DACVD)
HIGHLIGHTS
WEBINAR
Eosinophilic plaques on the ventral abdomen of a cat (Photo courtesy of Dr. Joya Griffin, DACVD)
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