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Dermatophytosis in Cats
A fungal skin infection causing circular hair loss and dandruff. A zoonotic disease (transmissible to humans) that spreads easily in multi-cat environments.
Vet Supervised
Symptoms
- Circular hair loss
- Dandruff/scabs
- Skin redness
- Nail deformity
- Mild itching
Related Symptom Pages
Causes
- Microsporum canis (most common causative fungus)
- Contact with infected cats
- Contaminated environment
Diagnosis
1
Wood's lamp examination
2
Fungal culture
3
Skin scraping
4
PCR testing
Treatment
- Antifungal medication (itraconazole)
- Medicated baths
- Thorough environmental decontamination
Prognosis
Cures in 4-8 weeks with proper treatment, but recurs if environmental decontamination is incomplete.
Severity: Medium
Prevention
- Test new cats
- Maintain clean environment
- Support immune health
