Bacterial skin disease: overview

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Sections available in full article Introduction, Presenting signs, Pathogenesis, Etiology, Predisposing factors, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Presenting problems, Client history, Clinical signs, Diagnostic investigation, Confirmation of diagnosis, Differential diagnosis, Treatment, Initial symptomatic treatment, Sequelae, Prognosis, Reasons for treatment failure, Sources, Publications, Vetstream contributor(s),
Contributors Dr Rosanna Marsella DVM DipACVD
Dr Ian Mason BVetMed PhD CertSAD DipECVD MRCVS
Mr David Scarff BVetMed CertSAD MRCVS
Synonyms Pyoderma

Introduction

  • An uncommon feline dermatosis (except subcutaneous abscessation  Abscess  which is common!).
  • Cause : surface, superficial and deep bacterial infections.
  • Signs : pustules, nodules and draining tracts +/- a range of other primary and secondary lesions.
  • Diagnosis : microscopic examination of stained smears, bacterial culture and histopathology.
  • Treatment : antibiotics; surgical resection of nodules.
  • Prognosis : good for surface and superficial infections, poor for some deep infections.

Diagnosis

Clinical signs

Typical lesions
  • Nodules.
  • Discharging sinuses.
  • Ulceration.
  • Pustules.
  • Papules.
  • Crusts.
Typical clinical forms
  • Pruritus.
  • Lymphadenopathy.
  • Alopecia.
  • Surface pyoderma .
  • Superficial pyoderma  Bacterial folliculitis  (folliculitis) .
  • Deep folliculitis and furunculosis  Furunculosis  .
  • Feline acne  Acne with secondary bacterial pyoderma  .
  • Subcutaneous abscess  Abscess   Cat bite abscess  .
  • Cellulitis.
  • Mycobacterial infections  Mycobacterium tuberculosis     Skin: panniculitis due to rapidly growing mycobacteria  .
  • Actinomycosis  Actinomyces viscosus     Actinomycosis  .
  • Nocardiosis  Nocardia spp     Nocardiosis  .
  • Feline mycoplasmal  Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma  and bacterial L form-induced abscesses  L-form bacteria  .

Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis

Causes of nodules, ulceration and discharging sinus
  • Neoplasia  Skin: neoplasia  .
  • Foreign body reaction .
  • Immune-mediated skin disease  Immunological skin disease: overview  .
  • Physical causes.
  • Ectoparasites  Parasitic skin disease: overview  .
  • Eosinophilic granuloma complex  Eosinophilic granuloma complex  .
  • Arthropod-bite granuloma .
  • Panniculitis .
  • Xanthomatosis .
  • Sterile nodular granuloma and pyogranuloma .
  • Parasitic skin disease  Parasitic skin disease: overview  .

Causes of pruritus, pustules, papules and crusts

  • Flea bite hypersensitivity  Flea bite hypersensitivity  .
  • Ectoparasites  Parasitic skin disease: overview  .
  • Dermatophytosis  Dermatophytosis  .
  • Feline pox virus  Cat pox disease  .
  • Food hypersensitivity  Food hypersensitivity  .
  • Atopy  Atopy  .
  • Contact irritant dermatitis  Skin: allergic contact dermatitis  .
  • Collagenolytic granuloma (linear form) .
  • FIV  Feline immunodeficiency virus disease  , FIP  Feline infectious peritonitis  , FeLV  Feline leukemia virus disease  .
  • Tail-gland seborrhea  Stud tail  .
  • Cutaneous neoplasia  Hair follicle: neoplasia  .
  • Immune-mediated skin disease  Immunological skin disease: overview  .
  • Drug eruption  Drug eruption  .
  • Solar dermatitis  Dermatitis: solar  .
  • Contact hypersensitivity  Skin: allergic contact dermatitis  .
  • Mosquito hypersensitivity .
  • Essential fatty acid deficiency  Skin: fat responsive dermatosis  .
  • Hypereosinophilia .
  • Malassezia dermatitis  Malassezia pachydermatis  .
  • Lentigo .
  • Linear IgA dermatosis .
  • Primary keratinization disorders .
  • Nutritional disorders  Skin: disease - malnutrition  .
  • Low humidity .

Alopecia

  • Other causes of alopecia.

Sequelae

Prognosis

  • Surface and superficial pyoderma: good.
  • Deep pyoderma: good to poor.

Reasons for treatment failure

  • Concurrent corticosteroid therapy.
  • Inappropriate use of antibiotics, eg underdosing - dose +/- duration.

Sources

Publications

Refereed papers

  • Recent references fromPubMed.
  • Kennis R Aet al(1999)Chronic bacterial skin infections in cats.Comp Contin Educ Pract Vet21(12), 1108-1115.
  • Ihrke P J (1984)Therapeutic strategies involving antimicrobial treatment of the skin in small animals.J Am Vet Med Assoc185(10), 1165-1168.
  • Thoday K (1981)Skin disease of the cat.Vet Rec109(21), 22-35.

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