Blastomycosis in a Domestic Medium Hair

Farfel is a 4 Yr Neutered Male Domestic Medium Hair presenting for crusted sores and abscesses

Curtis Plowgian, DVM, DACVD

Animal Dermatology Clinic, Indianapolis  Indiana

HISTORY:

Problems began about 3-4 months ago as a non-healing wound/scab on one paw. Farfel is indoor/outdoor, so his was owner not sure where he might have injured it. After 6-8 weeks of the wound not healing, the owner took Farfel to his primary veterinarian for treatment, who started him on oral antibiotics, which didn’t help at all. After that, Farfel started getting Convenia and depomedrol injections, which also didn’t help. About 2 weeks prior to presentation, he developed 2 new sores on his abdomen and his neck. The condition was not pruritic. Aside from the skin, the owner hadn’t noticed any other symptoms; Farfel was eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normally, and his energy and appetite were normal, but he was lethargic at first when the neck and abdominal lesions first appeared. The primary veterinarian cultured  Farfel’s wounds, which yielded no growth of bacteria. Owner then went to a second primary vet for a second opinion, who submitted a second culture (pending), FIV test (negative), and CBC/Chem (WNL except decreased CREA and liver values and increase neutrophils and monocytes). Owner has another indoor/outdoor cat and a pug who are both unaffected, no people in the house affected. Both cats are on monthly topical flea prevention, owner unsure of the brand.

EXAM FINDINGS:

There were large purulent wounds on the dorsal left forelimb, the ventral chest, and the ventral abdomen. Rest of exam was within normal limits.

DIAGNOSTICS ADVISED:

Cytology (wounds): TNTC pyogranulomatous inflammation with numerous blastomyces yeasts (see below).

ASSESSMENT:

Blastomycosis (r/o localized vs disseminated)  IF YOU ARE VET : To read the full text, please register at the upper right of the website. Thanks

REFERENCES:

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3. Blondin, N., Baumgardner, D.J., Moore, G.E. et al. Blastomycosis in indoor cats: Suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA. Mycopathologia 163, 59–66 (2007).
4. Catharina Brömel, Jane E. Sykes,Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Blastomycosis in Dogs and Cats, Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice,Volume 20, Issue 4, 2005, Pages 233-239.
5. Werner A, Norton F. Blastomycosis. Compendium, August 2011, E1-E5.
6. Moriello, K.A., Coyner, K., Paterson, S. and Mignon, B. (2017), Diagnosis and treatment of dermatophytosis in dogs and cats.. Vet Dermatol, 28: 266-e68.