Prevalence of dermatopathies in dogs and cats in the highland of Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Abstract

This was the first study of the prevalence of skin diseases in dogs and cats in Santa Catarina. Medical records of all canine and feline patients referred to the Veterinary Clinic of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Curitibanos campus, were evaluated. From 2015 to 2019, 322 dogs and cats presented dermatological lesions, corresponding to 25.3% of dermatological cases. Among them, 276 (85.7%) were dogs, and 46 (14.3%) were cats. Definitive diagnose were obtained in 72.5% and 71.3% of canine and feline patients, respectively. Mixed breed adults were most likely to develop skin diseases. Among the primary conditions, parasitic, fungal, and bacterial diseases were the most prevalent for both species. In dogs, pulicosis, followed by pyoderma and dermatophytosis, were the major diseases encountered. Nevertheless, cats presented higher prevalence of fungal diseases, followed by parasitic and bacterial disorders. Malassezia otitis was the most prevalent, followed by pulicosis and dermatophytosis.