Cytology of Skin Lesions in Dermatophytosis of Cats and Dogs

The study investigated dermatophytosis in 150 domestic cats and dogs, identifying M. canis in 9 cats and 9 dogs. Clinical signs in affected animals included alopecia, erythema, annular lesions, scales/crusts, hyperpigmentation, and a single nodular lesion. Cytological analysis revealed arthrospores, acanthocytes, keratinocytes, corneocytes, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells. Dogs had more severe lesions with higher neutrophil counts, while cats had a greater population of corneocytes in their lesions.