Frequency of Dermatophytes and Yeasts on Skin of Healthy Dogs and Cats

The study investigated the frequency of dermatophytes and yeasts in 30 healthy cats and 30 healthy dogs. It found that 100% of cats had Microsporum canis, 33.33% had Microsporum gypseum, and 50% had Trichophyton mentagrophytes, with Microsporum canis being the most prevalent. In dogs, 86.66% had Microsporum canis, and 50% had Malassezia pachydermatis, which was not found in cats. Malassezia spp were present in 6.6% of cats and 26.66% of dogs, while Candida albicans was found in 26.66% of dogs and 33.33% of cats. The study concluded that asymptomatic dogs and cats can carry dermatophytosis and dermatomycoses agents, potentially spreading these infections environmentally and between species.