A Case of Feline Paraneoplastic Alopecia with Secondary Malassezia-Associated Dermatitis

A 13-year-old neutered female domestic shorthaired cat presented with progressive ventral abdominal alopecia initially attributed to hyperthyroidism, which did not resolve after unilateral thyroidectomy. The alopecia spread to the ventral trunk, lower limbs, and head, accompanied by pruritus of the lower limbs due to Malassezia-associated dermatitis. Treatment with oral ketoconazole and a cleansing shampoo resolved the pruritus, but the cat later developed severe polyphagia, small intestinal diarrhea, and polydipsia, leading to euthanasia. Necropsy revealed an exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma with hepatic metastases, and the lesions were typical of feline paraneoplastic alopecia (FPA). The study concluded that Malassezia-associated dermatitis could be linked to pruritus in cats with FPA.