Paraneoplastic Alopecia Associated With Internal Malignancies in Cats
March 1997
in “
Veterinary Dermatology
”
TLDR Some cats with sudden hair loss and tiredness might have cancer-related alopecia.
In 1997, a study involving four cats identified a syndrome of paraneoplastic alopecia linked to internal malignancies. The cats presented with acute, symmetrical ventral alopecia, weight loss, and lethargy. Skin biopsies revealed severe follicular and adnexal atrophy with minimal inflammation, and often a missing stratum corneum. Three cats had metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, while one had bile duct carcinoma. The findings distinguished this condition from other alopecias caused by diseases like demodicosis, dermatophytosis, and various thyroid disorders. The study highlighted the need to consider paraneoplastic alopecia in differential diagnoses for cats with these symptoms.
