Self Trauma

Question 1

How can the “problem” of skin manipulating behaviour be defined?

Answer 1

• new
• freq
• duration
• disruption of other behaviour (feeding, walk etc.)
• tissue damage

Question 2

potential signs of pruritis?

Answer 2

• scratching
• licking
• gnawing
• nibbling.biting
• rolling
• cleaning
• scooting
• head shaking
• grumpiness

Question 3

Do normal cats groom in the consult room?

Answer 3

NO too stressful!

Question 4

What may be noted on clinical assessment that indicates pruritis?

Answer 4

• self trauma
• behaviours
• reflexes (tickly spot)
• hair dmaage (esp. cats)

Question 5

How can self trauma problems be REFINED?

Answer 5

> system

• skin (pruritis? pain?)
• neuro (pruritis? pain? compulsive?)
• behavioural

Question 6

What neuro disease is seen in springer spaniels?

Answer 6

• loss of pain perception -> self trauma

Question 7

Is pruritis a clinical sign?

Answer 7

NO symptom

Question 8

Where are itch receptors located? What usually stimulates these?

Answer 8

Dermo-epidermal junction/basal epidermis (superficial)

• pruritogenic substances, usually inflammatory
• if deep layers affected usually manifests as pain

Question 9

Other than inflammation what may cause pruritis?

Answer 9

• inflam cell neoplasia
• dry skin -> epidermal micro-fissures
• exacerbatino by irritant factors (high temp/humidity/fabrics)

Question 10

Why may scratching only be seen sporadically?

Answer 10

• level of pruritis changes over time, will only be acted on above threshold
• threshold changes over time, depending on
• multiple causes may sum to push animal over threshold (treat one, may improve but hasnt solved)

Question 11

What are the 3 most common causes of pruritic skin disease?

Answer 11

1. Parasitic disease
   - surface mites (cheyletiella)
   - burowing mites (sarcoptes)
   - trombicula
   - follicular mites
2. microbial infection/overgrowth
   - staph -> pyoderma
   - malasezia
   - dermatophytes
3. Allergy [always rule out parasitic/bacterial causes first]
   - insect bite hypersensitivity
   - atopic dermatitis
   - food hypersesitivty
   - contact dermatitis not really seen in animals due to fur

Question 12

Which less common diseases may cause pruritic skin disease?

Answer 12

• cornification/metabolic disease
• neoplasia (epitheliotropic lymphoma/MCT)
• drug eruption
• NB: 2* bacterial infection can cause pruritis in non-pruritic skin diseases

Question 13

What areas of the body are generally pruritic with atopic dermatitis or food allergy?

Answer 13

• face and ears
• flank
• rump
• feet

Question 14

What areas are generally pruritic with scabies/mange?

Answer 14

• armpits, chest

- hocks

Question 15

Top 6 causes of pruritis in dogs (not in order)

Answer 15

1. Scabies or other mites
2. Staph pyoderma
3. Malasezia
4. FAD
5. Atopic dermatitis
6. Food hypersensitivity

Question 16

Top 6 causes of pruritis in cats (not in order)

Answer 16

1. Cheyletiella or other mites
2. Bacteria/malasezia/dermatophytosis (less common)
3. FAD
4. Atopic dermatitis
5. Food hypersenstivity
6. Eosinophilic plaques

Question 17

Top 6 causes of pruritis in horses (not in order)

Answer 17

1. Chorioptes or other mites
2. Staph
3. Dermatophilus
4. Dermatophytosis
5. Insect bite hypersensitivity
6. Atopic dermatitis

Question 18

What may indicate self trauma to the face?

Answer 18

• whiskers broken

Question 19

What clinical signs indicate ringworm (dermatophytosis) infection?

Answer 19

• well demarcated alopecia
• crusty scabbing
• dry, scaly skin

Question 20

4 techniques to perform cytology on derm samples?

Answer 20

• tape impression (exfoliated superficial cornylayer; dry lesions)
• direct impression smear (adhered exudate and exfoliated exposed cells; moist, sticky lesions)
• cotton swabs (harvested exudate; ear canals/deep skin folds, difficult to access sites)
• FNA (core of exfoliated cells from dermis or deeper; lumps)

Question 21

Tx of pruritis?

Answer 21

Corticosteroids sympotomaticaly (not necessarily therapeutically, dependant on cause)