Patterns of skin diseases in pet animals: a hospital based study in South-Eastern part of Bangladesh

Abstract

A total of 151 small pet animals that had at least one skin problem were presented to the SAQ Teaching Veterinary Hospital, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University were included in this study. Among patients with skin diseases, dogs (60.93%) were presented with the highest number of cases followed by cats (25.17%) and rabbits (13.91%). Flea infestation was the predominant skin problem recorded in dogs (25%) and cats (42.11%). However, all the rabbit patients (21/21) presented to the hospital were suffering from mange. Other skin conditions of dogs were recorded as allergic dermatitis (23.91%), mange (16.30%), pediculosis (9.78%), myiasis (8.70%), fungal infection (5.43%), acariasis (5.43%), nutritional disorders (3.26%) and malassezia dermatitis (2.17%). Mange with allergic dermatitis (23.68%), pediculosis (13.16%), myiasis (8.70%) and nutritional disorders (5.26%) were diagnosed as notable skin diseases infecting cats. Patterns of skin infections were recorded low during winter (<12.8%, October to December) compared to hot-humid spring and early summer (>17.21%, January to March). More than 52% of the cases were reported in male animals compared to the females (<47%) and infectious diseases were predominat over the nutritional and other non-infectious diseases. Results of this study reported the current scenario of the prevailing skin diseases in pet animals residing in this area. This study will help the veterinarians and pet owners to consider the scenario of these diseases for the better management and control in future.