title: Feline non-flea induced hypersensitivity dermatitis: clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypersensitivity dermatitis (HD) is often suspected in cats and is mostly caused by insect bites, food or environmental allergens. Cats with non-flea induced HD are reported to present frequently with one or more of the following cutaneous reaction patterns: miliary dermatitis, eosinophilic dermatitis, self-induced symmetrical alopecia or head and neck excoriations/pruritus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  None of the above patterns are, however, pathognomonic for non-flea induced HD and the diagnosis of this condition is based on exclusion of diseases presenting similarly and an adequate response to treatment. Therapeutic approaches to affected cats include use of immunomodulatory drugs (ciclosporin, glucocorticoids, antihistamines), hypoallergenic diets and allergen-specific immunotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review provides an update on the clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of feline non-flea induced HD. It draws on the findings of a recent large-scale study that described the clinical signs of numerous cats with non-flea HD and has proposed criteria to facilitate the diagnosis of the condition.
authors: Dermatology Department, Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. cfavrot@vetclinics.uzh.ch
authors: Claude
authors: C
authors: Favrot
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004890:Erythema / Q000662:veterinary; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011537:Pruritus / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D016572:Cyclosporine
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