Feline sarcoptic mange in Taiwan: a case series of five cats

Background - Sarcoptes scabiei infestation is rare in cats. Objective - To report the clinical presentations and treatments of cats infested with S. scabiei. Animals - Five cats that presented with progressive and nonresponsive crusting lesions on the concave and convex aspects of the pinnae are included in this series. Other dermatological manifestations recorded were crusts on the bridge of the nose (five of five), crusty pododermatitis (three of five), crusty lesions on the tail (one of five) and pruritic erythematous papules on the arms and/or thighs of the owners (five of five). None of the cats was living in a household with a dog. Methods - Sarcoptic (S. scabiei) mange was diagnosed based on the identification of S. scabiei in deep skin scrapings. A spot-on application of 1.0% moxidectin and 10% imidacloprid (0.1 mL/kg) was administered every 2 weeks for three applications. All cats were re-evaluated at the time of treatment. Results - All five cats and their owners improved after the first application and reached clinical remission after the third application. Deep skin scrapings from all cats were negative for S. scabiei after the first application. No clinical adverse effects or abnormalities on routine blood tests were noted during the study period. No reinfestation was reported during the follow-up period of 6 months after treatment. Conclusion - Although sarcoptic mange is rare in cats, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis for cats presenting with crusting lesions on the pinnae and nose and crusty pododermatitis. A spot-on preparation of moxidectin and imidacloprid was used successfully to treat cats with S. scabiei infestation.