INCIDENCE OF MALASSEZIA-PACHYDERMATIS YEA ST .3. MALASSEZIA DERMATITIS IN DOGS

Out of 136 dogs with dermatitis Malassezia pachydermatis was diagnosed in the skin scrapings of 8 (5.9%) dogs with dermatitis on the basis o f clinical examinations and laboratory diagnostic investigations. The unipolar yeasts with a characteristic thick cell-membrane (Figs 1 and 2) could easily be demonstrated by microscopic examination of scales a nd hairs originating from the affected skin area. In the clinical case s, the alterations mainly developed on the dorsum of the nose (Figs 3 and 4), around the eyes, on the external side of ears and before them (Figs 5 and 6) and on the skin of abdomen (Fig. 8) of dogs. Mild focal erythrosis was observed on those areas at the early stages and dermat itis with alopecia, scale and scratching at the more developed stages. In the majority of dermatitis cases, coagulase-positive staphylococci and Malassezia pachydermatis (in 32 cases, 23.5%), as well as Demodex canis and M. pachydermatis (in 2 cases, 1.5%) were demonstrated simul taneously, while in 6 cases (4.4%), triplicate mixed infection by stap hylococci, M. pachydermatis and D. canis were diagnosed (Figs 7 and 9, as well as Table). According to the authors' experiences, more and mo re frequently can be reckon with that malassezias may cause different autonomous dermatitides or those associated with other causative agent s. The effective therapy needs an aimed - and in given cases - combine d therapy based on complex laboratory investigations.