OCULAR AND DISSEMINATED CANDIDIASIS IN AN IMMUNOSUPPRESSED CAT

Ocular and systemic candidiasis was diagnosed in an immunosuppressed a nd diabetic 12-year-old cat that initially was examined because of pol yuria, polydipsia, and urinary tract disease. Bilateral recurrent corn eal erosions and chorioretinitis, urinary tract infections attributabl e to bacteria or Candida sp, and renal dysfunction developed during th e next 2 months. Examination of corneal scrapings revealed spherical t o oval, budding, yeast-like cells. The cat's condition progressively d eteriorated, and ii was euthanatized. Toxoplasmosis was diagnosed by f ecal flotation and from serum titers, and pituitary-dependent hyperadr enocorticism was detected at postmortem histologic evaluation. Candida budding yeasts and pseudohyphae with blastospores were detected in th e corneas, vitreous bodies, retinas, CNS, pharynx, trachea, esophagus, kidneys, and urinary bladder at postmortem examination.