PARANEOPLASTIC ALOPECIA ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNAL MALIGNANCIES IN THE CAT

A paraneoplastic alopecia associated with internal malignancy is repor ted in four cats. Acute, bilaterally symmetrical, ventral glistening a lopecia, weight loss and lethargy were present in all cats. Skin biops y specimens exhibited severe follicular and adnexal atrophy with folli cular miniaturization, minimal inflammation and, in many cases, absenc e of stratum corneum. At the time of diagnosis, three cats had a metas tatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and one had a bile duct carcinoma. Thi s report confirms, and expands upon the previous report of a syndrome associating ventral alopecia and metastatic visceral carcinomas in cat s.