EFFICACY OF ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF ITRACONAZOLE TO CATS WITH DERMATOPHYTOSIS CAUSED BY MICROSPORUM-CANIS

Objective-To determine efficacy of orally administered itraconazole in cats with dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis, Design-Uncontr olled clinical trial, Animals-15 cats with dermatophytosis caused by M canis. Procedure-All cats were treated with itraconazole (1.5 to 3.0 mg/kg [0.7 to 1.4 mg/lb] of body weight, PO, q 24 h, for 15 days), Six cats had been treated with griseofulvin (10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h) during a BO-day period, but their clinical condition had not imp roved, Five cats treated at the highest dosage of itraconazole vomited or became anorectic. Consequently, dosages were progressively decreas ed for each cat until adverse effects were not evident. After treatmen t, samples of hair were submitted for fungal cultures, and if appropri ate, treatment was repealed when culture results were positive, Result s-8 cats treated with itraconazole recovered completely as indicated b y resolution of lesions and negative results of fungal cultures. Six o f these 8 cats received a single 15-day course of treatment, whereas t he remaining 2 cats needed prolonged treatment (two 15-day courses of treatment and three 15-day courses of treatment). in 4 other cats that became clinically normal, M canis was isolated from hair samples obta ined at the completion of treatment, even though only 1 colony or a sm all number of colonies was isolated. In the other 3 cats, itraconazole did not cause clinical improvement, and culture results remained posi tive. Clinical Implications-Oral administration of itraconazole at dos ages of 1.5 to 3.0 mg/kg may be useful for the treatment of cats with dermatophytosis attributable to M canis infections.