Topiramate in the management of feline idiopathic ulcerative dermatitis in a two-year-old cat

Abstract

Background: Feline idiopathic ulcerative dermatosis is a rare, poorly understood condition characterized by self-trauma. The lesion presents as a nonhealing, crusted ulcer, which occurs most commonly on the dorsal midline of the neck or between the scapulae. Animal: A 2-year-old female neutered domestic short hair cat was presented with an ulcerative dermatosis affecting the dorsal midline. Previous investigations had failed to identify the cause, and the lesion was resistant to treatment. Methods and results: Diagnosis was based on clinical findings and confirmed by histopathology showing epidermal ulceration and superficial necrosis with a mild dermal infiltrate together with subepidermal fibrosis. The cat had been fed a commercial hypoallergenic diet for 6 months, which had successfully managed its chronic diarrhoea. Deep skin scrapings, cytology and fungal culture failed to demonstrate pathogens. Conclusions and clinical importance: Remission was obtained within 4 weeks and has been maintained over a 30 month period with topiramate (5 mg/kg orally twice daily), an anti-epileptic drug used in human medicine. Attempts to withdraw this therapy led to relapse within 24 h on two occasions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of the use of this drug for feline idiopathic ulcerative dermatosis. © 2014 ESVD and ACVD.