DERMATOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF DOMESTIC CATS LIVING IN A SHELTER IN BELÉM-PARÁ

Abstract

Companion animals are increasingly present in Brazilian homes, having direct contact with human beings and assuming a role of great importance in the family relationship, but there is still a great demand for abandoned animals worldwide, and shelters are a place where animals are sheltered for an indefinite period of time, but with chances of disease proliferation, having the agglomeration of animals in these places as an influencing factor. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the main dermatological agents present in domestic cats living in a shelter in Belém-PA. Biological material was collected from 50 domestic cats, which underwent laboratory tests such as fungal culture, trichogram, ear cytology and cerumen parasitology. It was observed that 58% of the animals had the yeast malessezia, as well as 36% of them were positive in the parasitological evaluation, being the agent Otodectes cynotis the one that prevailed in the analyzed samples, besides the presence of the lynxacarus radovskyi mite in 42% of the animals. Thus, it can be concluded that dermatological diseases are of great relevance in animals living in shelters and require attention as to their prevention, control and treatment.