I’m a mite worried about skin issues...

OUR PETS CAN PASS ON SOME ISSUES TO THEIR OWNERS

QIs it possible for pets to cause skin problems in their owners? I have a six-month-old cat and a one-year-old cocker spaniel.

AThere are three conditions that account for the majority of skin problems in pet owners. I have seen all of these, but bear in mind that this is over a long career. The main conditions are mite infestations, flea issues and fungal infections.

Mites include sarcoptes, cheyletiella, and otodectes. The first two are more commonly contagious, usually seen in puppies and kittens.

Sarcoptes causes sarcoptic mange (scabies) and is very itchy.

Some cases in dogs may be caused from contact with infected foxes. Cheyletiella causes dandruff in pups and kittens, while otodectes is an ear mite that can occasionally cause skin disease when mites are found elsewhere on the body of the pet.

Fleas can cause skin problems in people. They don’t necessarily jump from the pet to the owner.

Instead, newly hatched fleas from the environment are the main source of the problem.

Regular veterinary-recommended anti-parasite treatments minimise the risk of contagion. Collaboration between the family GP and the vet rapidly solves any issues.

Finally, ringworm is a fungal infection, especially in kittens. Human lesions often occur before the owner notices a problem with the pet. When this happens, the vet will usually send off samples to confirm ringworm and confer with the GP.

Treatment for the animal, owner and environment should result in a cure, usually within two months.

QMy 11-year-old neutered male cat recently had a basal cell tumour removed. My vet has assured me that, according to the pathologist, the tumour is benign. How can they be so sure?

ABasal cell is one of the four most common types of cat skin tumour. They are benign, although as you have read, some display malignant characteristics, and these are called basal cell carcinomas. However, these are of low-grade malignancy and very rarely spread elsewhere in the body.

Sending away tumours to be examined by a specialised pathologist, known as a histopathologist, has many advantages.

The histopathologist makes very thin slices of the tumour, which are then stained and examined under a microscope.

Having made the diagnosis, the histopathologist next determines whether the tumour is benign (in which case it will not spread) or malignant (meaning it can spread, or return after apparently successful surgery).

Benign tumours, such as the basal cell, have cells that all look the same, whereas malignant cells are often of different shapes and sizes, and show evidence of abnormal cell division.

Finally the margins are examined and if clean of tumour cells this indicates complete removal of the tumour.

With benign tumours such as your cat’s basal cell example, this is very good news.