A case of phaeohyphomycosis in a domestic shorthair

Phaeohyphomycosis is an uncommon to rare fungal condition affecting all domestic species, including man. Of the domestic species, the cat is one of the most commonly described. Diagnosis is determined by the presence of pigmented fungal hyphae on histopathology in combination with a fungal culture implicating one of the many ubiquitous saphrophytic fungi implicated in this condition. There are four main forms of disease: cutaneous, subcutaneous, disseminated, and neural disease. Treatment involves complete surgical excision, in combination with systemic anti-fungal medications. Prognosis is dependent on the form of disease and type of fungus, but is generally guarded to fair. This paper describes a case and treatment of phaeohyphomycosis in a domestic shorthair feline