VET cpd - Dermatology

Introduction The eosinophilic syndromes seen in cats and dogs are the result of uncontrolled tissue damage following insults by antigens such as parasites, allergens, infectious agents (fungi, bacteria and viruses) or drugs. The functions of the eosinophil are to destroy parasites and remove foreign material by phagocytosis or extracellular degranulation by releasing various enzymes and toxins (Table 1). The eosinophils are produced in the bone marrow as precursor cells that mature in the spleen, lymph nodes, or thymus. They have a half-life of about 30 minutes in circulation and are selectively attracted to the site of infl ammation, where they have a half-life of about 12 days.