Dermoscopic evaluation of skin in healthy cats.

BACKGROUND Dermoscopy is a diagnostic tool that can reveal morphological structures not visible upon clinical examination. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES To assess the usefulness and applicability of dermoscopy for the examination of healthy cat skin. ANIMALS Twenty-one domestic short-haired cats from a feline rescue association. METHODS Four regions (head, dorsal neck, sacral and abdominal regions) were examined with both a contact hand-held nonpolarized light dermoscope at 10-fold magnification and a videodermoscope at 70-fold magnification. Findings were assessed using histological analysis of skin samples cut both longitudinally and transversely, set as the gold standard. RESULTS With a hand-held dermoscope at 10-fold magnification, thick, straight primary hairs surrounded by multiple secondary hairs were observed. With a videodermoscope at 70-fold magnification, hair shaft thickness was measured and the follicular openings and arrangement of vessels were clearly observed. Correspondence was observed between dermoscopic and histological results. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Dermoscopy represents a valid noninvasive and reproducible technique that could be helpful in clinical examination.