Self Trauma Flashcards
What is self trauma defined as?
Abnormal skin manipulating behaviour
How may itchiness present?
Scratching Licking Rubbing Gnawing Nibbling Biting Rolling Overgrooming Scooting Head shaking Grumpiness
What clinical assessment can you do when presented with a self trauma patient?
Abnormal spontaneous behaviour
- At home or during consult
Reflexes
- Pruritis ‘tickly spot’
Evidence of trauma
- Gross lesions
- Hair loss
- Hair damage
Which systems could be involved when presented with self trauma?
Skin
Neurological
Behavioural
What is pruritus?
Subjective sensation of itching, provoking the desire to scrach
What causes the sensation of pruritus?
Itch receptors stimulated
Stimulated by pruritogenic substances, usually inflammatory environment
Which location of disease causes the most pruritic skin diseases?
Superficial inflammatory diseases (epidermis)
What other factors apart from itch receptors can cause pruritus?
Inflammatory cell neoplasia
Other skin diseases eg. atopic dermatitis (itch fibres reach further up so chronically stimulated)
Dry skin (epidermal micro fissures)
Exacerbation by irritant factors eg. high temp, humidity, fabrics
What are the benefits of specific diagnosis in pruritus?
Cure Accurate prognosis Therapeutic options Client compliance Better long term management
What is pruritic threshold and summation of effect?
The level of sensation, above which the animals starts “scratching”
Influenced by temperament, anxiety, mental stimulation
(cats can be very episodic)
Removal of some causes may suffice for adequate control
Summation of effects:
Multiple diseases acting together can causes severe pruritis.
Which 3 groups make up common pruritic skin disease?
Parasitic
Microbial
Hypersensitivity
Common pruritic parasite skin disease
Surface mites e.g. Cheyletiella
Burrowing mites e.g Sarcoptes
Trombicula
Demodex
Common pruritic microbial skin disease
Staph
Malassezia
Dermatophytes
Common pruritic hypersensitivity disorders…
FAD
Atopic dermatitis
Food hypersensitivity
Less common pruritic skin diseases…
Metabolic
Neoplasia (MCT, lymphoma)
Drug eruption
What can cause pruritus in non-pruritic skin disease?
Secondary microbial infection
Which disease should you rule out first in a case of pruritic skin disease?
Ectoparasites and microbial causes because they are easy to control
What is the likely cause if a patient is itchy on the muzzle, feet, groin and anus?
Food allergy or atopic dermatitis
What is the likely cause if a patient is itchy on the elbows, knees and stomach?
Scabies
Describe the 4 cytological techniques used for investigating pruritic skin disease…
Clear adhesion tape
Exfoliated superficial corny layer
Fairly dry lesions
Direct impression sear
Adhered exudate and exfoliated exposed cells
Moist, sticky, exudative lesions
Cotton swabs
Harvested exudate
Ear canals, deep folds, difficult to access sites
Fine needle aspiration
Core of exfoliated cells from dermis or deeper
Lumps and swellings
