Scaling. What is it and what causes it?
- Scaling is an accumulation of loose debris from the stratum corneum (corneocytes). Scaling can have various appearances and be dry, thin, slab or greasy and vary in color from white, silver, yellow, brown or grey.
- Corneocytes are the end product of epidermal keratinization and the normal loss of these cells is not visible to the naked eye as corneocytes are released individually or in small groups. In abnormal scaling, there is a loss of large scales. Scaling may be primary in primary idiopathic seborrhea and ichthyosis. However, scaling is more often secondary to a chronic inflammatory process. In the presence of pruritus, the differential diagnosis should include parasitic infections, allergies, infectious diseases such as pyoderma or Malassezia dermatitis.
- If pruritus is not present, differential diagnoses should include primary endocrinopathies, demodicosis, dermatophytosis, leishmaniasis, nutritional imbalances, metabolic diseases, and cutaneous neoplasia such as cutaneous epitheliotropic lymphoma. In cats, exfoliative dermatitis associated or not with thymoma should also be considered.
Dr Diana Ferreira completed in 2010 the degree with masters in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Lisbon. Afterwards, she performed traineeships in veterinary dermatology in Portugal and in Italy.
In 2011 she integrated the intern team of the Veterinary Clinic of the Barcelona University, where in 2012 she started the residency in Veterinary Dermatology and she obtained the Diplomate of the ECVD title in 2016.
In 2018 she founded the Portuguese Society of Veterinary Dermatology of which she was President of the directive board until 2020. She worked as a veterinary dermatologist in the United Kingdom, at the Animal Health Trust from 2015 until 2020.
Currently, Dr Diana Ferreira works as a veterinary dermatologist in Portugal at the OneVet Group.
In 2011 she integrated the intern team of the Veterinary Clinic of the Barcelona University, where in 2012 she started the residency in Veterinary Dermatology and she obtained the Diplomate of the ECVD title in 2016.
In 2018 she founded the Portuguese Society of Veterinary Dermatology of which she was President of the directive board until 2020. She worked as a veterinary dermatologist in the United Kingdom, at the Animal Health Trust from 2015 until 2020.
Currently, Dr Diana Ferreira works as a veterinary dermatologist in Portugal at the OneVet Group.