Caso di astenia cutanea grave in un gatto di 10 mesi

Cutaneous asthenia is a connective tissue disease that occurs rarely in cats and results in hyper-extensibility of affected tissues. Two forms, autosomal dominant and recessive, have been reported in cats. A 10 -month-old cat, neutered, male, domestic and mixed breed, coming from a cattery, was examined for multiple wounds all over his body especially in the region of the dorsum, thorax and head. The skin of these regions was hyperextensible, fragile and pendulous on the ventral aspect of the abdomen. An extensibility index of 25% determined to be consistent with the suspicion of cutaneous asthenia. A 4-mm skin punch biopsy was taken and stained with H&E and Masson thricrome. The obtained sections did not reveal any significant pathological change. Electron microscopy was performed and showed random orientation of collagen fibres and fibrils that appeared twisted and lost the 64 cylindrical shape. The patient died spontaneously after one month and the necropsy showed an internal hemorrhage as cause of death with retroperitoneal hematoma resulting from the rupture of the vena cava coexisting with severe laxity of connective and articular tissues, bone fragility and presence of a perineal hernia. The necropsy and the ultrastructural findings confirmed the suspicion of cutaneous asthenia.