The genetic selection of the breed is often accompanied by the greater probability of finding certain pathologies in the subjects belonging to it.
As for Sphynx cats, the most frequent diseases, which are most diagnosed, are influenced by the familiarity of the breed and affect the skin, heart and muscles.
For further information: Hairless cats: breeds, character by external agents, mainly by contact or by the action of temperatures and sunlight; in fact, burns are very frequent if adequate protective supports and the application of sun creams are not used.The integumentary system of this breed has the particularity of constantly producing a protective layer of sebum which predisposes to the stagnation of the yeasts already present normally on the skin of the animal. Malassezia therefore has the possibility of finding a perfect humid environment for its proliferation, causing redness, dark coloring of the skin, unpleasant odor. The skin regions most affected by this yeast are those that have more skin folds, of which the Sphynx is full of them.
Malassezia can also be localized at the level of the ear canal leading to a specific otitis with accumulation of foul-smelling ceruminous material and causing itching and shaking of the animal's head.
For this type of pathology there are drugs with targeted action, used in the form of mousse, shampoo or lotions; in case of Malassezia otitis antifungal products are indicated, which often also contain anti-inflammatory active ingredients to control the redness and itching action of the otitis.
The owner can also play a fundamental role in the prevention of these very common pathologies, carrying out a constant cleaning of the skin of the Sphynx with detergent products and shampoos designed to control the production of sebum. Particular attention must be paid to cleaning areas such as legs, skin folds of the armpits and inner thigh, and of the muzzle.
- Finally, a particular dermatological pathology has been described in the Sphynx, together with the Devon Rex and the Himalayan breeds: it is a pathology called urticaria pigmentosa or mastocytosis, caused by a recall in the skin of mast cells, cells that contain histamine granules and heparin responsible for the allergic response of the organism.
As in humans, urticaria pigmentosa is thought to have a genetic predisposition for transmission of a receptor mutation. For cats, however, the responsible gene has not yet been identified and there are still few in-depth studies. It is known that this form of dermatitis can be stimulated by the presence of environmental allergens, parasites and intolerances to the diet.
Often the symptoms are detected in young subjects and consist in the formation of reddish erythematous papules causing intense itching in turn. The lesions can be arranged in a linear or diffuse form, especially on the trunk. In chronic forms it is also possible to see a lichenification of the skin and its hyperpigmentation.
Diagnosis is made by skin biopsy and identification of the mast cell infiltrate with specific analyzes. The prognosis of mastocytosis is generally good, but subsequent involvement of the internal organs is not excluded.
For the treatment of skin symptoms, glucocorticoids, antihistamines and fatty acid supplements are generally used to support skin function.
(HCM) is a heart disease that mainly affects cats, accounting for 67% of heart diseases diagnosed in this species. It is a disease affecting the myocardium, which is thickened compared to the norm and therefore occupies more space inside the ventricle, especially the left one.Two forms of HCM are distinguished:
- a primary form of hereditary nature, linked to a family transmission in some specific breeds, including Sphynx, Maine Coon, Persian, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, Cornish Rex, Devon Rex
- a secondary form resulting from vascular pathologies that cause pressure overload (aortic stenosis, systemic hypertension) or metabolic pathologies (hyperthyroidism, acromegaly)
The most interesting form for a better selection of breeding breed subjects is certainly the primary one. For this reason there are genetic and screening tests to rule out the disease before mating.
As for the Sphynx breed, only recent studies seem to have found one of the genes that could be responsible for the transmission of the disease. In fact, it is thought that there are more genes that contribute to the formation, manifestation and course of this cardiomyopathy.
Wanting to describe the course of hypertrophic myocardiopathy, the starting point is a thickening of the left ventricular myocardial wall, which is unable to accommodate all the blood coming from the atrium causing it to dilate. In 42% of cats the alteration of the cardiac structure it includes a dynamic obstructive form caused by the movement of a flap of the mitral valve that occupies the outflow path of the left ventricle. The dilation of the left atrium also brings with it an increase in blood stagnation and a predisposition to the formation of thrombus, which can enter the bloodstream and, typically in the cat, stop in the trifurcation of the aorta. In this case the cat, in addition to other cardiovascular symptoms, may present pain and hemiparesis of the hind limbs.
In the "last phase of the pathology, the heart undergoes a" further deformation, approaching a picture of dilated cardiomyopathy; in echocardiography the image obtained will be very similar to this other form of heart disease, therefore it can only be diagnosed if there are previous diagnoses of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
The symptoms that can accompany HCM can be divided into three categories:
- the cat may not show any clinical signs visible to the owner, but may manifest a left parasternal murmur at the clinic visit, with variable intensity depending on the heart rate. This situation is found in 50% of cases and, to have a definitive diagnosis, an echocardiography must be performed. The method in fact allows to measure the thickening of the myocardial muscle in various projections and to exclude other cardiac pathologies present. The parameters that are taken into consideration for the diagnosis and staging of the patient concern the atrial size, the presence of SAM (movement of the septum anterior mitral valve), papillary muscle hypertrophy and diastolic function. In these cases the evaluation of the genetic test, available for the Main Coon and Ragdoll breeds, not yet for the Sphynx, can be an additional element, but does not replace the echocardiographic examination.
- in phases of heart failure the cat may present significant dyspnea following pulmonary edema or pleural effusion. This turns out to be an emergency case to be managed with the administration of humidified oxygen and evaluating the possible investigations after stabilization of the patient and minimizing stress conditions. An X-ray will be useful for the evaluation to view the pulmonary and cardiac structure and any effusion present, which must be drained by thoracocentesis.
- as previously mentioned, the symptoms manifested can be caused by thromboembolism. The cat will therefore present an absence of pulse, paresis, pain, pallor and hypothermia in the hind limbs.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy therapy is evaluated after patient staging.
In asymptomatic subjects the use of drugs that protect the myocardium in its pathological evolution is controversial. In fact, there are no studies that indicate a positive effect on cardiac remodeling, as happens in humans.
In symptomatic subjects, on the other hand, the therapy aims to manage acute symptoms and improve the animal's quality of life. The drugs that can be used are B-blockers (eg atenolol) to control heart rhythm and dynamic stenosis, the ca-antagonists that act on the heart rate and as vasodilators at the coronary level. Prevention for thromboembolism seems to have no results, but in the acute phase of this symptomatology it is necessary to control the pain with the use of opioids, antiplatelet drugs for avoid the formation of other blood clots in the circulation, and traditional thrombolysis techniques (more effective than the use of thrombolytic drugs).
congenital myasthenics (CMSs) in the cat they were initially described in the Devon Rex breed taking the name of "spasticity" and subsequently identified also in the Sphynx; the research correlated the symptoms and customs of the two breeds, which are still mixed today in the selection process.
Generally the pathology manifests itself at a young age, within 5 months of life, becoming evident the deficit of transmission of the stimulus in the neuromuscular junction. This alteration causes evident signs of weakness, fatigue, altered postures (ventroflexion of the head and neck, lifting of the forelegs to relieve weight), ejection of the shoulder blades, swaying and tremors, megaesophagus. Clinical signs may progress over time and are exacerbated by physical movement and arousal.
Unfortunately, there are no effective therapies for this disease, if not precautions for the management of the affected cat. Instead, it is important to perform the DNA test to exclude from reproduction those carriers of the disease, therefore having only one mutated allele for the COLQ gene. In fact, these cats do not manifest the disease and are healthy, but they can pass it on to their descendants.
