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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #175: Feline Pemphigus Foliaceus

Cat veterinary case - Hard - August 25, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A cat is examined for crusting facial lesions affecting the bridge of the nose, pinnae, and around the eyes.
  2. The owner says the lesions began as pustules before turning into thick yellow crusts.
  3. The footpads are also crusted and painful.
  4. There is no heavy flea burden and antibiotics have given little improvement.
  5. Biopsy supports a superficial autoimmune pustular dermatitis.
  6. Pemphigus foliaceus is an immune-mediated skin disease that can affect cats as well as dogs.

Diagnosis

Feline Pemphigus Foliaceus

This case is most consistent with Feline Pemphigus Foliaceus because the cat has superficial pustular-crusting lesions with footpad involvement and biopsy evidence of autoimmune dermatitis. The most important clues are the facial distribution and poor antibiotic response, which make bacterial pyoderma less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this cat case supports the provided diagnosis, Feline Pemphigus Foliaceus, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A cat is examined for crusting facial lesions affecting the bridge of the nose, pinnae, and around the eyes.
  2. Clue 2: The owner says the lesions began as pustules before turning into thick yellow crusts.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The footpads are also crusted and painful.
  2. Clue 4: There is no heavy flea burden and antibiotics have given little improvement.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Biopsy supports a superficial autoimmune pustular dermatitis.
  2. Clue 6: Pemphigus foliaceus is an immune-mediated skin disease that can affect cats as well as dogs.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this cat case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Feline Pemphigus Foliaceus?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Feline Pemphigus Foliaceus?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.