Canine Dermatophytosis Caused By Trichophyton Rubrum - Case Report

A rare case of dermatophytosis in a 4-year-old female Shih Tzu dog was caused by Trichophyton rubrum, a fungus typically associated with human infections. The dog presented with circular, crusted, non-pruritic alopecia lesions on the head. Standard diagnostic tests showed no abnormalities, but T. rubrum was identified through fungal culture. Treatment involved a ketoconazole and chlorhexidine shampoo and oral itraconazole for 28 days, resulting in complete healing and hair regrowth within a month, with no recurrence over a 4-month follow-up. This case highlighted the need to consider T. rubrum in differential diagnoses of similar canine skin lesions.