Use of a Sustained Release Preparation of Clotrimazole to Treat Dermatophytosis in a Siamang (Hylobates Syndactylus)

In November 2004, an adult male siamang at The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens in Israel was diagnosed with dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis, presenting with alopecia and hyperkeratosis. Initial treatments with oral and topical antifungal agents resolved most lesions, but one persisted. An experimental sustained-release clotrimazole varnish was applied directly to the lesion under anesthesia. After an initial lack of response, a modified formula was used, leading to a reduction in lesion size one month later. The lesion fully resolved three months after treatment began, highlighting the benefit of minimizing treatment frequency in exotic animals.