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Introduction: Dermatological consultations represent a great part of the small animal medical clinic routine. Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common skin disease that affects a significant amount of dogs, making it a relevant consideration in clinical practice. The role of the endocannabinoid system on skin homeostasis has been described and its deregulation contributes to dermatopathies. Its function in specialized skin cells reveals an expressive therapeutic potential. Due to the difficulties and the growing scientific evidence of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis on animals, this work aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis-derived oil in the treatment of CAD., Methods: Fourteen canines diagnosed with CAD were divided into two groups: T: full spectrum high cannabidiol (CBD) cannabis oil, 2,5 mg/kg; and C: control group (treated with olive oil alone). The effectiveness was evaluated based on the degree of pruritus, dermatological evaluation (CADESI-4) and histopathological evaluation of the skin including mast cell count., Results: Despite the theoretical basis, there were no significant results obtained between the compared treatments., Discussion: Thus, it can be concluded that although full spectrum high cannabinoids therapy presents a promising approach to immunological diseases, further research is required in order to establish the actual effective cannabinoid ratio within the myriad possible combinations and for multi-target therapy of CAD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Mariga, Souza Silva Mateus, dos Santos Dullius, da Silva, Martins Flores, Vasconcelos Soares, Amazonas and Tadeu Lemos Pinto Filho.)

Ultrasonography is widely used as a non-invasive imaging method for many years in human and veterinary medicine. In addition to imaging of internal organs, ultrasound guided biopsy, and its usage for physiotherapy, new technological advances have enabled high-resolution ultrasound imaging (HRU) applications for dermatology in recent years. Ultrasonography is exemplified from human medicine for dermatological problems such as the determination of normal skin thickness (epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue), the changes of skin thickness against various internalexternal stimuli and aging, venous ulcer, benign and malign growths, psoriasis, nail diseases, investigation of hair follicles and the detection of exogenous materials settled into the skin. HRU reliably measures tumour thickness and is also considered to be beneficial to show the difference among seborrheic keratosis, melanoma and benign tumours. The aim of this review article is to give information about the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dermatological problems in increasing numbers of veterinary patients and to introduce the use of this method into routine dermatological clinical studies as a diagnostic method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes a case of pemphigus foliaceus (PF), an autoimmune skin disease diagnosed in a 5-year old female American Pit Bull Terrier dog, several days after ingesting Echinacea purpurea plants. In human alternative medicine, Echinacea purpurea is used to enhance the immune system. The dog showed oozing pustules, crusts, papules, alopecia and fever. Pemphigus foliaceus was confirmed by histopathology. Treatment for over a 1-year period consisted of prednisone, mycophenolate-mofetil, antibiotics and medical shampoos. After one year of remission, all treatments were tapered and eventually stopped. The dog has been in remission for over five years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Percutaneous testing (PT) is preferred to intradermal testing in humans for the in vivo identification of allergen hypersensitivity, but the methodology has not been well described for use in dogs with atopic dermatitis. Hypothesis/Objectives: To identify the irritant threshold concentrations (ITC) of eight aeroallergens using a commercial prick test device in normal dogs. Animals: Twenty healthy, privately owned dogs. Methods: Percutaneous testing was performed using the GREER® Pick® System (Stallergenes Greer; Lenoir, NC, USA). Five dilutions of glycerinated extracts of Bromis inermis, Sorghum halepense, Chenopodium album, Ambrosia psilostachya, Salix nigra and Acer negundo, as well as four dilutions of Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus were included. Glycerinated histamine (6 mg/ml) and glycerin/Coca's solution were used for the positive and negative controls, respectively. Orthogonal wheal diameters were measured for each test site every 5 min for 25 min. Reactions were considered significant when the average wheal diameter was equal to or greater than the mean of the positive and negative controls. Results: Significant reactions were noted in five of 20 (25%) of dogs. The ITC (≤10% of dogs reacting) were 1:20 w/v for B. inermis and S. nigra, 1:400 w/v for D. farinae and 1:200 w/v for D. pteronyssinus. Conclusions and clinical importance: These results suggest that the pollen allergens evaluated in this study can be used for PT at their undiluted concentration (1:20 w/v) with a reasonable assurance of few false positive reactions in dogs. Dust mites require dilution for testing at the ITC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermoscopy is a diagnostic tool that has been introduced into small animal dermatology for the evaluation of hair and the skin surface. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the use of this technique on horses and the dermoscopic appearance of equine hair and skin have yet to be reported. Hypothesis/objectives: To assess the feasibility of dermoscopy, and to describe hair and skin surface features of healthy warmblood horses. Animals: Thirty four client‐owned, healthy adult horses. Methods: Six body regions (head, neck, dorsal thorax, ventral thorax, croup and mane) were examined with a smartphone‐attached, hand‐held polarized light dermoscope at 20‐fold magnification. Smartphone‐collected images were evaluated to determine the overall hair density, large and thin primary hair densities and diameters, and skin surface characteristics. Software was used to measure large and thin primary hair shaft thickness. Comparisons between body regions, breeds and sexes were made. Results: Dermoscopic examination of the equine skin surface was feasible and easy to perform. At 20‐fold magnification thick, straight hair shafts emerging from single follicular openings were observed. In between these, thinner straight hair shafts were present in all evaluated regions. Hair shafts of the head and the mane were significantly thicker but less dense compared to other regions. Skin pigmentation and variable perifollicular discolouration were present. Conclusions: Dermoscopy may represent a valuable technique for the dermatological examination of the equine patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasal hyperkeratosis may cause discomfort in dogs by predisposing them to fissures and secondary bacterial infection. Approaches to treatment have been described anecdotally; the effectiveness of such therapies remains unproven. Hypothesis/Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of a balm containing essential oils and essential fatty acids in dogs with idiopathic nasal hyperkeratosis. Animals: Client‐owned dogs with noncomplicated nasal hyperkeratosis. Methods: The study was conducted as a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial with parallel group design and two month follow‐up period. Dogs received daily topical application of a commercial balm product (group DBB) or placebo (aqueous gelling agent with preservatives, group PB). The main outcome variables were lichenification, dryness, suppleness and extent of lesions. Subjective owner satisfaction index score was a secondary variable. Evaluation was performed on days (D)0, 30 and 60. Response to treatment was assessed as the change from baseline to each examination day for each criterion. Results: Forty eight dogs, principally French (26 of 48) and English (seven of 48) bulldogs, were included and 39 completed the study. No major adverse events were reported. On D60, changes from baseline for lichenification, lesion extent, suppleness and total score were −31.2%, −18.3%, −72.8% and −36.8% in group DBB (23 dogs) and −11.9%, 2.3%, −42.1% and −14% in group PB (16 dogs), respectively. The total score was significantly improved on D60 in group DBB compared to PB (Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney U‐test, P = 0.0016). Conclusions and clinical importance: The balm proved safe and helpful in managing canine idiopathic noncomplicated nasal hyperkeratosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine demodicosis is a common skin disease seen in companion animal practice that results from an overpopulation of the commensal Demodex mite species. Common predisposing factors to the development of canine demodicosis include immunosuppressive diseases, such as neoplasia and hypothyroidism, and administration of immunosuppressive therapies, such as corticosteroids. Despite this, the pathogenesis of development of canine demodicosis remains unclear. Previous studies have implicated a role for increased expression of toll like receptor 2 (TLR2), increased production of interleukin (IL)-10) and T cell exhaustion. Here, we investigate gene expression of formalin fixed paraffin embedded skin samples from twelve cases of canine demodicosis in comparison to twelve healthy controls, using a 770 gene panel (NanoString Canine IO Panel). Results show an increase in the T cell population, specifically Th1 and Treg cells in dogs with demodicosis. In addition, while there is an upregulation of immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10 and IL-13, there is also an upregulation of immune check point molecules including PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. These findings suggest that Demodex spp. mites are modulating the host immune system to their advantage through upregulation of several immune tolerance promoting pathways. • There is a significant increase in dermal CD4+ cells in canine demodicosis. • Dermal Th1 and Treg cells are significantly increased in canine demodicosis. • Dermal Th2 cells are significantly decreased in canine demodicosis. • Gene expression of immune checkpoint molecules was increased in canine demodicosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study was conducted to isolate and identify Dermatophilus congolensis (DC) using conventional and molecular diagnostic techniques in scab materials collected from skin infections of sheep and goats in the Delta region of Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 scab samples collected from 18 goats and 2 sheep from Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur districts of Tamil Nadu. Smears were made from softened scab materials and stained by either Gram's or Giemsa staining. Isolation was attempted on blood agar plates, and colonies were stained by Gram's staining for morphological identification. Identification was also done by biochemical tests and confirmed by 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the amplified product. Results: The peculiar laddering arrangement of coccoid forms in stained smears prepared from scab materials revealed the presence of DC. Isolated colonies from scab materials of sheep and goats on bovine blood agar plate were small, hemolytic, rough, adherent, and bright orange-yellow in color, but some colonies were white to cream color. Gram-staining of cultured organisms revealed Gram-positive branching filaments with various disintegration stages of organisms. 16S rRNA PCR yielded 500 bp amplicon specific for DC. Sequence analysis of a sheep DC isolate showed 99-100% sequence homology with other DC isolates available in NCBI database, and phylogenetic tree showed a close cluster with DC isolates of Congo, Nigeria, and Angola of Africa. Genes for virulence factors such as serine protease and alkaline ceramidase could not be detected by PCR in any of the DC strains isolated of this study. Conclusion: The presence of dermatophilosis in Tamil Nadu was established from this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Bayesian latent class model was developed to estimate the true prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) in Taranaki, New Zealand. This model allowed farms to have zero prevalence as well as also accounting for between farm heterogeneity that was conditional on whether a farm was positive for bovine digital dermatitis. The estimated true farm level prevalence was 68.9% (95% credible interval [CrI]: 50.0%-85.7%), while on infected farms the overall cow level prevalence (number of infected cows/total number of cows on infected farms) was 2.9% (95%CrI: 2.1%–4.3%). The sensitivity analyses suggested that the prevalence estimates were reasonably robust when the variation of the priors fell within the biologically plausible range. These results indicated that visual inspection of standing animals during milking was sufficiently accurate to identify infected farms. However, for every 100 animals identified through visual inspection, 84 animals with lesions were missed. In other words, 46% (calculated as 84/184) of true positives at the animal level could be missed by visual inspection. The high and robust specificity (99.9%, 95%CrI: 99.8%–99.9%) suggested that lesions reported as BDD were very unlikely to be false positives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Feline skin fragility syndrome ( FSFS) is an acquired disorder characterized by altered collagen production resulting in an extremely thin and fragile skin. FSFS is associated with diseases characterized by excessive steroidal hormones that can inhibit collagen synthesis. It is also described concomitantly with severe inflammatory, infectious or neoplastic conditions where the pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Objectives To describe three cases of FSFS in cats that become cachectic secondary to different causes without glucocorticoid involvement. To describe the histopathological features of connective tissue for both fragile skin and the skin after healing. Results All cats developed cachexia in less than two months (body condition score ranging from 1-1.5). Concomitant diseases were diagnosed in Case 1 (aspiration pneumonia due to mega-oesophagus) and Case 2 (feline immunodeficiency virus ( FIV)). In Case 3, malnutrition was suspected as a primary cause. The main histological feature of fragile skin was an atrophic dermis with pale eosinophilic, thin and irregular collagen fibres with numerous red cores observed with Masson's stain. Elastic fibres were normal. Postrecovery histopathological findings at 11 (Case 1) and six months (Case 3) after diagnosis, indicated normalization of the collagen and of the whole skin as compared with controls. Conclusions and clinical importance To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing a reversible, nonsteroid-induced FSFS, associated with rapidly developing cachexia in cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Autoimmune subepidermal blistering dermatoses ( ASBD) are a group of severe autoimmune dermatoses rarely described in dogs. Their treatment usually necessitates the long term use of medications potentially associated with adverse effects. In humans, Janus Kinase ( JAK) inhibitors have been demonstrated to be of value in some cases of autoimmune skin disease. Hypothesis/Objectives To evaluate oral oclacitinib, a JAK-1 predominant inhibitor, in one case of ASBD in a dog. Case report A 5-year-old German shepherd cross-bred dog was presented with an acute onset of ulcerative and blistering skin lesions on the face, oral cavity, lateral trunk and limbs. Associated systemic signs were not seen. A clinical diagnosis of ASBD was supported by the finding of subepidermal clefts and visualization of the epidermal basement membrane zone at the bottom of the clefts on histopathological examination. Treatment was initiated with prednisolone at 1.2 mg/kg twice daily. Because of severe adverse effects and relapse, when the prednisolone dose was reduced, oclacitinib therapy was administered at 0.5 mg/kg twice a day. A complete resolution of clinical signs was noted after one month and no relapse was observed after twelve months of treatment. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion The use of oclacitinib may be useful for the treatment of some autoimmune skin diseases in dogs. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many difficulties are encountered by the clinician within veterinary dermatology. The analysis of each step to be followed during the clinical consultation will show the critical points and assist the veterinarian in the conclusion of the cases. The objective of this review is to address the main influences in the diagnosis of dermatological diseases in small animals. A good relationship with the tutor is essential, so that it provides a good record and assumes the costs of the complementary exams. Errors in diagnosis occur when the anamnesis is incomplete or erroneously completed, superficial physical examination or hastily done and by precipitated or false evaluation of the clinical findings. The choice of complementary exams should be made in a coherent way, since each exam has its adequate technique. For the Demodex sp. by means of the skin scraping technique, this should be performed up to the deeper layers of the skin. In cytology, poor quality samples occur when there is too much blood, inadequate puncture pressure, thick smear and insufficient dye contact time. Sampling for bacterial culture should not be performed from areas with wet erosions and many crusts. Early diagnosis of dermatophytosis is necessary both for the initiation of a treatment and for limiting the contagion with other animals and people. In cutaneous biopsy, the samples must be of early lesions (primary lesions) except in atrophic diseases of the cutaneous appendages. Good communication with the tutor, special attention to all stages of the clinical consultation, not seeking immediate results, easy contact with the laboratory and the care with sample collection for complementary tests have a positive influence on the dermatological diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical efficacy of fluralaner chewable tablets (Bravecto™, MSD Animal Health) against naturally acquired Linognathus setosus infestations on dogs was evaluated compared with permethrin (Exspot®, MSD Animal Health) treatment. Methods: Privately-owned dogs naturally infested with L. setosus from 21 different households were randomly allocated to two treatment groups. Fourteen dogs were treated once orally with fluralaner and ten dogs were treated once topically with permethrin, at the recommended label dose. Live L. setosus on all dogs were counted before treatment and 1, 7, 28 (both groups) and 84 (fluralaner group) days post-treatment according to a coat parting technique at pre-specified locations and lice species were confirmed microscopically. At the same time points, a veterinary dermatology severity score and an owner's perceived pruritus score were recorded. Results: Percentage reduction in geometric mean L. setosus counts, comparing post-with pre-treatment counts within each group, were 85.7% (day 1), 96.8% (day 7) and 100% (days 28 and 84) for the fluralaner (two-sided two-sample t-test, P ≤ 0.0088 for days 1-84) and 67.5% (day 1), 90.3% (day 7) 99.1% (day 28) for the permethrin group (two-sided two-sample t-test, P ≤ 0.0014 for days 7-28). No lice were seen on fluralaner-treated dogs 28 and 84 days post-treatment. In contrast, two permethrin-treated dogs were re-treated at 7 and 28 days after initial treatment because of observed lice. Owner's perceived pruritus scores were reduced compared to pre-treatment levels by 23.8% (day 1), 31.1% (day 7), 70.4% (day 28) and 99.5% (day 84) after fluralaner treatment and 21.3% (day 1), 45.8% (day 7), and 78.1% (day 28) after permethrin treatment. Dermatological signs were improved compared to pre-treatment levels in both treatment groups. Conclusions: Single oral fluralaner treatment eliminated natural L. setosus infestation on dogs within 28 days and led to complete dermatological recovery that was maintained until the study end on day 84. Single topical permethrin treatment reduced the number of L. setosus by 99.1% at day 28 although two animals required unscheduled re-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine pyoderma is a common and frustrating disease to treat in veterinary practice. Antibiotic resistance continues to be problematic forcing a search for effective alternative therapies. The objective of this controlled in-vitro experimental study was to document the antibacterial activity of two Chinese herbal medicines [Golden Yellow Powder (modified Ru Yi Jin Huang) and Coptis (Huang Lian)] and compare them to two conventional antibiotic topical medications (Zymox and Animax) against bacteria cultured from 31 clinical cases of canine pyoderma. Test material efficacy was determined by measured zones of inhibition (ZOI) against bacteria on sheep blood agar plates. ZOI results demonstrated that both herbal medicines at concentrations of 5g/20ml and 10g/20ml had statistically significant values for antibacterial activity when compared to placebo control (p< 0.001) and when compared to the antibacterial topical Zymox (p < 0.001). The single herb Coptis (Huang Lian) had greater ZOI activity when compared to both antibiotic topicals, Zymox and Animax, with a 95% confidence level. Finally, Coptis had statistical significance when compared to Golden Yellow Powder (p<0.001). The results from this study suggest that both Chinese herbal medicines tested have effective antibacterial activity against bacteria cultured from canine patients with pyoderma and show promise either as an adjunct to conventional antibacterial therapy or as primary treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Histopathology has been essential in advancing our knowledge in veterinary dermatology. However, morphological features and histological patterns cannot always reveal an aetiological diagnosis. Objectives Several ancillary techniques can assist in achieving an aetiological diagnosis. Some of these techniques have found their way into routine diagnostic dermatopathology, whereas others are still mainly used in research. This review discusses the utility, strengths, advantages/disadvantages and challenges associated with each technique. Methods Digital microscopy, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, salt-split skin, Western blots, electron microscopy, PCR, in situ hybridization, tissue microarrays, next-generation sequencing, DNA microarrays and laser microdissection are discussed. Conclusions It is crucial to understand the limitations of each technique and to correlate the results both with pathological findings and the clinical presentation. As such, dermatopathology will remain the important link between benchtop science, available results from ancillary techniques and clinical veterinary dermatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dogs and cats, bacterial skin infections (pyoderma and otitis externa) are a common cause for visiting the veterinary clinic. The most frequent skin pathogens are Staphylococcus pseudintermedius , Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , often requiring different therapeutic antibiotic protocols. Unfavorably, existing diagnostics based on cytology cannot reveal bacterial species but only bacterial shapes such as cocci or rods. This microscopic limitation could be overcome by clinical translation of affordable chromogenic media, which enable species identification based on bacterial colonies growing in different colors and sizes. In this study, we determined how well inexperienced general veterinary clinicians identified bacterial pathogens from the skin and ears on two commercial (Chromatic™ MH and Flexicult® Vet) and one custom-made Mueller Hinton agar-based chromogenic medium. For this purpose, four veterinarians evaluated 100 unique samples representing 10 bacterial species. On average, clinicians correctly identified between 72.1 and 86.3% of bacterial species. Colony colors developed quickly on the Chromatic™ MH medium, leading to the highest 81.6% identification accuracy after 24 h incubation. However, Flexicult® Vet exhibited the highest accuracy of 86.3% after prolonged 48 h incubation. Evaluators easily recognized bacteria displaying uniquely colored colonies like green-brown Pseudomonas aeruginosa , blue Enterococcus faecalis , orange-brown Proteus spp., and red Escherichia coli . Oppositely, staphylococci shared uncharacteristically pale pink colonies causing misidentifications among the genus, deteriorating overall accuracy by around 10 percentage points (from 90.9%). Another reason for identification errors was the evaluators' inexperience, reflected in not recognizing colony size differences. For example, although Streptococcus canis exhibited the tiniest colonies, the species was frequently mistaken for other cocci. Finally, around 10% of errors were negligence-related slips due to unconsidered sample history. To conclude, the introduction of chromogenic media into veterinary clinics can significantly complement diagnostics in skin inflammations by identifying pathogen species in around 80% of cases. The extra information may help in therapeutic dilemmas on antibiotics and standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Additional personnel training and evaluation help by visuals, flowcharts, checklists, and, if necessary, microbiologists could further improve identification accuracy., Competing Interests: JI, GF and US are employed by Biosynth AG. The authors conducted the experimental design, experiments, and data analysis independently. Biosynth AG (Staad, Switzerland) provided the chromogenic substrates and the inducer compounds for the CAVD agar preparation at no cost. Aldol® reagents are proprietary patent-protected products of Biosynth AG. Liofilchem Chromatic™ MH and Flexicult® Vet Scandinavia were purchased from the official distributors., (Copyright © 2023 Avberšek, Ihssen, Faccio, Spitz and Cugmas.)

Background Lynxacarus radovskyi has been observed in cats in Malaysia; previously treatment with fipronil and moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on has been described. Objectives To compare the efficacy of two spot-on treatments of moxidectin/imidacloprid, two weeks apart to a single oral dose of fluralaner against Lynxacarus radovskyi and evaluate time to re-infestation. Methods Thirty cats were assigned to three groups of ten cats each. Group 1 received one 250 mg fluralaner tablet. Group 2 received two doses of moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on two weeks apart. Group 3 consisted of untreated controls. For each cat, three plucks of about 50 hairs each were collected from three sites (dorsal neck, lateral thigh and perineal/tail region) for a total of nine pluckings every two weeks. Severity of infestation was scored from 0 (no parasite), to 1 (only nonhatched eggs), 2 (both hatched and nonhatched eggs), 3 (<50 mites) and 4 (>50 mites). Efficacy was compared between treatment groups and over time in the same group, and results analysed statistically. Re-infestation was defined as the identification of new eggs or mites on hair pluckings. Results Moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on and oral fluralaner achieved 100% eradication within 28 days. No significant difference was observed between groups 1 and 2; re-infestation occurred by Day 56 in both treatment groups. Conclusion A single dose of oral fluralaner or two moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on treatments two weeks apart are efficacious in the eradication of L. radovskyi in cats and able to prevent re-infestation for at least 42 days post-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Generalized discoid lupus erythematosus ( GDLE) is a newly recognized canine variant of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus ( CLE) that is not well characterized. Hypothesis/Objectives We report herein the signalment, clinical signs, treatment outcome, histopathology and immunological findings of 10 dogs with GDLE. Methods Inclusion criteria were: (i) a >3 month history of generalized skin lesions indicating a chronic or recurrent nature; (ii) skin lesions resembling those of human GDLE; (iii) histopathology of CLE (lymphocyte-rich interface dermatitis). Direct immunofluorescence ( IF) and antinuclear antibody serology were investigated whenever possible. Results Various breeds were affected in their mid- to late adulthood. Selection criteria of generalized multifocal, annular ('discoid') to polycyclic plaques with pigment changes, erythematous margin, adherent scaling, follicular plugging and central alopecia were shown in all dogs. In nine dogs, plaques contained mild to moderate central scarring with depigmentation and/or hyperpigmentation. There were no dogs in which the disease progressed to systemic lupus erythematosus within a median follow-up of 2.5 years. Per inclusion criteria, interface dermatitis occurred with basement membrane zone ( BMZ) thickening, suprabasal apoptosis and/or dermal fibrosis in some dogs. Infundibular interface folliculitis was common; it sometimes transitioned to mural folliculitis in lower follicle segments, and occurred with follicular and sebaceous gland atrophy. The direct IF revealed patchy deposition of immunoglobulin IgG and IgM at the BMZ. Lesions responded to a variety of treatments, including ciclosporin, hydroxychloroquine, topical tacrolimus and tetracycline/niacinamide. Relapses were common after medications were tapered. Conclusions and clinical importance These observations support the existence of a canine homologue of human GDLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three and a half months old male Pug was presented with a complaint of severe itching and hair loss since one month. Clinical examination of the skin revealed generalized alopecia with erythema and pustules all over the body with lichenification, hyperpigmentation and greasy exudations. Laboratory evaluation revealed numerous Demodex canis mites in skin scrapping, blue - purple peanut shaped yeast organisms of Malassezia genus in tape impression smear and Gram positive cocci sensitive to Cephalexin in antibiotic sensitivity test (ABST). The case was diagnosed as concurrent demodicosis and Malasseziosis with associated pyoderma and treated successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]