Page 1488 - Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine

1426 Section 12 Skin and Ear Diseases

cleaned prior to sampling with a punch biopsy. Multiple
VetBooks.ir specimens should be selected from lesions of varying
stages. Histopathology reveals lymphocytic interface
dermatitis with marked hyperkeratosis and apoptotic
keratinocytes. Destruction of sebaceous glands may also
be observed.
Clinical differential diagnoses include primary sebor-
rhea, ichthyosis, and sebaceous adenitis.
Glucocorticoids, ciclosporin, and hydroxychloroquine
can temporarily relieve clinical signs (see Table 162.1).
Complications may include secondary pyoderma, yeast
dermatitis, and otitis.
This disease may wax and wane. Dogs eventually suc-
cumb to the disease, but treatment can improve quality
of life in some dogs for several months to years.

Vesicular Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
Vesicular cutaneous lupus erythematosus (VCLE) is an
autoimmune blistering disease that primarily affects
middle‐aged to older, female Shetland sheepdogs and
Figure 162.2 Middle‐aged, male, neutered Siberian husky with collies. The disease generally occurs in the spring and
crusting, depigmentation, and loss of cobblestone architecture of summer months, and sparsely haired areas of the skin
the nasal planum associated with discoid lupus erythematosus. are most typically affected.
Vesicular cutaneous lupus erythematosus is characterized
The disease is characterized by widespread scaling, by transient vesicles that develop into coalescing ulcers with
depigmentation, alopecia, ulceration and crusting on the serpiginous borders (Figure 162.4). The abdomen, groin,
muzzle, pinnae, trunk, and limbs (Figure 162.3). Systemic and axillae are most frequently affected, although lesions
abnormalities such as lymphadenopathy, intermittent may also occur on the mucocutaneous junctions.
pyrexia, joint pain, infertility, hyperglobulinemia, and Diagnosis is based on history, physical examination,
thrombocytopenia may also be present. Dogs often and skin biopsy findings. The skin should not be clipped
assume a hunched stance. or cleaned prior to sampling with a punch biopsy.
Diagnosis is achieved with history, physical examina- Vesicles or lesional skin adjacent to a fresh ulcer are ideal
tion, and skin biopsy. The skin should not be clipped or for sampling. Lesions devoid of epithelium have less

Figure 162.3 One‐year‐old German shorthaired pointer with
exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Note the extensive Figure 162.4 Three‐year‐old collie with vesicular cutaneous lupus.
scaling present on the dorsal muzzle, extending to the periocular Note the coalescing ulcerative lesions forming a serpiginous
region and forehead. Source: Courtesy of Sheila Torres. pattern. Source: Courtesy of Sheila Torres.