Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Causes and diagnosis of dog paw inflammation with unknown origin
By Breathnach, Rory M et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2008·School of Agriculture·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine pododermatitis and idiopathic disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with pododermatitis, which is an inflammatory skin condition affecting the feet, was brought in due to symptoms like itching, redness, swelling, pain, and hair loss on the paws. Despite trying various treatments, including antibiotics and special diets, the dog's condition didn't improve until they were given immunomodulatory therapy, which helped reduce the symptoms effectively. This type of pododermatitis can sometimes be idiopathic, meaning the exact cause isn't clear, but the right treatment can lead to significant improvement.
People also search for: dog foot itching treatment · pododermatitis in dogs · dog paw swelling causes · dog skin problems treatment · idiopathic pododermatitis in dogs
Abstract
Pododermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease of dogs. As pedal lesions are reported in many canine dermatoses, a methodical series of diagnostic tests is required to establish the underlying aetiology. However, laboratory/ancillary investigations may prove unrewarding, prompting a diagnosis of idiopathic disease. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the pathogenesis of idiopathic pododermatitis including pedal conformation, trauma, immunosuppression, bacterial infection, furunculosis and dermal granuloma formation. Idiopathic pododermatitis accounts for 0.5% of all dermatology referrals to the authors' clinic. A sub-group within this population is characterised histopathologically by epidermal hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, spongiosis, dermal oedema and perivascular aggregates of lymphocytes and plasma cells. The term lymphocytic-plasmacytic pododermatitis (LPP) has previously been proposed to reflect the histological appearance of such lesions. Affected dogs, although systemically well, characteristically have pruritus, erythema, swelling, pain and alopecia of the feet. Although non-responsive to antimicrobial therapy, antiparasitic agents and elimination diets, these dogs typically respond well to immunomodulatory therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17919951/