Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Recurrent pyoderma and its underlying primary diseases: a retrospective evaluation of 157 dogs.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary record
- Year:
- 2018
- Authors:
- Seckerdieck, Florian & Mueller, Ralf S
- Affiliation:
- Small Animal Medicine Clinic · Germany
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This study looked at 157 dogs with recurrent bacterial skin infections, known as pyoderma. Researchers found that many of these dogs had an underlying health issue contributing to their skin problems. In fact, 107 of the dogs had at least one primary disease, with allergies being the most common cause, particularly environmental allergies. Other issues included hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) and hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease). The findings suggest that young dogs with recurrent pyoderma should be tested for allergies and skin mites, while older dogs should be checked for hormonal problems and flea infestations. Overall, the study highlights the importance of identifying underlying conditions to effectively manage recurrent pyoderma in dogs.
Abstract
Bacterial pyoderma is common in small animal practice. Usually there is an associated underlying disease, but little is known about the prevalence of underlying diseases in dogs with recurrent pyoderma. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of the different underlying diseases in dogs with recurrent pyoderma. In total, 157 animals with recurrent pyoderma were identified in hospital records from 2008 to 2013 and the data analysed for primary diseases. The time between recurrences, the type of clinical signs and the age at pyoderma onset were also evaluated. At least one primary disease was found in 107 dogs. Allergies were the primary cause in 63 dogs, environmental allergy was the most frequent (n=45) and was often associated with other allergies, followed by hypothyroidism (n=12) and hyperadrenocorticism (n=6). Sixteen dogs with recurrent pyoderma suffered from demodicosis. In young dogs with recurrent pyoderma an allergy work-up combined with deep skin scrapings should lead to a diagnosis of the underlying disease in most of the cases. In dogs in which pyoderma began in middle or old age, hormonal testing and ruling out a possible flea infestation should be the first steps.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29419485/