Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe zinc deficiency skin disease in Pharaoh Hound puppies
By Campbell, Gregory A & Crow, Dennis·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2010·Oklahoma State University, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Severe zinc responsive dermatosis in a litter of Pharaoh Hounds.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A litter of 3-month-old Pharaoh Hound puppies showed severe skin problems, including red, crusty bumps and itching, along with symptoms like not wanting to eat, being tired, and not growing properly. Three out of five puppies were affected, and tests revealed low levels of zinc in their blood, which is linked to zinc-responsive dermatosis (a skin condition caused by zinc deficiency). The puppies partially improved with intravenous zinc treatments, but oral zinc didn't help. Over two years, the puppies continued to need regular zinc injections to manage their skin issues, and one puppy later died from unrelated kidney failure.
People also search for: Pharaoh Hound skin problems · puppy zinc deficiency treatment · why is my puppy not growing · dog skin lesions treatment
Abstract
A litter of 3-month-old Pharaoh Hound puppies presented to the referring veterinarian with severe generalized erythematous-crusted papules with pruritus, accompanied by exfoliation and erythema of footpads, inappetence, lethargy, and retarded growth. Three of 5 puppies (2 male and 1 female) were affected. Representative areas were biopsied from 1 affected male puppy and were routinely processed. Histologically, there was marked epidermal hyperplasia with a disorganized appearance of the epidermis and massive parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, compatible with zinc-responsive dermatosis. Low serum zinc concentrations were documented, and the affected animals partially responded to intravenous zinc supplementation but did not respond to oral supplementation. One male puppy died as a result of unrelated causes and was necropsied. The remaining 4 puppies were followed over 2 years. Growth was stunted, and enamel hypoplasia of permanent dentition developed compared with unaffected littermates. Intravenous zinc supplementation at 3-4 week intervals was required to prevent further skin lesion development. One dog died at 3 years of age of renal failure.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20622248/