Introduction: Cutaneous vasculitis represents an uncommon disorder in dogs; most of it is attributedto immunoreactive mechanisms, but they are poorly studied and characterized. Familial cutaneousvasculopathy of the German shepherd dog is a rare disease, with only few works discussingthis disease. Its exact pathogenesis still remains unknown. However, an immune-mediated vasculopathywith an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance was suggested.Material and methods: We report two cases of twin German shepherd dogs, male, 4-months-old,with clinical signs of lethargy and fever, lameness with dropped carpi and tarsi, poor body conditions,stunted growth, poor coat quality, swelling of the bridge of the nose and all four footpads,most of which appeared depigmented.Results: At necropsy, both dogs showed severe oedema of all four footpads, the bridge of the nose,mesentery and gastric submucosa, and a diffuse oedematous appearance of subcutaneous tissues ofventral thorax and abdomen, peritracheal and perioesophageal connective tissues. Bilateral multiplepale renal cortical foci were observed in both animals, while only one showed gastric ulcers andvalvular endocardiosis of the left atrioventricular valve. Histopathological examination of nose andfootpad samples revealed severe oedema and nodular to diffuse dermatitis, mainly presenting aperivascular pattern involving the deep dermis, panniculus and subcutis, associated with vasculardamage, characterized by thickening of the vessel wall, hyaline degeneration, sometimes infiltrationof inflammatory cells, and occasionally leukocytoclasia. A focal superficial dermatitis with hydropicdegeneration of basal cells and pigmentary incontinence was observed in some footpads. We founda diffuse inflammatory infiltrate, characterized by monuclear cells and neutrophils, associated withcollagenolysis and involvement of vessels in all oedematous tissues, as well as in deep fascia andepimysium, associated with myofiber atrophy, fibrosis and myositis.Discussion: We diagnosed familial cutaneous vasculopathy of the German shepherd dog based onthe characteristic cutaneous histological features. Our findings showed, that in addition to cutaneouslesions there were features of systemic vasculitis, involving small and medium-sized vessels.[...]
Familial Cutaneous Vasculopathy in two twin German shepherd dog
BONGIOVANNI, LAURA;ROCCONI, Francesca;MARISCOLI, Massimo;DELLA SALDA, Leonardo
2007-01-01
Abstract
Introduction: Cutaneous vasculitis represents an uncommon disorder in dogs; most of it is attributedto immunoreactive mechanisms, but they are poorly studied and characterized. Familial cutaneousvasculopathy of the German shepherd dog is a rare disease, with only few works discussingthis disease. Its exact pathogenesis still remains unknown. However, an immune-mediated vasculopathywith an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance was suggested.Material and methods: We report two cases of twin German shepherd dogs, male, 4-months-old,with clinical signs of lethargy and fever, lameness with dropped carpi and tarsi, poor body conditions,stunted growth, poor coat quality, swelling of the bridge of the nose and all four footpads,most of which appeared depigmented.Results: At necropsy, both dogs showed severe oedema of all four footpads, the bridge of the nose,mesentery and gastric submucosa, and a diffuse oedematous appearance of subcutaneous tissues ofventral thorax and abdomen, peritracheal and perioesophageal connective tissues. Bilateral multiplepale renal cortical foci were observed in both animals, while only one showed gastric ulcers andvalvular endocardiosis of the left atrioventricular valve. Histopathological examination of nose andfootpad samples revealed severe oedema and nodular to diffuse dermatitis, mainly presenting aperivascular pattern involving the deep dermis, panniculus and subcutis, associated with vasculardamage, characterized by thickening of the vessel wall, hyaline degeneration, sometimes infiltrationof inflammatory cells, and occasionally leukocytoclasia. A focal superficial dermatitis with hydropicdegeneration of basal cells and pigmentary incontinence was observed in some footpads. We founda diffuse inflammatory infiltrate, characterized by monuclear cells and neutrophils, associated withcollagenolysis and involvement of vessels in all oedematous tissues, as well as in deep fascia andepimysium, associated with myofiber atrophy, fibrosis and myositis.Discussion: We diagnosed familial cutaneous vasculopathy of the German shepherd dog based onthe characteristic cutaneous histological features. Our findings showed, that in addition to cutaneouslesions there were features of systemic vasculitis, involving small and medium-sized vessels.[...]I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.