scholarly journals Tracheal Adenocarcinoma in a Cat

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márcia Düster Correa ◽  
Daniel Guimarães Gerardi ◽  
Luciana Branquinho Queiroga ◽  
David Driemeier ◽  
Paula Reis Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Pulmonary Metastasis ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Exercise Intolerance ◽  
Radiographic Examination ◽  
Histopathological Analysis ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Tracheal Lumen ◽  
Thoracic Radiography ◽  
Pulmonary Hyperinflation

Background: Primary tracheal adenocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm in cats. The clinical signs often are indicative of upper airway obstruction accompanied with dyspnea, stridor, wheezing, exercise intolerance, and cough. The severity of the clinical signs is related to the size of the mass and consequently, the proportion of the tracheal lumen that is obstructed. The diagnosis is made using thoracic radiography and tracheobronchoscopy by collecting fragments for histopathological analysis and removing the mass. The present study aimed to report the case of a cat with tracheal adenocarcinoma.Case: A 17-year-old Persian female cat presented with clinical signs of dyspnea and progressive weight loss. Emergency therapy was started with bronchodilators, antibiotics, and corticosteroids, but there was no response to treatment. Complementary blood and imaging tests were performed. Thoracic radiography revealed soft tissue opacity overlying the dorsal trachea from the third to the fourth rib, bronchial pattern, and pulmonary hyperinflation. Tracheoscopy showed an irregular intraluminal thoracic trachea mass, occluded by approximately 95% of the airway lumen. The mass was biopsied multiple times with endoscopic cup biopsy forceps, followed by removal of approximately 50% of the mass lesion with an endoscopic wire snare. The patient was in intensive care, and since her clinical condition worsened 48 h after the endoscopic procedure, euthanasia was performed. Necropsy revealed a remanescent mass located in the trachea lumen 8 x 3 mm and a nodule in the right caudal pulmonary lobe with 8 mm of diameter . Histological examination showed epitelian cuboidal neoplastic cells with acinar patterns. Only a few mitosis and moderate anysocitosis were observed. The final diagnosis was primary tracheal adenocarcinoma with pulmonary metastasis.Discussion: The initial oxygen therapy associated with bronchodilators and antibiotics can be explained by the history of asthma. Tracheal tumors in cats are considered to be rare, which makes the diagnosis challenging. The suspicion of tracheal neoplasia was only raised after radiographic examination, but it was not possible to state whether it was intra- or extratracheal. The bronchial pattern reported herein can be observed both in inflammatory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis as well as aging-related diseases in animals. Pulmonary hyperinflation, with a caudal displacement of the diaphragm, is seen in bronchial diseases and in cases of tracheal neoplasms, with the latter justified by the retention of air in the pulmonary lobes. Dehydration and weight loss in the animal are justified by severe dyspnea, which makes it difficult to consume food and water. The tracheoscopy procedure was essential to confirm intraluminal tracheal neoplasia with almost complete lumen obstruction. An attempt was made to remove the neoplasms with polypectomy endoscopic forceps. However, because 95% of the trachea was obstructed, the manipulation led to local edema and bleeding, which promoted complete obstruction of the air passage to the lungs. The obstruction impaired the patient's oxygenation, justifying procedure suspension. The instability and worsening of the clinical picture persisted in the subsequent days, which prevented further intervention, culminating in the animal's euthanasia. Adenocarcinoma, in the present case, was in the advanced stage, evidenced by the presence of pulmonary metastasis. Dyspnea severity was related to neoplasm size, proportion of tracheal lumen obstruction, and presence of pulmonary metastasis. The tumor size associated with the presence of metastasis was a determining factor for the classification of neoplasia in the advanced stage, making more invasive interventions impossible and worsening the patient prognosis.

Surgical correction of severe dorsal tracheal membrane redundancy in a Belgian shepherd dog

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e000644
Author(s):  
Vlad Focsaneanu ◽  
Pieter Nelissen ◽  
Simon Tappin
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Treatment Option ◽  
Chronic Cough ◽  
Exercise Tolerance ◽  
Symptomatic Treatment ◽  
Surgical Correction ◽  
Exercise Intolerance ◽  
Tracheal Lumen ◽  
Inspiratory Stridor ◽  
Immune Mediated

A two-year-old working Belgian shepherd dog was referred for diagnosis and management of a chronic cough, exercise intolerance and inspiratory stridor. A diagnosis of severe dorsal tracheal membrane redundancy was made based on radiography and tracheoscopy. Vomiting, weight loss and lethargy were also reported at initial presentation presumed secondary to dietary indiscretion, which was supported by the identification of undigested bones in the stomach on radiographs and ultrasound; these signs resolved with symptomatic treatment. The patient had previously been diagnosed with primary immune-mediated polyarthritis and had responded well to immunomodulatory medication. To correct the narrowing of the tracheal lumen, the dorsal tracheal membrane was plicated surgically, improving the tracheal diameter postoperatively. Twelve weeks later the dog had returned to full exercise, and the handler reported excellent exercise tolerance and no cough. Plication of excessive dorsal tracheal membrane is one possible treatment option for dogs with severe dorsal tracheal membrane redundancy.

Airborne-induced experimental Bordetella bronchiseptica pneumonia in Strain 13 guineapigs

1987 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Trahan ◽  
E. H. Stephenson ◽  
J. W. Ezzell ◽  
W. C. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Lethal Dose ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Model System ◽  
Bordetella Bronchiseptica ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Nasal Discharge ◽  
Disease Pathogenesis ◽  
Infectious Dose ◽  
Colony Forming Units

To evaluate the efficacy of a commercial bacterial vaccine in protecting Strain 13 guineapigs against fatal Bordetella bronchiseptica pneumonia, it was necessary to establish the infectivity and disease pathogenesis induced by virulent organisms. When guineapigs were exposed to small-particle aerosols of varying concentrations of virulent B. bronchiseptica, a spectrum of disease was produced that ranged from inapparent illness to fulminant bronchopneumonia. Clinical signs began by day 4 after exposure, and were evidenced by anorexia, weight loss, respiratory distress and serous to purulent nasal discharge. Pathological alterations were limited to the respiratory system. Moribund animals exhibited a suppurative necrotizing bronchopneumonia and necrotizing tracheitis. In animals that survived the challenge, the bacteria were eliminated from the lungs by day 28 but continued to persist in the laryngeal area and the trachea. The median infectious dose and the median lethal dose were estimated to be 4 colony-forming units (CFU) and 1314 CFU respectively. These data suggest that the guineapig will be a valuable model system in which to study interactions between Bordetella species and host cells as well as to evaluate potential B. bronchiseptica immunogens.

scholarly journals Preoperative Screening CT and PET/CT Scanning for Acral Melanoma: Is it Necessary?

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 811
Author(s):  
Taketoshi Ide ◽  
Takamichi Ito ◽  
Maiko Wada-Ohno ◽  
Masutaka Furue
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Distant Metastases ◽  
Nodal Metastasis ◽  
Preoperative Imaging ◽  
Histopathological Analysis ◽  
Preoperative Screening ◽  
Acral Melanoma ◽  
Pet Ct

The efficacy of preoperative imaging for acral melanoma (AM) has not been fully evaluated. We examined the accuracy of imaging modalities in the detection of nodal and distant metastases in patients with AM. A retrospective review of 109 patients with AM was performed. All patients had no clinical signs suggestive of distant metastases, and underwent preoperative screening computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scans. Of 100 patients without lymphadenopathy, 17 patients were suspected of having nodal metastasis in CT and PET/CT, but only two of them were confirmed on histopathological analysis. On the other hand, 12 out of 83 negatively imaged patients showed histopathological signs of nodal metastasis; thus, the sensitivity and specificity of nodal detection were 14.3% and 82.6%, respectively. Regard to the detection of distant metastases, four patients were suspected of having metastasis, but this was later ruled out. The remaining 96 negatively imaged patients were confirmed to have no metastasis at the time of CT and PET/CT by the follow-up. In contrast, distant metastases were found by CT and PET/CT in four of nine patients (44.4%) with lymphadenopathy. Routine preoperative CT and PET/CT for AM patients without lymphadenopathy may not be warranted because of low sensitivity and specificity, but it can be considered for those with lymphadenopathy.

Radiographic Assessment of Dogs with Congestive Heart Failure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Saini ◽  
S.K. Uppal ◽  
A. Anand
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Congestive Heart Failure ◽  
Dilated Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Abdominal Distension ◽  
Cardiac Insufficiency ◽  
Exercise Intolerance ◽  
Pulmonary Vasculature ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Valvular Diseases

Background: Radiography is widely used for diagnosis of congestive heart failure as it enables non-invasive assessment of cardiac size, shape and pulmonary vasculature. So, the present study was conducted to record the radiographic changes in dogs with congestive heart failure.Methods: Fifty-one dogs with cardiac insufficiency brought to Teaching Veterinary Hospital of GADVASU, showing one of the clinical signs of chronic cough, dyspnea, exercise intolerance, abdominal distension, syncope and cyanosis were selected and were subjected to Lateral and Ventro-dorsal chest radiography. Result: Dilated cardiomyopathy was present in 24 dogs. Radiographically, pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly, vessel congestion were more common in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Valvular diseases were present in 16 dogs and radiographically left atrial (LA) dilatation was present in dogs with valvular diseases. Pericardial effusions were present in 11 dogs showing enlarged globoid heart radiographically.

scholarly journals Closed head injury in rats: histopathological aspects in an experimental weight drop model

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo dos Santos Silva ◽  
José Nazareno Pearce de Oliveira Brito ◽  
Jerúsia Oliveira Ibiapina ◽  
Marcel Fernando Miranda Batista Lima ◽  
Andréa Ribeiro Gonçalves de Vasconcelos Medeiros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Head Injury ◽  
Impact Energy ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Closed Head Injury ◽  
Close Relation ◽  
Histopathological Analysis ◽  
Group 4 ◽  
Closed Head ◽  
Male Wistar Rats

PURPOSE: To study histopathological findings due to a model of closed head injury by weight loss in rats. METHODS: A platform was used to induce closed cranial lesion controlled by weight loss with a known and predefined energy. 25 male Wistar rats (Rattus novergicus albinus) were divided in five equal groups which received different cranial impact energy levels: G1, G2, G3 and G4 with 0.234J, 0.5J, 0.762J and 1J respectively and G5 (Sham). Under the effect of analgesia, the brain of each group was collected and prepared for histopathological analysis by conventional optic microscopy. RESULTS: It was observed greater number of injured neurons in animals of group 4, however neuronal death also could be noticed in animals of group 5. Intraparenchymal hemorrhages were more frequent in animals of group 4 and the cytotoxic brain swelling and vascular congestion were more intense in this group CONCLUSION: The histopathological analysis of these findings allowed to observe typical cranial trauma alterations and these keep close relation with impact energy.

scholarly journals Miltefosine Administration in Cats with Refractory Sporotrichosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Francina Dos Santos Silva ◽  
Simone Carvalho dos Santos Cunha ◽  
Andrea Regina de Souza Baptista ◽  
Vivian Dos Santos Baptista ◽  
Kássia Valéria Gomes Coelho da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Sporothrix Schenckii ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Fungal Culture ◽  
Cutaneous Lesions

Background: Sporotrichosis is a zoonosis caused by fungi of the Sporothrix schenckii complex. Cats have important zoonotic potential due to the high parasite load found in the cutaneous lesions. Refractory cases to antifungal therapy are increasing, becoming a public health problem. Miltefosine is a drug with high in vitro activity against Sporothrix brasiliensis. However, this efficacy has not been confirmed in vivo yet and administration has not been studied in the feline species. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of miltefosine administration in cats with resistant sporotrichosis.Materials, Methods & Results: Ten cats with refractory sporotrichosis were included in this study. Inclusion criteria were previous diagnosis for sporotrichosis associated with therapy with oral antifungals (itraconazole and/or potassium iodide) for more than one year, followed by one of these conditions: incomplete clinical remission, worsening of disease during treatment or recurrence after conventional treatment. Cats underwent clinical and dermatological examinations. Data on lifestyle and previous treatments were provided by the owners. Fungal culture and histochemical techniques were performed in all cats before miltefosine treatment. Blood samples were collected before and during the study for laboratory tests, such as blood count, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase, as well as serology for Feline Immunodeficiency (FIV) and Feline Leukemia (FeLV). Miltefosine was prescribed at a dosage of 2 mg/kg orally every 24 h. The animals were monitored by phone during the whole process and reassessed on days 0, 15, 30 and 45 of the treatment. Out of 10 cats, lesions were present on the nose in nine, ears in four, periocular areas in one and limbs in four. One cat received treatment for 45 days, six for 30 days, one for 21 days, one for 15 days and one for 3 days. One cat showed no response to the treatment and nine showed disease progression. Hyporexia and weight loss were the most frequent clinical signs related to miltefosine treatment, followed by sialorrhea, vomiting and diarrhea. Few adverse effects on hematology and biochemistry (mainly renal and hepatic parameters) were observed during the study. Hematocrit decrease was observed in four animals. However, only one cat had hematocrit decrease below normal values (anemia), which was already present before miltefosine administration. Other cats had a decrease of five points. Three cats showed elevation in leucometria and four in plasma protein. In relation to renal and hepatic biochemistry, one animal showed a BUN increase and another one showed a transient increase in ALT. Two animals started the treatment with increased ALT but had no problems during the study and values decreased even during the miltefosine administration.Discussion: Although two cats showed sialorrhea, most owners did not report difficulty in administering the drug orally, representing an advantage of this medication. Weight loss, secondary to gastrointestinal changes, was the most clinically relevant alteration. The most frequent hematological alteration was hematocrit decrease and only the animal that started the study with 20% hematocrit ended the study with anemia. Renal and hepatic parameters were not significant in the cats of this study. Miltefosine did not lead to sporotrichosis remission in this small population of cats, which reveals that, despite its in vitro efficacy against Sporothrix spp., the drug is not effective in vivo in the feline species. Further studies are needed to investigate the efficacy of this drug in a larger number of cats, and possible reasons for its in vivo ineffectiveness.

scholarly journals Prevalence of paratuberculosis infection in sheep

2014 ◽  
Vol 68 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 165-174
Author(s):  
Branka Vidic ◽  
Zivoslav Grgic ◽  
Milovan Jovicin ◽  
Zoran Rasic ◽  
Sara Savic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Elisa Test ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Clinical Form ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Progressive Weight Loss ◽  
Mycobacterium Avium Subsp Paratuberculosis ◽  
Positive Results

Paratuberculosis is an incurable chronic disease of ruminants, which is manifested with clinical signs of diarrhea and progressive weight loss. Causative agent is Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and the disiase occurs in cattle, sheep and goats. The outspread of paratuberculosis is huge in the whole world, especially in the countries where animal breeding is a developed branch of economy. Animals get infected with food and water contaminated with feces of infected animals. The infection spreads within infected pastures and also when trading animals with latent infection. Clinical manifestation of the disease can firstly be noticed in young categories of sheep, which is different than in cattle. Primary clinical symptom is chronic weight loss. It is rather hard to determine the level of prevalence of the disease, in a certain region, because the diagnostic procedure is complex and not always reliable enough. Detection of antibodies with ELISA test is considered a method of choice for diagnostic of paratuberculosis, because of fast gaining of the results and relatively low price of the test. By applying the ELISA test, we have analysed 2000 sheep blood samples. Positive results for paratuberculosis were found in 66 ( 3,30%) animals in total. In sheep samples from southern Backa region, positive findings were gained from 42 (3,89%) samples, and in Srem region, positive finding were found in samples from 24 sheep (2,60%). Control programs are based on the removal of all infected animals, application of general preventive measures and vaccination. Application of vaccination aims for elimination of clinical form of the disease. An effective treatment has not been determined so far.

scholarly journals Case Report: Spinal Stabilization Surgery Using a Novel Custom-Made Titanium Fixation System for the Spinal Instability Caused by Vertebral Malformation in a Dog

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shintaro Kimura ◽  
Kohei Nakata ◽  
Yukiko Nakano ◽  
Yuta Nozue ◽  
Naoyuki Konno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Cord Compression ◽  
Titanium Implants ◽  
Radiographic Examination ◽  
Spinal Instability ◽  
Spinal Fixation ◽  
Spinal Stabilization ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
Dorsal Laminectomy ◽  
Fixation System

A 2-year-old Maltese was presented with wobbly gait of the pelvic limbs. Based on imaging examinations, a diagnosis of congenital malformation at T5–T8 and severe kyphosis causing spinal cord compression at T6–T7 was made. Dorsal laminectomy and stabilization of T6 and T7 vertebrae were performed. As the size of the vertebrae was small and they were severely deformed, novel custom-made titanium implants were used for spinal stabilization. Clinical signs were resolved 2 weeks after surgery. Although radiographic examination 373 days after surgery showed slight loosening of implants, post-operative course remained uneventful. This report describes the use of novel custom-made titanium implants for spinal fixation surgery in a dog.

scholarly journals Poisoning by Senecio brasiliensis in Horses in Northern Rio Grande do Sul

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéfano Leite Dau ◽  
Tanise Policarpo Machado ◽  
Ezequiel Davi Dos Santos ◽  
Diorges Henrique Setim ◽  
Eduardo Rebelato Sakis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Proprioceptive Deficit ◽  
Northern Rio Grande

Background: In various regions of Brazil, horses and cattle are considered the most susceptible animals to plant poisoning. The plants of the genus Senecio are the most important in Rio Grande do Sul because they have the active principle known as the pyrrolizidine alkaloid. Its diagnosis is made through epidemiology, clinical signs and histopathological analysis, either of the tissues obtained by biopsy or necropsy. The objective of this study was to report and characterize the epidemiological, clinical and anatomopathological findings of three cases of natural poisoning by Senecio brasiliensis in horses assisted at the Hospital Veterinário (HV) of the Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF).Cases: Three traction horses, two males and one female, were admitted at the HV-UPF for clinical care. The animals were presenting anorexia, weight loss, dysmetria, proprioceptive deficit and signs suggestive of colic. The epidemiological study revealed that the sites where these animals were located were infested by Senecio brasiliensis. The support therapy used for equine colic in all three cases was unsuccessful. One of the animals died and the other two were euthanized, all three of them being reffered for necropsy. The post-mortem findings were mainly found in the liver, which showed accentuation of the lobular pattern and the appearance of nutmeg. During necropsy, fragments of organs from thoracic and abdominal cavities and central nervous system were collected and fixed in 10% buffered formalin. Subsequently, the samples were processed chemically, submitted to cuts of five micrometers of thickness and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for microscopic analysis. Microscopically, the liver of all three horses presented megalocytosis, fibrosis and bile ducts hyperplasia. In the central nervous system, spongiosis and the presence of Alzheimer type II astrocytes were observed. Thus, through the association of information, the diagnosis of poisoning by Senecio brasiliensis was achieved.Discussion: The diagnosis of natural poisoning by Senecio brasiliensis was obtained through the epidemiological survey that showed S. brasiliensis in pastures where all three horses were allocated.  Cases of intoxication by S. brasieliensis in cattle are more frequent than in equines, although both species are considered the most susceptible. In horses, the main clinical manifestations observed include neurological disorders, apathy, anorexia, dysphagia, weight loss, subcutaneous edema and icterus. The clinical signs presented by the equines suggested initial signs of colic syndrome, although anorexia, weight loss, dysmetria and proprioceptive deficit are commonly observed in pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in the liver, both in cattle and horses. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids present in the genus Senecio that become toxic when biotransformed in the liver into a pyrrholic form highly reactive that inhibits cell mitosis and leads to the onset of megalocytosis, cell death and liver fibrosis. The necropsy findings and histopathology were characteristic of poisoning in equines, since the predominant macroscopic lesions in the liver were hepatomegaly and accentuation of lobular pattern, whereas microscopically, there was a predominance of hepatic fibrosis, megalocytosis, spongiosis and the incidence of Alzheimer's type II astrocytes in the brain. These lesions are observed both in natural and in experimental cases of poisoning in horses. Thus, through the ante-mortem and complete post-mortem evaluation of the three equines, it was possible to establish the occurrence of natural poisoning by Senecio brasiliensis in Northern Rio Grande do Sul, as well as to characterize the epidemiological, clinical and anatomopathological findings of poisoning in this species.

scholarly journals Bullous Pemphigoid in a Dog

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suélen Dalegrave ◽  
Denner Francisco Tomadon Fiorin ◽  
Eduarda Gabriela Mansour ◽  
Monica Regina De Matos ◽  
Renato Herdina Erdmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bullous Pemphigoid ◽  
Plasma Cells ◽  
Histopathological Examination ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Punch Biopsy ◽  
Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid ◽  
Histopathological Analysis ◽  
Biopsy Material ◽  
Clinicopathological Findings

Background: In dogs, bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a subepithelial autoimmune disease, a rare dermatopathy in the clinical routine. BP is characterized by formation of vesicles and subepidermal blisters that result from dissolution of the dermal-epithelial junction. Clinical signs of BP usually include severe dermatological alterations with a variable prognosis. The aim of this work is to report a case of BP in a dog to contribute information for diagnosis, and to present clinical and pathological aspects that emerge during development of BP.Case: An adult male mongrel dog exhibited hyperemic, exudative, crusty lesions on the lip commissure and periocular areas. Results from laboratory tests were normal. Results from parasitological and mycological tests on skin scrapings were negative. Imprint cytology of the crusts revealed presence of gram-positive cocci bacteria. In the histopathological analysis of punch biopsy material, the epidermis was detached from the dermis, leading to formation of vesicles. There were inflammatory infiltrates containing neutrophils, eosinophils, and high amounts of fibrin, and areas of multifocal orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. Multifocal infiltrates containing lymphocytes, histiocytes, and plasma cells were observed on the superficial portions of the dermis, which indicated a diagnosis of BP. After the definitive clinical diagnosis, the animal was treated with enrofloxacin (Baytril Flavour®; 5 mg/kg once a day for 10 days), and prednisolone (Prediderm®; 2 mg/kg once a day until further instructions). On the follow-up visit, 15 days later, the clinical picture had improved, and the lesions had decreased. Continuity of the treatment was prescribed, along with a gradual decrease in the corticoid dose. The dose of prednisolone was initially reduced to 1 mg/kg once a day, and later to 0.5 mg/kg until improvement of the clinical status of the patient. Remission of the lesions was observed 13 weeks later.Discussion: The diagnosis of BP was established after identification of the clinical cutaneous lesions and observation of microscopic findings on punch biopsy material obtained from the ocular and lip regions. BP does not exhibit breed or sex predisposition, and affects adult dogs. The clinical signs of BP are characteristic of autoimmune diseases that affect the dermoepidermal junction, and consist of erythematous, ulcerated, crusty, and painful lesions on the nose, dorsal area of the muzzle, and periorbital region. However, these lesions must be differentiated, by histological analysis, from several other conditions with a similar clinical presentation. Diseases that must be considered in the differential diagnosis comprise other variants of the pemphigus complex, lupus erythematosus, drug eruption, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, epitheliotropic lymphoma, inherited bullous epidermolysis, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and lymphoreticular neoplasia. The clinicopathological findings indicated that the lesions were compatible with BP. The occurrence of necrotic and erythematous lesions is due to production of antibodies accompanied by a strong response of neutrophils, which results in loss of cell adhesion and epidermal necrosis. The presence of detachment of the epidermis from the dermis, inflammation in the superficial portion of the dermis, and infiltrates containing lymphocytes, histiocytes and plasma cells observed at the histopathological examination indicated the occurrence of BP. The skin histopathological examination warranted establishment of a diagnosis and therapeutic success. The lack of recurrence of clinical manifestations 43 weeks after the end of the glucocorticoid treatment demonstrated that the therapeutic approach and the cooperation of the owner are essential for success of the treatment.

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