Necrotizing eosinophilic dermatitis in three dogs

Abstract

In this paper, necrotizing eosinophilic dermatitis with an acute onset and a rapidly progressive clinical course is reported in three dogs. Early skin lesions were characterized by intensely pruritic, erythematous and firm intact papules and plaques. The lesions enlarged and evolved quickly into coalescing nodular target shaped lesions with central exudation, ulceration and necrosis. The lesion distribution pattern was mainly the neck and the dorsolateral trunk. Oral involvement was observed in one dog. The histopathology was characterized by eosinophilic dermatitis and panniculitis targeting dermal and subcutaneous blood vessels with secondary involvement of hair follicles. While causation remained unproven in these cases, a hypersensitivity reaction to medications or other foreign antigens was suspected.