Nodular dermatitis as an atypical form of canine demodicosis in an English bulldog

• Published in: Comparative clinical pathology Vol. 19; no. 3; pp. 321 - 324
• Main Authors: Malmasi, A, Selk Ghaffari, M, Dezfoulian, O, Salari Sedigh, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London London : Springer-Verlag 01-06-2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Brief Communication; Canine demodicosis; Dermatitis; dogs; Hematology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nodular dermatitis; Oncology; Pathology; Nodular dermatitis; Dog; Canine demodicosis
• ISSN: 1618-5641; 1618-565X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00580-009-0891-y

This case report describes the unusual clinical findings in a 2-year-old English bulldog with generalized demodicosis. The dog was referred with a 2-month history of generalized pruritus, alopecia, lichenification, and nodular lesions. A complete series of dermatologic tests such as Wood's light examination, direct microscopic examination, and fungal culture were performed. In the deep skin scrapings Demodex canis was identified by microscopic examination. A punch biopsy was taken from nodules and histological examination revealed that the large numbers of mites were located both in the lumen of hair follicles and sebaceous glands which provoked granulomatous responses in the dermis. The dog was treated topically every 7 days for a total of eight treatments with an amitraz solution. The treatment resulted in a marked decrease in the number of skin nodules. Complete clinical cure was achieved following 2 months of treatment. Although generalized demodicosis is a well-known parasitic skin disease in dogs, the present clinical case represents an alert to practitioners about the atypical clinical form of demodicosis in dogs.