Sebaceous adenitis

Severe ulcerative and granulomatous pinnal lesions with granulomatous sebaceous adenitis in unrelated vizslas

Granulomatous sebaceous adenitis (GSA) is uncommon in dogs; however, certain breed predilections exist. In this report, three cases of GSA in unrelated vizslas have been described. All cases initially presented with episodes of otitis externa followed by severe inner pinnal lesions. In one case, multifocal coalescing inner pinnal ulceration appeared 4 wk prior to the occurrence of the skin lesions. The other two cases presented with simultaneous pinnal and skin lesions following episodes of bilateral otitis. The pinnae were diffusely erythematous and had multiple coalescing erosions and ulcers. The body lesions consisted of multifocal alopecia, papules, and fine scales. Biopsies of the skin and pinnae confirmed GSA. Two dogs responded to treatment with synthetic retinoids and cyclosporin A, respectively. One dog was not treated, and the owners preferred euthanasia when the ear lesions recurred and did not respond to glucocorticoids. To the best of the authors' knowledge, GSA with multifocal coalescing ulcerative pinnal lesions has not previously been reported.

A multicentre placebo-controlled clinical trial on the efficacy of oral ciclosporin A in the treatment of canine idiopathic sebaceous adenitis in comparison with conventional topical treatment

Canine idiopathic sebaceous adenitis (ISA) is an inflammatory reaction of sebaceous glands, potentially resulting in their complete loss. It is considered a T-cell-mediated disease, but its precise pathogenesis is still unknown. Topical treatment with oil soaks, humectants and shampoos is effective but laborious. Ciclosporin A (CsA), an immunomodulatory drug, has recently been shown to ameliorate the clinical picture of ISA and to reduce inflammation greatly. It is, however, an expensive treatment option. The objective of this multicentre, partly double-blinded, randomized controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of ciclosporin A, either alone or with topical therapy, in comparison to conventional topical treatment alone, as measured by the primary end-points alopecia and scaling, and multiple histopathological secondary objectives. Thirty-four dogs with an established diagnosis were treated for 4-6 months and were evaluated before, during and after therapy. Both CsA and topical therapy demonstrated efficacy in this study. Differences between the treatment protocols were marginal. Topical treatment, both alone and in combination with CsA, appeared to reduce scaling more effectively than CsA alone. Both therapies reduced alopecia. There is evidence of a synergistic benefit on both scaling and alopecia, if both treatment options are combined. Inflammation of the sebaceous glands is also best reduced by a combination of both CsA and topical therapy. There is evidence that regeneration of sebaceous glands is best achieved by CsA, either given alone or in combination with topical treatment.

Sebaceous adenitis in Havanese dogs: a retrospective study of the clinical presentation and incidence

Sebaceous adenitis is a suspected immune-mediated disease that targets and destroys sebaceous glands. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical presentation and incidence of sebaceous adenitis in Havanese dogs. Sebaceous adenitis was diagnosed in 35% (12 of 34) of Havanese dogs presented over a 5-year period. Onset of clinical signs occurred during young adulthood. Follicular casts were present in 92% (11 of 12) of affected dogs. Other common clinical signs included alopecia and hypotrichosis. The trunk, head and ears were commonly affected, with 67% (8 of 12) of cases having pinnal and/or external ear canal involvement. Secondary pyoderma was seen in 42% (5 of 12) of dogs. Histopathology revealed absent sebaceous glands in 83% (10 of 12) and a lymphoplasmacytic periadnexal infiltrate in 92% (11 of 12) of samples. Treatment included multiple modalities. Cyclosporin was prescribed in 83% (10 of 12) of cases. Other systemic therapies included vitamin A and fatty acid supplementation. Topical therapies included antiseborrhoeic shampoos and sprays, and oil soaks. Follow-up ranging from 2 months to 3 years was obtained in 67% (8 of 12) of dogs. Improvement ranged from minimal to marked, with better clinical response associated with longer duration of treatment. Owners with follow-up of more than 1 year commonly reported occasional flares of the clinical signs. This study found that sebaceous adenitis was a common diagnosis in Havanese dogs, that the ears were commonly affected and that a lymphoplasmacytic periadnexal infiltrate associated with absent sebaceous glands was frequently seen on dermatohistopathological examination.

Sebaceous adenitis in Swedish dogs, a retrospective study of 104 cases

BACKGROUND

Sebaceous adenitis (SA) is an uncommon, immune mediated skin disease in dogs. The aim was to retrospectively investigate SA in dogs in Sweden with respect to breed, sex and age distribution. A second aim was to retrospectively compare clinical signs in dogs with generalized SA and to estimate the survival after diagnosis in the English springer spaniel, standard poodle and the akita.

METHODS

In total 34 Swedish veterinarians contributed with 104 clinically and histologically verified SA cases. Breed, gender and age at diagnosis were registered for each case. The degree of clinical signs at time for diagnosis and at follow-up and information about treatments, concurrent diseases and euthanasia were recorded for the springer spaniels, standard poodles and akitas using a standardized questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 104 cases of SA were included; most cases were recorded for the springer spaniel (n = 25), standard poodle (n = 21) and the akita (n = 10). These three breeds, together with the lhasa apso and the chow-chow, were the most common when national registry data from the Swedish Board of Agriculture and Swedish Kennel Club were considered. The mean age at diagnosis was 4.8 years. The proportion of males was 61%. When the springer spaniels, standard poodles and the akitas with generalized signs were compared (n = 51), the spaniels showed significantly more severe clinical signs than the poodles at diagnosis regarding alopecia, seborrhoea, pyoderma and the overall severity of clinical signs. At follow-up, the degree of clinical signs for otitis externa and pyoderma differed significantly between the breeds. The estimated median survival time was 42 months. In dogs where data regarding survival was available at the end of the study (n = 44), SA was reported to be the reason for euthanasia in 14 dogs, whereof 7 within 24 months after diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

The result of this study implicates that the English springer spaniel is a breed predisposed to SA and that it has more severe clinical signs than the standard poodle. A large proportion of the dogs (spaniel, poodle and akita) investigated regarding survival were reported to have been euthanized to great extent due to the disease.