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Lesion distribution in cases of canine atopic dermatitis in South Australia
Author(s) -
Graham M,
Chan WY,
Hill P
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/avj.12828
Subject(s) - breed , lesion , medicine , buttocks , population , skin lesion , dorsum , atopic dermatitis , forelimb , abdomen , anatomy , biology , veterinary medicine , pathology , dermatology , zoology , environmental health
Objective To determine the lesion distribution patterns in different breeds of dogs affected by atopic dermatitis in South Australia. Methods The presence or absence of erythematous skin lesions in 267 cases of canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) was recorded across 36 anatomical sites. Breeds represented by ≥ 9 dogs were included in the analysis. The percentage of dogs showing lesions at each of the body sites was calculated and illustrated on colour‐coded diagrams. Variations in affected body sites within and between breeds were compared using Kruskal‐Wallis ANOVA and Dunn's multiple comparison tests. Results The prevalence of skin lesions at different body sites differed significantly both in the population as a whole and within breeds. The sites affected in ≥ 75% dogs were the dorsal and ventral aspects of the front and hind paws. The sites affected in 50–74% were the medial pinnae, axillae, ventral chest, abdomen and perineum. Sites affected in 25–49% of dogs included the face, periocular region and forelimb. Remaining body sites were affected in < 25% of dogs. Analysis at the breed level revealed some differences from this standard distribution pattern. Conclusion The results of this study confirmed the typical lesion distributions seen in CAD and highlighted some subtle differences in breeds commonly seen in South Australia. This will be useful for clinical practitioners in prioritising differential diagnoses for pruritic skin conditions.