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P‐54
Successful protocol for therapy of lupoid onychodystrophy: 12 dogs
Author(s) -
Paterson S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
veterinary dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.744
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-3164
pISSN - 0959-4493
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2004.00414_54.x
Subject(s) - medicine , methylprednisolone acetate , histopathology , microbiological culture , meloxicam , nail (fastener) , antibiotics , tolerability , surgery , anesthesia , methylprednisolone , adverse effect , pathology , biology , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , metallurgy , genetics , materials science
Lupoid onychodystrophy was diagnosed in 12 dogs on the basis of clinical signs and histopathology. All dogs had their nails removed under general anaesthesia. In all cases, a dewclaw was submitted for histopathology. Nails were submitted for fungal culture. Swabs were taken from nail beds for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing. Postoperative dressings were applied for 48 h. Cephalexin was prescribed for 10 days at 25 mg/kg orally twice daily. Where cultures revealed bacterial infection, antibiotics were prescribed for 3 weeks on the basis of susceptibility testing. Meloxicam was prescribed for 5 days postoperatively at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg orally once daily. At a 10‐day recheck, providing no infection was present, therapy was changed. Where infection was identified, therapy was changed at 3 weeks after the completion of antibiotics. All dogs were prescribed pentoxifylline at 10–20 mg/kg orally twice daily and essential fatty acids (Coatex) with a gamma linolenic acid dose of 10–20 mg/kg once daily. A golf‐ball sized amount of betamethasone valerate mousse was applied to all nail beds once daily using a paintbrush. Dogs were assessed every 6 weeks. In all cases, after 8–12 weeks of application of the mousse, it was reduced to twice weekly applications. Three cases have been lost to long‐term follow up, but the other nine, currently assessed every 4 months, have remained in good condition. Funding: Self‐funded.