title: Canine epidermolysis bullosa acquisita: a retrospective study of 20 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease of dogs and humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objectives were to describe clinical phenotypes, histopathology and treatment outcomes of canine EBA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty dogs diagnosed with EBA based on a subepidermal blister formation and collagen VII autoreactivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most dogs were young (median: 1.2-year-old) with a male-to-female ratio of 2.3:1. Nine of 20 dogs (45%) developed lesions before one year of age and 11 of 20 dogs (55%) were great danes. Tense vesicles and bullae (18 of 20; 90%) and deep erosions and ulcers (20 of 20; 100%) were the most common lesions and these affected predominantly the oral cavity (19 of 20; 95%), pinnae (16 of 20; 80%), axillae (15 of 20; 75%) and footpads (14 of 20; 70%). Histopathology identified neutrophilic perivascular dermatitis (17 of 17; 100%) without or with (12 of 17; 71%) eosinophils, which occasionally equalled (four cases) or outnumbered neutrophils (two cases). Subepidermal vesicles were either devoid of inflammation or contained neutrophils with or without eosinophils, fibrin and/or haemorrhage. A complete remission of skin lesions was obtained in 14 dogs with a median time of 58 days. Glucocorticoids were used in these dogs either as a monotherapy (3 of 14; 21%) or in combination with other immunomodulating drugs (11 of 14; 79%). The median dose of prednisone was 3 mg/kg/day. The remaining six dogs were euthanized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Canine EBA is a rare subepidermal blistering disease with an inflammatory phenotype and a predilection for young great danes and male dogs. The outcome of treatment appears more favourable than assumed previously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.|Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bizikova
authors.affiliation: Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.|Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
authors.forename: Keith E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wofford
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Mamo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
authors.forename: Stanley M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dunston
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.|Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olivry
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D016107:Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011241:Prednisone