title: The usefulness of dermoscopy in canine pattern alopecia: a descriptive study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermoscopic studies evaluating noninflammatory, nonpruritic progressive alopecia attributable to pattern alopecia are currently unavailable.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the dermoscopic features observed in healthy skin of short coated dogs and compare these findings with those observed in dogs affected by pattern alopecia diagnosed by clinical and dermatopathological examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male and female, healthy, breed matched, young adult, short coated dogs (controls) and 30 male and female, young adult, short coated dogs affected by pattern alopecia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dermoscopy was performed with a Fotofinder II videodermoscope equipped with software that allowed the measurement of structures visualized in magnified images (20×-40×-70×). Skin biopsy samples were obtained from the thorax and evaluated dermoscopically for dermoscopic-histological correlation in affected dogs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dermoscopic findings in canine pattern alopecia were hair shaft thinning, circle hairs and follicular keratin plugs; in the affected sun exposed areas there was a honeycomb-like pattern of pigmentation. Arborizing red lines reflecting vascularization were classified as a nonspecific finding because they were also common in healthy dogs. Dermoscopic features correlated with histology for selected hair follicle abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although canine pattern alopecia is a visually striking disease, this study supports the value of dermoscopy for clinical examination and also opens promising perspectives for the identification of diagnostic dermoscopic patterns that may be useful for other skin disorders.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Veterinario di Novara, S.P.9 Granozzo con Monticello, Novara, 28060, Italy.
authors.forename: Giordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Università degli studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, Milan, 20133, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roccabianca
authors.affiliation: Istituto Veterinario di Novara, S.P.9 Granozzo con Monticello, Novara, 28060, Italy.|Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, Università degli studi di Padova, Via 8 Febbraio 2, Padua, 35122, Italy.|The Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zini
authors.affiliation: Istituto Veterinario di Novara, S.P.9 Granozzo con Monticello, Novara, 28060, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Legnani
authors.affiliation: Studio Dermatologico Veterinario, Via G. Sismondi 62, Milan, 20133, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scarampella
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy and Confocal Microscopy, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, Università degli studi di Milano, Via Trentacoste 2, Milan, 20134, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arrighi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1295 NW 14th Street K - M, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tosti
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology