Final - Dermatopathology Flashcards
(92 cards)
Vesicle/Bulla
- Definition
- Causes
- Pathological Processes
- Changes that can lead to Vesicle/Bulla
- Typical Locations
- Palpable elevation filled with clear fluid
– Vesicle < 1cm
– Bulla > 1cm
- Causes
– Auto-immune dermatoses
– Viral infections
– Chemical irritants
– Burns
- Degeneration/Necrosis
Inflammation & Repair
4. Changes Intracellular Edema (spongiosis/Hydropic Degeneration) Disruption of intercellular Junctions (Acantholysis)
- All layers (Subcorneal, suprabasal, subepidermal)

Pustule
- Definition
- Cause
- Pathological Processes
- Palpable elevation filled with pus
- Cause – leukocyte infiltrate
- Inflammation & Repair

Crusts
- Definition
- Causes
- Pathological Process
- Dried exudate, serum, blood, and scale that is adhered to the skin surface
- Causes
– Severe disorders of keratinization
– Severe pustular dermatitis
– Secondary to ulcers - Degeneration/Necrosis
Inflammation/Repair
Disorders of Growth

What is the MDx for Inflammation & Repair?
What are some ways to differentiate it?
______ dermatitis.
Tips for differentiating
- Look for ‘cardinal signs of inflammation’ – erythema, edema, exudate, heat, pain; + itching!
- If there are pustules/crust, there is an inflammatory component to the lesion
- Depigmentation – immune mediated inflammatory lesions
- If inflammatory infiltrate is severe enough, will see papules, plaques,nodules, but disorders of growth (neoplasia) can also result in these changes
Describe the gross features of Dermatitis.
Early
– Edema
– Erythema
– +/- pustules, crust, vesicles
Later
– Scaling
– Change in oiliness
– Ulceration
– Alopecia
– Lichenification
– Pigmentary change
– Fibrosis/scarring
What are the modifiers related to dermatitis and what do they indicate?
KNOW THIS
– Suppurative/Pustular/Exudative/Neutrophilic –bacterial, auto-immunity
– Proliferative – viral
– Vesicular – viral, auto-immunity
– Granulomatous – ‘higher’ bacteria, mycobacteria, fungal, foreign substance
– Eosinophilic – allergy, parasitic
– Interface – auto-immunity
What kind of lesion is this?
What pathological process is it?

Dog with superficial spreading pyoderma, a superficial pyoderma with bacterial folliculitis
Inflammation and repair
Pyoderma
What are the types of pyoderma?
Clinical term encompassing several diseases; “pus in the skin” – usually bacterial infection involved
Types:
-
Superficial – epidermis and hair follicles
– Disease examples
Canine superficial spreading pyoderma / Bacterial folliculitis
Impetigo (superficial pustular dermatitis)
Greasy pig disease
Dermatophilosis -
Deep – deep dermis
– Disease examples
• Bacterial furunculosis
• Abscesses
How do bacterial infections of the skin occur?
Portals for:
Pores (follicular openings)
Hematogenous spread
Direct entry through damaged skin
Predisposing factors for:
Allergy
Disorders of keratinization (seborrhea)
Immunodeficiency
Anatomic predisposition
Common in dogs:
Thin stratum corneum, lack of lipid seal of hair follicles, high skin pH
Bacterial infections often involve _____.
Staphylococcus spp.
TRUE/FALSE.
One way that bacteria cause skin infections is through the production of exfoliative toxins that cause intraepidermal splitting.
TRUE
This puppy is presented to you. Give:
- Disease Name
- MDx
- Cause
- Consequence/CS

- Impetigo
- Pustular Dermatitis, a type of superficial pyoderma.
- Bacterial infection secondary to immunosuppression/debilitation
- Nonfollicular pustules, which develop into crusts.
Prepuscent puppies are otherwise healthy
Adults - Look for underlying disease.

What’s going on with this puppy? Give:
- Disease Name
- MDx
- Pathogenesis
- What types of cells will you find?

- Intertrigo/Skin Fold pyoderma
- Neutrophilic dermatitis
- Closely apposed skin surfaces –> frictional trauma –> moisture –> opportunistic bacterial infections
- Neutrophils

What is going on with this dog? Give
- Disease Name
- MDx/Gross lesions
- Pathogenesis

- Pyotraumatic Dermatitis (“Hot Spots”) - Very common in dogs
- MDx: ulcerative/exudative dermatitis.
Gross: Moist, alopecic, slightly raised, red well-circumscribed lesions –> ulceration/crusting - Pathogenesis:
– Self trauma –> bacterial infection
– Underlying pruritis – especially flea allergy dermatitis!

What can you tell me that’s going on in this disease? Give:
- Disease Name
- MDx/Gross lesions
- Cause
- Predisposing factors/Consequences

- Greasy Pig Disease (Exudative Epidermitis)
- MDx: pustular to exudative dermatitis.
Gross: erythema –> pustules –> crusts - Caused by Staphylococcus hyicus
- Predisposing factors – other skin lesions, poor nutrition/husbandry, lacerations
- Fatal in neonatal pigs

Ew. Give:
- Disease Name
- MDx/Gross Lesions
- Cause
- Pathogenesis
- Predisposing factors
- How would you diagnose this?
- Dermatophilosis aka rain rot
- MDx: Exudative dermatitis
Lesions on back or distal extremities - Caused by Dermatophilus congolensis – gram positive filamentous bacteria which subdivide longitudinally and transversely
- Stimulate neutrophilic exocytosis: pustules–>exudate –> matting of hair/wool –> alopecia
- Predisposing factors
– Wet weather in humid climates (“rain rot”) – prolonged wetting of skin/hair/wool allows penetration of epidermis by “zoospores” - Diagnosis in the crust (characteristic appearance of bacteria - tram track)

What is this?
What does it look like and how would you differentiate it?

This is dermatophilosis
It looks similar to squamous cell carcinoma due to repeated sun exposure. You know it’s not because of the distribution of the lesions.

What is this? Give:
- Disease Name
- MDx/Gross lesions
- DDx
- Diganostics

- Canine superficial spreading pyoderma - Usually secondary condition; Bacterial infection of superficial follicles and adjacent skin
- MDx: neutrophilic/exudative dermatitis/folliculitis.
Gross: scaling, erythematous macules (often circular –> ring shaped), papules, pustules, crusts, epidermal collarettes, alopecia - DDx: (Grossly indistinguishable)
– Dermatophytosis (‘ring worm’)
– Demodicosis -
Diagnostics:
– Cytology of pustule/crust • neutrophils with cocci
– Woods lamp
– Fungal culture
– Skin scraping

What is the difference between folliculitis and furunculosis?
Furunculosis is more severe.

What two conditions resemble Canine Superficial Spreading pyoderma?
What lesions do they have in common?
Demodicosis & Dermatophytosis
Both have Folliculitis; erythematous macules –> Alopecia/Scaling
This dog presents to your clnic. You perform a skin scraping, demonstrated in the histology. Give
- Disease Name
- Cause
- MDx
- How do the lesions vary?
- What are the two forms that can affect dogs?

- Demodicosis
- Cause: Demodex spp. mite
- Neutrophilic Dermatitis/folliculitis w/ intrafollicular mites and bacteria; Gross MDx of Dog: Multifocal exudative dermatitis
- Lesion vary by host/mite species
– Distribution on body
– Neutrophilic to granulomatous (exudative vs nodular grossly) - In dogs
–Localized form (face, forelegs) – young dogs, self-limiting
– Generalized form - Familial with young dogs
Adult-onset – often associated with systemic disease such as neoplasia, endocrinopathy, or immunosuppressive therapy
This animal presents to your clinic. What can you tell me?

- Dermatophytosis
- Cause: Epidermophyton, Microsporum, and Trichophyton spp. (keratinophilic fungi)
- Contagious – acquired by contact with scales shed from infected animals
- Colonize keratin, do not need to invade tissue to cause disease
- Self-limiting in healthy animals, can become chronic/generalized in immunocompromised animals
- Predisposing factors:
– Young or immunosuppressed – Hot/humid environments - Use GMS or Groscott (silver stains)


































































