Pemphigus foliaceus with typical histological and immunohistological findings in a dog.

ABSTRACT

A seven-year-old female mongrel dog showed incurable skin lesions for about a year. The lesions were at nasal bridge and periocular area, and were composed of crust formation and scaling. Biopsy specimens from the skin lesions possessed with multiple intraepidermal pustules containing many acatholytic keratinocytes. Direct immunoperoxidase stain using paraffin-embedded section showed IgG deposition at the intercellular area of upper epidermis and follicular infundibula. IgG was not detected at basement membrane zone. Clinical and pathological findings of the present case were identical to those of pemphigus foliaceus, an uncommon pustular autoimmune skin disease.