Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare disease, which, to the best of the authors' knowledge, has been the subject of only one case report in the peer-reviewed veterinary literature.
Hypothesis/objectives: To describe the history, clinical signs, diagnostic findings and treatment outcome in two cases of canine PG.
Animals: Two client-owned dogs presented to a private veterinary referral practice between 2008 and 2010 who received a diagnosis of PG by specialist veterinary dermatologists.
Methods: Medical records were analysed to retrieve relevant information.
Results: Both dogs were treated with prednisolone; this was combined with ciclosporin in case 1 and azathioprine in case 2. Case 2 had a more complete response of lesions to treatment and a longer survival time after diagnosis (763 days) than case 1 (81 days).
Conclusions and clinical importance: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare disease distinguished by rapid progression of painful, necrolytic, cutaneous ulcers with irregular, violaceous undermined borders. Azathioprine with glucocorticoids may lead to a better outcome than ciclosporin and glucocorticoids (currently the first-line treatment in humans and the only reported treatment in dogs).
© 2013 ESVD and ACVD.