Polyautoimmunity manifest as inflammatory myopathy, uveitis, and progressive cutaneous depigmentation in a mixed breed dog: a case report

Mary Ann Lee; Sean E Hulsebosch; Verena K Affolter; Jonathan D Dear; Marguerite F Knipe; David J Maggs; Bret A Moore; Catherine A Outerbridge; Sina Marsilio

doi:10.1186/s12917-023-03764-4

Polyautoimmunity manifest as inflammatory myopathy, uveitis, and progressive cutaneous depigmentation in a mixed breed dog: a case report

BMC Vet Res. 2023 Oct 10;19(1):198. doi: 10.1186/s12917-023-03764-4.

Authors

Mary Ann Lee¹, Sean E Hulsebosch², Verena K Affolter³, Jonathan D Dear², Marguerite F Knipe⁴, David J Maggs⁴, Bret A Moore⁵, Catherine A Outerbridge², Sina Marsilio⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
² Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
³ Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
⁶ Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. smarsilio@ucdavis.edu.

Abstract

Background: Polyautoimmunity is the expression of more than one autoimmune disease in a single patient. This report documents polyautoimmunity in a mixed breed dog with concurrent uveitis, cutaneous depigmentation, and inflammatory myopathy.

Case presentation: A 1-year-old male neutered mixed breed dog was presented for progressive generalized leukotrichia and leukoderma, bilateral panuveitis, and masticatory muscle atrophy. The latter progressed to myositis of lingual, pharyngeal, and masticatory muscles confirmed by biopsy. Temporalis muscle was completely replaced by adipose and fibrous tissue, and necrotic myofibers with extensive infiltration of mononuclear cells indicated active myositis of lingual muscle. Skin biopsies showed severe melanin clumping in epidermis, hair follicles, and hair shafts, and perifollicular pigmentary incontinence. Uveitis, depigmentation, and myositis affecting the masticatory, pharyngeal, and tongue muscles were diagnosed based on clinical, histological, and laboratory findings.

Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of concurrent uveitis, progressive cutaneous depigmentation, and inflammatory myopathy in a dog.

Keywords: Generalized depigmentation; Inflammatory myopathy; Polyautoimmunity; Uveodermatological syndrome; VKH-like syndrome; Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Animals
Autoimmune Diseases* / veterinary
Dog Diseases* / diagnosis
Dog Diseases* / pathology
Dogs
Male
Myositis* / complications
Myositis* / veterinary
Skin / pathology
Uveitis* / veterinary
Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome* / diagnosis
Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome* / etiology
Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome* / pathology
Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome* / veterinary