This condition is usually seen in hairless areas, particularly in young puppies with juvenile pyoderma, and causes pus-filled blisters that may break and crust over.
Impetigo involves only the superficial layers of the epidermis. The infection is just under the stratum corneum and is characterized by a non-follicular pustules.
A differential diagnosis would include intertrigo (skin-fold dermatitis) and folliculitis (infections of hair follicles) associated with haired-skin. Similar blister-like bullae are commonly associated drug eruptions, epidermolysis bullosa, toxic epidermal necrolysis and numerous immune-mediated canine skin diseases such as lupus erythematosus and pemphigus.
Treatment is usually medically conservative, with topical creams, medicated shampoos and in more generalized cases, parenteral antimicrobials such as amoxycillin/clavulanate.
- Health enemies
- Gortel K (2013) Recognizing pyoderma: more difficult than it may seem. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 43(1):1-18
- Iyori K et al (2011) Staphylococcus pseudintermedius exfoliative toxin EXI selectively digests canine desmoglein 1 and causes subcorneal clefts in canine epidermis. Vet Dermatol 22(4):319-326
- Scott DW et al (1980) The comparative pathology of non-viral bullous skin diseases in domestic animals. Vet Pathol 17(3):257-281