Prolonged remission after immunosuppressive therapy in six dogs with pemphigus foliaceus

Vet Dermatol. 2004 Aug;15(4):245-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2004.00379.x.

Abstract

Limited information is available on the long-term outcome of treatment of pemphigus foliaceus in dogs. The purpose of this study is to report that a prolonged remission can occur after discontinuation of immunosuppressive regimens in some animals with this disease. Six dogs were diagnosed with pemphigus foliaceus based on suggestive clinical signs and histopathology. These patients were treated either with immunosuppressive doses of oral glucocorticoids or with a combination of oral glucocorticoids and azathioprine. After clinical signs underwent complete remission, which occurred 1.5-5 months after immunosuppression was initiated, the drugs were tapered progressively and eventually withdrawn. The total duration of immunosuppressive therapy varied between 3 and 22 months. Skin lesions of pemphigus foliaceus did not recur for 1.5-6 years after treatment was stopped. These observations suggest that, in some dogs with pemphigus foliaceus, immunosuppression can lead to long-term remission of skin lesions, and that discontinuation of treatment is not necessarily followed by a recurrence of clinical signs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Azathioprine / administration & dosage
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Dog Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
  • Dog Diseases / pathology
  • Dogs
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • North Carolina / epidemiology
  • Pemphigus / diagnosis
  • Pemphigus / drug therapy
  • Pemphigus / veterinary*
  • Records / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Azathioprine