Medicine Lec. 1 4th stage Dr.

Ali Rabee

Diseases of the skin

The major functions of the skin are:

 To maintain a normal body temperature.
 To maintain a normal fluid and electrolyte balance within the
animal.
 To act as a sensory organ perceiving those features of the
environment which are important to the subject's survival.
Skin diseases are divided into primary or secondary in origin, in primary
skin disease the lesions are restricted initially to the skin although they
may subsequently spread from the skin to involve other organs, on the
other hand, cutaneous lesions may be secondary to disease originating in
other organs.
Principles of treatment of skin diseases.
1. Primary treatment commences with removal of hair coat and debris
to enable topical applications to come into contact with the
causative agent.
2. Accurate diagnosis of the cause must precede the selection of any
topical or systemic treatment.
3. In bacterial diseases sensitivity tests on cultures of the organism
are advisable.
4. Specific skin diseases due to bacteria, fungi and metazoan parasites
are reasonably amenable to treatment with the appropriate specific
remedy.
5. Bacterial resistance to antimicrobials used in veterinary
dermatological practice is a concern.
6. The broad application of antimicrobials for various therapeutic and
non-therapeutic purposes has accelerated the spread of pre-
existing resistance genes and led to the apparent development of

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Medicine Lec. 1 4th stage Dr. Ali Rabee

mechanisms by which resistance genes are spread, not only within

a bacterial species, but also between bacterial species.
7. Removal of the causative agent in allergic diseases and
photosensitization, may be impossible and symptomatic treatment
may be the only practicable solution.
Supportive treatment
1. Supportive treatment includes prevention of secondary infection by
the use of bacteriostatic ointments or dressings and the prevention
of further damage from scratching.
2. Effective treatment of pruritus depends upon the reduction of
central perception of itch sensations by the use of ataractic,
sedative or narcotic drugs administered systemically or on
successful restraint of the mediator between the lesion and the
sensory end organ.
3. When large areas of skin are involved it is important to prevent the
absorption of toxic products by continuous irrigation or the
application of absorptive dressings.
4. Losses of fluid and electrolytes should be made good by the
parenteral administration of isotonic fluids containing the
necessary electrolytes.
5. Ensure an adequate dietary intake of protein, particularly sulfur-
containing amino acids to facilitate the repair of skin tissues.
Pityriasis
Pityriasis scales are accumulations of keratinized epithelial cells,
sometimes softened and made greasy by the exudation of serum or
sebum. Overproduction, when it occurs, begins around the orifices of the
hair follicles and spreads to the surrounding stratum corneum.
Pityriasis is identified by the absence of parasites and fungi from skin
scrapings.

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Medicine Lec. 1 4th stage Dr. Ali Rabee

Primary pityriasis scales are superficial, accumulate where the coat is

long, and are usually associated with a dry, lusterless coat. Itching or
other skin lesions are not features Primary Pityriasis: are excessive
bran-like scales on the skin, characterized by overproduction of
keratinized epithelial cells, can be caused by:
1. Hypovitaminosis A.
2. Nutritional deficiency of B vitamins, especially of riboflavin and
nicotinic acid, in pigs, or linolenic acid, and probably other
essential unsaturated fatty acids.
3. Poisoning by iodine.
Secondary pityriasis is usually accompanied by the lesions of the primary
disease.
Secondary pityriasis: characterized by excessive desquamation of
epithelial cells is usually associated with:
1. Scratching in flea, louse and mange infestations.
2. Keratolytic infection, e.g. with ringworm fungus.
Differential diagnosis
1. Hyperkeratosis.
2. Parakeratosis.
Treatment
1. Primary treatment requires correction of the primary cause.
2. Supportive treatment commences with a thorough washing,
followed by alternating applications of a bland, emollient ointment
and an alcoholic lotion.
3. Salicylic acid is frequently incorporated into a lotion or ointment
with a lanolin base.
Hyperkeratosis
Epithelial cells accumulate on the skin as a result of excessive
keratinization of epithelial cells and intercellular bridges, interference

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Medicine Lec. 1 4th stage Dr. Ali Rabee

with normal cell division in the granular layer of the epidermis and
hypertrophy of the stratum corneum. Lesions may be local at pressure
points, e.g. elbows, when animals lie habitually on hard surfaces.
Generalized hyperkeratosis may be caused by:
1. Poisoning with highly chlorinated naphthalene compounds.
2. Chronic arsenic poisoning.
3. Inherited congenital ichthyosis.
4. Inherited dyserythropoiesis-dyskeratosis.
The skin is dry, scaly, thicker than normal, usually corrugated, hairless
and fissured in a grid-like pattern.
Secondary infection of deep fissures may occur if the area is continually
wet. However, the lesion is usually dry and the plugs of hyperkeratotic
material can be removed, leaving the underlying skin intact. Confirmation
of the diagnosis is by the demonstration of the characteristically
thickened stratum corneum in a biopsy section, which also serves to
differentiate the condition from parakeratosis and inherited ichthyosis.
Primary treatment depends on correction of the cause. Supportive
treatment is by the application of a keratolytic agent (e.g. salicylic acid
ointment).
Parakeratosis, a skin condition characterized by incomplete keratinization
of epithelial cells, can be caused by:
1. Nonspecific chronic inflammation of cellular epidermis
2. Associated with dietary deficiency of zinc.
3. Part of an inherited disease.
The initial lesion comprises edema of the prickle cell layer, dilatation of
the inter cellular lymphatics, and leukocyte infiltration. Imperfect
keratinization of epithelial cells at the granular layer of the epidermis
follows, and the horn cells produced are sticky and soft, retain their
nuclei and stick together to form large masses, which stay fixed to the

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underlying tissues or are shed as thick scales. The lesions may be

extensive and diffuse but are often confined to the flexor aspects of joints.
Initially the skin is reddened, followed by thickening and gray
discoloration. Large, soft scales accumulate, are often held in place by
hairs and usually crack and fissure, and their removal leaves a raw, red
surface, hyperkeratosis scales are thin, dry and accompany an intact,
normal skin.
Differential diagnosis
1. Hyperkeratosis.
2. Pachyderma.
3. Ringworm.
4. Inherited ichthyosis.
5. In herited Adema disease in cattle.
6. Inherited dermatosis vegetans in pigs.
7. Inherited epidermal dysplasia.
Treatment
1. Primary treatment requires correction of any nutritional deficiency.
2. Supportive treatment includes:
Removal of the crusts by the use of keratolytic agent (e.g. salicylic
acid ointment) or by vigorous scrubbing with soapy water, followed
by application of an astringent (e.g. white lotion paste), which must be
applied frequently and for some time after the lesions have
disappeared.
Impetigo
A superficial eruption of thin -walled, small vesicles, surrounded by a
zone of erythema, that develop into pustules, then rupture to form scabs.
The main organism found is usually a staphylococcus; the causative
organism appears to gain entry through minor abrasions, with spread
resulting from rupture of lesions causing contamination of surrounding

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Medicine Lec. 1 4th stage Dr. Ali Rabee

skin and the development of secondary lesions. Spread from animal to

animal occurs readily. The only specific examples of impetigo in large
animals are:
 Udder impetigo of cows
 Infectious dermatitis or' contagious pyoderma' of baby pigs
associated with unspecified streptococci and staphylococci.
Clinical signs
1. Small (3-6 mm) vesicles appear chiefly on the relatively hairless
parts of the body and do not become confluent.
2. In the early stages each vesicle is surrounded by a narrow zone of
erythema.
3. No irritation is evident, vesicle rupture occurs readily but some
persist as yellow scabs.
4. Involvement of hair follicles is common and leads to the
development of acne and deeper, more extensive lesions.
5. Individual lesions heal rapidly in about a week but successive
crops of vesicles may prolong the duration of the disease.
Differential diagnosis
1. Cowpox, in which the lesions occur almost exclusively on the teats
and pass through the characteristic stages of pox.
2. Pseudocowpox, in which lesions are characteristic and also
restricted in occurrence to the teats.
Treatment
1. Primary treatment with antibiotic topically is usually all that is
required because individual lesions heal so rapidly.
2. Supportive treatment is aimed at preventing the occurrence of
secondary lesions and spread of the disease to other animals. Twice
daily bathing with an efficient germicidal skin wash is usually
adequate.