The Causes of Pemphigus Erythematosus in a Canine

Pemphigus is an autoimmune disease or skin condition that occurs when autoimmune cells, or white blood cells, attack the proteins that form structures on a cell's plasma membrane that allow skin cells to adhere together. When the proteins are attacked, the skin blisters and falls off, forming sores. Pemphigus erythematosus affects the skin and can affect the mucous membranes of canines as well.

  1. Canine Skin Structure

    • The outermost layer of skin on a dog, called the epidermis, can be affected by Pemphigus erythematosus. The epidermis consists of keratinocytes, or keratin cells that are tightly adhered together. Proteins called desmosomes are used to adhere the skin cells together. When the dog's white blood cells, or antibodies, target the desmosomes that are holding skin cells together and destroy them, blisters and ulcers form on the skin. This autoimmune disease, caused by white blood cells that are not working correctly and attack the skin, is called pemphigus. Pemphigus manifests in different forms, and can be Pemphigus foliaceus or Pemphigus erythematosus.

    Pemphigus Erythematosus

    • Pemphigus erythematosus is a "milder," more localized form of Pemphigus foliaceus. Common symptoms of Pemphigus foliaceus in canines are scaling or scabbed skin and painful, pus-filled sores that look similar to pimples. Canines with Pemphigus foliaceus will have skin ulcers on the head and feet during the disease's early stages, with small blisters that are sometimes hard to detect forming on other areas of the skin before the lesions spread. Other areas of a dog's skin that can form sores are the skin that border the anus, genitalia, eyes, nose, mouth, groin and armpits. Some cases of Pemphigus foliaceus will affect the borders of the nails on the feet, or will be restricted to the nose area.

    Common Breeds

    • Dog breeds that commonly have Pemphigus erythematosus, which is the milder form of Pemphigus foliaceus, are collies, German shepherds and Shetland sheepdogs. Dog breeds that can develop Pemphigus foliaceus, which attacks larger areas of the body, are Akitas, bearded collies, chow chows, dachshunds, Doberman pinschers, Finnish spitzes and Newfoundland breeds.

    Treatment Options

    • When sores appear on a canine's body and a veterinarian suspects the animal has Pemphigus erythematosus, she will perform a skin biopsy to test for the disease. If the canine has Pemphigus erythematosus, the vet may prescribe topical corticosteriods or prednisone to stop more sores from forming and to help the dog's skin heal. More severe cases of the disease, such as Pemphigus foliaceus, require the powerful immunosuppressive medicines, which will require the dog to be closely monitored, as she can easily become sick while taking it.