A review of cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in dogs: A diagnostician's guide to allergy.
Authors: Bradley Charles W, Mauldin Elizabeth A, Morris Daniel O
Journal: Veterinary pathology
Summary
# Editorial Summary Allergic skin disease is prevalent in domestic animals, yet practitioners and pathologists frequently struggle to establish definitive diagnoses when clinical signs and histological findings don't align clearly. This 2023 review synthesises current understanding of cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in dogs, drawing on established pathophysiological concepts—particularly those underpinning atopic dermatitis—to create a practical diagnostic framework that bridges microscopic and macroscopic observations. The authors emphasise that while immediate hypersensitivity reactions present characteristic histopathological features, several eosinophilic and inflammatory conditions can mimic these patterns, creating diagnostic uncertainty without careful clinicopathological correlation. For equine and small animal practitioners, the key takeaway centres on the essential value of close collaboration between diagnosticians and clinicians: submitting comprehensive clinical histories, lesion descriptions, and photographic documentation alongside biopsies significantly improves diagnostic accuracy and enables differentiation between true allergic reactions and mimicking conditions. This integrated approach is particularly relevant for horses experiencing suspected allergic dermatoses, where environmental and management factors intersect with immune responses in ways that require nuanced interpretation of both clinical context and histological findings.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •When submitting skin biopsies for allergic conditions, always provide detailed clinical history and macroscopic lesion descriptions to help pathologists accurately interpret microscopic findings
- •Be aware that histopathologic findings alone are insufficient for diagnosis—correlation with clinical presentation, history, and response to treatment is essential for distinguishing allergies from mimicking conditions
- •Consider involvement of both dermatopathologists and clinicians in complex allergy cases to ensure accurate diagnosis and appropriate management
Key Findings
- •Allergic dermatoses are common in domestic animals with atopic dermatitis in dogs being the most extensively studied condition in veterinary literature
- •Histopathologic examination is essential for confirming allergic reaction patterns and ruling out diseases with overlapping or atypical clinical features
- •Significant histopathologic overlap exists between classic allergic reaction patterns and eosinophilic inflammatory conditions, requiring careful clinicopathological correlation
- •Collaboration between pathologists and clinicians is critical for achieving precise clinical diagnosis of allergic dermatoses