Dermal arteritis of the nasal philtrum: a retrospective study of 23 dogs

Background: Dermal arteritis of the nasal philtrum (DANP) is a cutaneous vascular condition that selectively targets large vessels of the nasal philtrum of dogs; little information is published about this disease. Objective: The aim of this study was to report the signalment, clinical signs, treatment options and outcome of dogs with DANP, and to propose a rationale for the clinical diagnosis. Animals: Twenty-three dogs from four referral veterinary clinics from January 2002 to July 2018. Methods and materials: Retrospective analysis of medical records of dogs with diagnosis of DANP. Results: The mean age at disease onset was 5.3 years. Nineteen dogs were pure-bred (11 different breeds) and four were mixed breed. Twenty-three dogs had a clinical diagnosis of DANP and three of these had histopathological confirmation. Eight dogs had episodes of profuse arterial bleeding from the lesion, nine had minor bleeding and six no bleeding. Twenty dogs were managed medically with monotherapy or combined therapy of topical tacrolimus, prednisolone, doxycycline and niacinamide, and/or pentoxifylline. Long-term tacrolimus was prescribed for 15 cases, eight of those cases as sole therapy. Treatment was declined for three dogs and four dogs were lost to follow-up. The lesion was satisfactorily controlled in 12 dogs and well-controlled in four dogs. Conclusions and clinical importance: The distinctive presentation of DANP substantiates the clinical diagnosis. Medical treatment seems to be effective in controlling DANP and tacrolimus used as sole or adjunctive therapy appears to manage the disease satisfactorily.