La. Frank et al., DISTRIBUTION AND APPEARANCE OF ELASTIC FIBERS IN THE DERMIS OF CLINICALLY NORMAL DOGS AND DOGS WITH SOLAR DERMATITIS AND OTHER DERMATOSES, American journal of veterinary research, 57(2), 1996, pp. 178-181
Objective-To determine the distribution and amount of elastic fibers i
n the dermis of clinically normal dogs and dogs with dermatoses, parti
cularly solar dermatitis. Design-Skin specimens from 7 anatomic sites
were obtained from 19 clinically normal dogs after euthanasia to evalu
ate the normal distribution of elastic fibers. Biopsy specimens also w
ere obtained from 34 dogs with dermatoses, including 16 with solar der
matitis. Tissue sections were stained with H&E, Verhoeff-van Gieson, a
nd periodic acid-Schiff. Animals-19 clinically normal dogs and 34 dogs
with dermatoses. Procedure-Numbers of elastic fibers were graded subj
ectively. Comparisons between clinically normal dogs and dogs with der
matoses were made. Results-Normal elastic fibers were present in low n
umbers in the dermis of adult dogs, regardless of anatomic site or pre
sence or severity of dermatitis. Condensed elastotic material was visu
alized in only 2 dogs with solar dermatitis. In both dogs, the elastot
ic material was Verhoeff-van Gieson and periodic acid-Schiff stain pos
itive but was not visible with H&E stain. The most frequent histopatho
logic finding in the dermis of dogs with solar dermatitis was superfic
ial dermal fibrosis. Conclusions-The dermis of clinically normal dogs
does not contain abundant elastic fibers. Alterations of elastic fiber
s in dogs with solar dermatitis are rare. Superficial dermal fibrosis
may be a better indicator of solar damage.