Objective-To characterize skin lesions and causative infections in diabetic
dogs and evaluate other potential causes of dermatologic disorders, includ
ing concurrent endocrinopathies, allergic skin disease, and long-term corti
costeroid administration.
Design-Retrospective study.
Animals-45 dogs with diabetes mellitus (DM) that were examined by dermatolo
gists.
Procedure-Medical records were reviewed for signalment; allergic conditions
prior to development of DM; prior corticosteroid administration; and resul
ts of dermatologic examinations, ear and skin cytologic examinations, skin
scrapings for parasites, bacteriologic and fungal culturing of ear and skin
specimens, histologic examinations, and endocrine testing.
Results-Bacterial skin infection was the most common dermatologic disorder
(n = 38 [84%]), followed by otitis (26 [58%]) and Malassezia-induced dermat
itis (19 [42%]). Twenty-two (49%) dogs had pruritic skin disease consistent
with allergic dermatitis, which pre ceded diagnosis of DM. Prior corticost
eroid administration was reported in 21 (47%) dogs. Concurrent hyperadrenoc
orticism was diagnosed in 13 (29%) dogs, and concurrent hypothyroidism was
diagnosed in 5 (11%)dogs. latrogenic hyperadrenocorticism was diagnosed in
1 additional dog. Only 10(22%) dogs did not have a documented concurrent en
docrinopathy or allergic disease that could have caused the dermatitis.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Bacterial and yeast-induced dermatitis a
nd otitis develop in dogs with DM. Many diabetic dogs with dermatologic pro
blems have a preexisting allergic condition, history of prior corticosteroi
d administration, or concurrent endocrinopathy that may be a more likely ca
use of dermatologic problems than DM alone.