Calcinosis cutis or calcinosis cutis is a disorder characterized by the deposition of calcium s alts in the skin that causes the appearance of hard nodules or crusty plaques. In the canine species, it usually appears in individuals with Cushing's syndrome or subjected to prolonged treatment with corticosteroids, however, there are other causes that can also be the origin of this skin lesion.
If you want to discover more about calcinosis cutis in dogs, don't miss the following article on our site in which we talk about your treatment and causes.
What is calcinosis cutis?
Calcinosis cutis is a skin lesion that occurs due to the abnormal deposit of calcium s alts in the skin Specifically, the deposit mineral is usually apatite. This calcification can occur at the level of the dermis, the hypodermis or, more rarely, the epidermis.
Normally, it is a process that appears associated with other alterations or pathologies, which we will describe in more detail in the following sections. However, the pathological mechanism by which calcinosis cutis occurs is still unclear.
Types of calcinosis cutis in dogs
Calcinosis cutis is classified into 4 different groups depending on its cause:
- Metastatic: these are calcifications that occur in situations of hypercalcemia(elevated blood calcium levels) on normal tissues.
- Dystrophic: these are calcifications that occur in situations of normocalcemia(normal blood calcium levels) over tissues with previous injury.
- Iatrogenic: these are calcifications that occur as a result of some therapeutic treatments.
- Idiopathic: these are calcifications in which there is no demonstrable cause or factor, that is, they have an unknown origin. They usually occur in dogs less than a year old.
Causes of calcinosis cutis in dogs
Once we know what calcinosis cutis in dogs consists of, we must explain what its possible causes are.
- Hyperglucocorticism: consists of increased levels of glucocorticoids in the blood. This is by far the leading cause of calcinosis cutis in dogs. Specifically, hyperglucocorticism can occur for two reasons: Cushing's syndrome or prolonged treatment with corticosteroids.
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD): since it is a pathology that causes hypercalcaemia.
- Tissue lesions: including tumors, foreign bodies, areas of necrosis, purulent foci or parasitic foci.
- Calcium shots.
In addition to all these causes, we must not forget that there are cases of idiopathic calcifications, that is, they have an unknown origin.
Symptoms of calcinosis cutis in dogs
The dermatological signs that can be observed in dogs with calcinosis cutis are the following:
- Foci of calcification may appear as hard, irregular nodules on the skin or as crusty plaques yellowish-white.
- Lesions are often accompanied by erythema (redness) and alopecia(loss of hair).
- In some cases, calcifications can ulcerate and discharge calcareous material. In these cases, it is common for the lesions to become infected and a pioderma.
It should be noted that the areas most frequently affected in cases of calcinosis cutis in dogs are:
- The Back
- Head
- The groin region
Diagnosis of calcinosis cutis in dogs
To reach the diagnosis of calcinosis cutis, the following points are necessary:
- Anamnesis and clinical history: it is important to know if the animal shows other symptoms of disease or if it has undergone any treatment that may be the origin of calcinosis cutis.
- Lesion exploration: as we mentioned in the previous section, firm nodules to crusty plaques can be detected, mainly in the back, head and groin area.
- Biopsy and histopathological analysis: To reach a definitive diagnosis, it is necessary to take a biopsy and perform a histopathological analysis of the skin lesions.
However, in addition to diagnosing the lesion (that is, calcinosis cutis) it is important to identify its specific cause in order to establish a specific treatment. For this, other diagnostic tests may be necessary, such as blood and urine tests, laboratory tests, imaging tests, etc.
How to treat calcinosis cutis in dogs?
Once the process is known, we must address the treatment of calcinosis cutis in dogs:
- First of all, a specific treatment must be instituted for the underlying pathology that caused this injury. However, we have mentioned that there are idiopathic calcinosis cutis that do not have a known cause, so in these cases it is not feasible to establish a specific treatment. However, it should be noted that this type of calcinosis usually resolves spontaneously in less than a year.
- In addition to specific treatment, it is important to treat potential complications of canine calcinosis cutis, such as pyoderma (bacterial skin infection). In these cases, it will be necessary to start an antibiotic treatment and apply weekly baths with antiseptics (such as benzoyl peroxide).
- The small deposits are usually reabsorbed when the primary cause is eliminated and specific treatment is instituted. However, larger deposits may require surgical treatment to remove.
Given the complexity of the treatment, it is essential to go to the veterinary clinic at the first symptom, both to diagnose the problem and to find the cause that produces it.
