Lethal Acrodermatitis in Dogs

The Bull Terrier is a cross between a Bulldog and a Terrier with a thick, muscular body and oval (egg shaped) head with a sloping muzzle. They like being active and come in 13 different colors. The white Bull Terrier is the only one to have the genetic disposition that causes lethal acrodermatitis. It is a progressively wasting disease that is usually seen at a young age and is lethal within a few months. There is no effective cure for lethal acrodermatitis, but there are some therapies and medication that can be used to help slow down the process and give your dog a better quality of life.

Lethal acrodermatitis is a serious inherited skin condition of Bull Terriers that usually causes death before the dog reaches two years of age. It only affects those Bull Terriers with white skin and fur because of the lack of pigment. This disease causes severe retardation of growth, thick skin and painful blisters on the muzzle, eyes, nose, ears, feet, and mucous membranes which eventually leads to pneumonia and death. The most commonly affected areas are the muzzle, ears, feet, legs, and groin. Most breeders can recognize the disease in the puppy by the time it is six to eight weeks old because it is less than half the size of the other puppies in the litter and has flat, splayed feet with dermatitis.

If your dog has lethal acrodermatitis, the signs will most likely be evident by the time he is about three to six months old. Some of the most often seen complaints are:

• Thickened skin on legs and feet
• Painful eruptions on toes
• Pustules and lesions on face
• Blisters on mucous membranes (lips, nostrils, mouth, genitals, throat)
• Slow growth
• Standing with legs splayed apart
• Deformed and broken nails
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Depression
• Difficulty eating
• Numerous bacterial infections
• Frequent nasal discharge
• Pneumonia (high body temperature, coughing, breathing difficulty)
• Death

This is an autosomal recessive trait that is only seen in Bull Terriers with white skin and fur. In lethal acrodermatitis the skin thickening gets so severe that the dog is unable to walk or eat normally and secondary bacterial or yeast infections are a common side effect. Eventually, infection and wasting progresses to such an extreme that the dog will die or the owner decides to euthanize.

The veterinarian should automatically suspect lethal acrodermatitis if your dog is a white Bull Terrier because animals with this disease lack pigment. However, a full physical will need to be done along with diagnostic testing and radiographic imaging. The veterinarian will first need to know your dog’s medical history and whether he has had any recent illnesses or injuries as well as any medications your pet may have been given lately. You should also tell the veterinarian if you have tried a new food recently and if your dog’s appetite has been abnormal. A physical examination will be done and your dog’s vital signs will be checked. The veterinarian will do a skin assessment and will look at the overall appearance of your dog’s physique. 

Diagnostic tests will most likely reveal abnormal liver enzymes, including decreased activity of alanine transaminase (AST) and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as a decreased lymphocyte blastogenic response. Histology will show inflammation in the outermost layer of skin. Blood tests, including a complete blood count, blood cultures, and a chemical profile usually indicate increased cholesterol, decreased zinc and copper, lymphocytes (white blood cells), and gamma globulins. Radiographs (x-rays) will need to be done of the chest and abdomen to check for bronchitis, pneumonia, and lesions on the mucous membranes in the intestinal tract. Often, the veterinarian will want to perform an MRI, ultrasound, and CT scans as well.

There is no cure for lethal acrodermatitis, but there are treatments that can improve your dog’s quality of life and possibly slow the progress of the disease.

Special Diet

Natural foods high in zinc and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are good choices for your dog. Some of the choices your veterinarian may suggest are fish, flaxseed oil, soybean oils, sunflower oils, liver, chicken, salmon, beef, and veal.

Medication

Supplements of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and zinc can both be added to your dog’s diet as well. Some veterinarians offer injections of these supplements but they should only be administered by the veterinarian.

As the name implies, this disease is almost always fatal. In rare cases, a dog can live for several years with lethal acrodermatitis, but the quality of life must be considered. If your dog is in constant pain and suffering, the most humane thing to do is euthanization.