Lethal Acrodermatitis
Written by T.M Heath - 15th August 1996.
Lethal acrodermatitis is a relatively new disease having only been investigated in the last decade. Lethal acrodermatitis has certain features of a nutritional or infectious disease but since it only occurs in bull terriers it is now suspected to be a genetic disease. It was first recognized in the genetics clinic of the University of Philadelphia (Jezyk and others 1986) and a further two cases studied in West Germany (Trauvetter 1985).
At birth, the lethal acrodermatitis puppy is often the smallest in the litter and looks rather pink as they often lack pigment. The first indication is usually a restless, hungry puppy. Although appearing to suckle well from the dam, test weighing will reveal the puppy is not getting any milk. (Test weigh the pup before it suckles and again after, the difference being the contents of the stomach). The puppy can be fed using a Catac major and teat as the teat is long and will reach the back of the mouth. Within three weeks a size difference will be noticed, the lethal acrodermatitis pup will be markedly smaller than its littermates.
At weaning the puppy will lap successfully at milk but as the meals get more solid, difficulty in mastication and swallowing can be observed. The unusually high arch of the palate causes a problem as food tends to stick to the roof of the mouth. Liquidising the food can help the puppy considerably.
At approximately 6-10 weeks of age, crusted skin lesions can be seen developing between the toes which are distinctly splayed, the footpads are hard and cracked. The foot lesions progress rapidly with the nail bed being involved and the growth of the nails being somewhat distorted. The area of the pads not in direct contact with the floor take on a frond like appearance due to the excessive development of hard skin (keratin) and the feet look deformed. At about the same time, papular or pustular lesions appear around the body orifices, most noticeably on the face and around the eyes. Inflammation of the hair root is most pronounced on the friction areas, eg. elbows and hocks. The third eyelid protrudes and sight can also be affected.
The size difference is very marked and the puppy looks thin and stunted. The puppy tends to stand with its legs splayed and there is a marked problem with co-ordination. Coloured LAD pups will start to lose the colour at about eight weeks of age. eg. a pup born tri-colour will fade to a chocolate colour or fawn.
Diarrhoea can develop early in the disease and this can vary in severity from loose stools to profuse bloody diarrhoea with accompanying dehydration. Respiratory tract infections can be present with mucropurulent nasal discharge. Pneumonia can often be diagnosed by stethoscope or x-ray examination.
Between 4-8 weeks of age the behavior may also be abnormal as the puppy may be aggressive and may even need to be isolated because it is biting its littermates. As the puppy gets older, activity decreases and responses to external stimuli diminishes. They often spend periods staring at objects. The more severely affected, the more the puppy will sleep. The puppy will normally die by fifteen months and the usual cause of death is an intractable respiratory infection.
The condition resembles acrodermatitisenteropatlfica in man and lethal trait A46 in black pied cattle, these are defects in intestinal absorption of zinc (zinc deficiency). High doses of zinc will reverse the clinical signs in humans and calves. However, bull terriers do not respond to zinc therapy, and it is believed there exists in the lethal acrodermatitis puppy some other block to the zinc metabolism.
The incidence of lethal acrodermatitis in British bull terriers is not known. Studies have been instigated in Glasgow University Veterinary School by Mr. Neil McEwan M.R.C.V.S. B.V.M.&S. but to date information is sparse. It is thought that so little is known of f the condition that puppies born with lethal acrodermatitis are being euthanased as deformed, diagnosed as zinc deficiency syndrome, or are dying within a few days of birth without ever being recognized for what they actually are.
Written by T.M. Heath.
Validated by Mr. N. McEwan MRCVS BVM&S. 2nd March 1992
Written by T.M Heath - 15th August 1996.
Lethal acrodermatitis is a relatively new disease having only been investigated in the last decade. Lethal acrodermatitis has certain features of a nutritional or infectious disease but since it only occurs in bull terriers it is now suspected to be a genetic disease. It was first recognized in the genetics clinic of the University of Philadelphia (Jezyk and others 1986) and a further two cases studied in West Germany (Trauvetter 1985).
At birth, the lethal acrodermatitis puppy is often the smallest in the litter and looks rather pink as they often lack pigment. The first indication is usually a restless, hungry puppy. Although appearing to suckle well from the dam, test weighing will reveal the puppy is not getting any milk. (Test weigh the pup before it suckles and again after, the difference being the contents of the stomach). The puppy can be fed using a Catac major and teat as the teat is long and will reach the back of the mouth. Within three weeks a size difference will be noticed, the lethal acrodermatitis pup will be markedly smaller than its littermates.
At weaning the puppy will lap successfully at milk but as the meals get more solid, difficulty in mastication and swallowing can be observed. The unusually high arch of the palate causes a problem as food tends to stick to the roof of the mouth. Liquidising the food can help the puppy considerably.
At approximately 6-10 weeks of age, crusted skin lesions can be seen developing between the toes which are distinctly splayed, the footpads are hard and cracked. The foot lesions progress rapidly with the nail bed being involved and the growth of the nails being somewhat distorted. The area of the pads not in direct contact with the floor take on a frond like appearance due to the excessive development of hard skin (keratin) and the feet look deformed. At about the same time, papular or pustular lesions appear around the body orifices, most noticeably on the face and around the eyes. Inflammation of the hair root is most pronounced on the friction areas, eg. elbows and hocks. The third eyelid protrudes and sight can also be affected.
The size difference is very marked and the puppy looks thin and stunted. The puppy tends to stand with its legs splayed and there is a marked problem with co-ordination. Coloured LAD pups will start to lose the colour at about eight weeks of age. eg. a pup born tri-colour will fade to a chocolate colour or fawn.
Diarrhoea can develop early in the disease and this can vary in severity from loose stools to profuse bloody diarrhoea with accompanying dehydration. Respiratory tract infections can be present with mucropurulent nasal discharge. Pneumonia can often be diagnosed by stethoscope or x-ray examination.
Between 4-8 weeks of age the behavior may also be abnormal as the puppy may be aggressive and may even need to be isolated because it is biting its littermates. As the puppy gets older, activity decreases and responses to external stimuli diminishes. They often spend periods staring at objects. The more severely affected, the more the puppy will sleep. The puppy will normally die by fifteen months and the usual cause of death is an intractable respiratory infection.
The condition resembles acrodermatitisenteropatlfica in man and lethal trait A46 in black pied cattle, these are defects in intestinal absorption of zinc (zinc deficiency). High doses of zinc will reverse the clinical signs in humans and calves. However, bull terriers do not respond to zinc therapy, and it is believed there exists in the lethal acrodermatitis puppy some other block to the zinc metabolism.
The incidence of lethal acrodermatitis in British bull terriers is not known. Studies have been instigated in Glasgow University Veterinary School by Mr. Neil McEwan M.R.C.V.S. B.V.M.&S. but to date information is sparse. It is thought that so little is known of f the condition that puppies born with lethal acrodermatitis are being euthanased as deformed, diagnosed as zinc deficiency syndrome, or are dying within a few days of birth without ever being recognized for what they actually are.
Written by T.M. Heath.
Validated by Mr. N. McEwan MRCVS BVM&S. 2nd March 1992
