Pictorial points for the differentiation of ectoparasites on dog skin were described. Ectoparasites are devided into arachnids and insects. Arachnids contain ticks and mites. The important ticks are Ixodidae and mites include Prostigmata and Astigmata (Demodex and Sarcoptes). Insects should be examined for wings. The important insects with no wings are bloodsucking lices, chewing lices, and freas.

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Skin disease is one of the most frequent disorders in household rabbits. This retrospective survey of rabbit skin disease is based on the records of 277 cases in 221 rabbits treated at a clinic in Tokyo in 2001. Rabbit skin diseases were etiologically divided into 4 categories. Bacterial dermatitis cases were seen most frequently (36.1%), followed by skin disorders caused by physical matters (26.0%), fungal dermatitis (25.6%), and parasitic dermatitis (12.3%). The average of treating period was longest in dermatophytosis (40.8 days) among main skin diseases, followed by treponematosis (30.6 days), moist dermatitis (28.9 days), and cheyletiellosis (21.0 days) in descending orders. The average of relapse rate was also highest in dermatophytosis (18.3%), and treoponemosis (14.3%) and moist dermatitis (13.0%) showed relatively high rate. The incidence of skin disorders in rabbit did not show any characteristic seasonal unevenness usually seen in dogs and cats. Since many skin diseases in rabbits need rather long term until perfect recovery, before beginning of treatment, thorough informed consent based on accurate forecast might be indispensable.

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A 12-year-old male beagle dog presented with disseminated scaly alopecia, infiltrative erythema on the face and extremities, and mild lymphadenopathy. Histopathological findings showed hyperkeratosis with follicular plugging, hydropic degeneration of the basal cell layer, and inflammation of lymphocytes and plasma cells with mucinosis of the superficial dermis and perifollicular areas. Direct immunofluorescence study showed linear deposition of IgG at the dermal-epidermal junction. Complete blood counts revealed mild anemia and leukopenia, but antinuclear antibody was negative. The present case closely resembled those found in humans with disseminated discoid lupus erythematosus. The dog improved with avoidance of sunlight and systemic prednisolone therapy, but required continuous low-dose steroid administration.

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Twelve-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog presented with a swollen lip. Histopathologic examination of the lesion revealed granulomatous inflamation with mixed cell infiltration at the dermis, but no infectious agents. This lesion was diagnosed as sterile granulomatous inflammation, and was completely improved with minocycline as an immunomodulatory drug. It is considered that this swollen lip might be equivalent to granulomatous cheilitis in humans.

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A two month-old Belgian Tervuren was presented with alopecia on the nose bridge and periorbital areas. Differential diagnosis including pyoderma, ectoparasitosis, fungal infections, virus infections, lupus erythematosus, and juvenile cellulitis were all ruled out based on various examinations and therapeutic trials. Finally, this dog was diagnosed as having dermatomyositis, which is usually reported in Collie, Shetland sheepdog, and its crossbreeds.

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