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CANINE ANAL FURUNCULOSIS |
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Managing Anal Furunculosis in Dogs
Anal Furunculosis
(perianal fistulas)
Anal Furunculosis 1
Anal Furunculosis2
Misty's Story
presented by Dr Mandy Burrows
Dermclub 1, 2006:
INTRODUCTION
• Canine anal furunculosis (perianal fistula)
is a chronic, painful, progressive inflammatory and ulcerative
disease associated with the perianal, anal, and/or perirectal
tissues.
• The disease is characterized by the presence of focal or multifocal, dissecting ulcerative sinus tracts of varying diameter, depth, and connectivity developing in the perianal tissue which can extend 360° circumferentially around the anus.
• Canine anal furunculosis has a clinical appearance similar to that of perianal fistula in humans, which is often associated with granulomatous enteritis (Crohn’s disease).
SIGNALMENT AND
CLINICAL SIGNS
• German shepherds with this disease appear
to be overrepresented, with one report showing that 84% of
affected dogs were German shepherds. Other breeds reported
include Irish setters, Collies, Border collies, Old English
sheepdogs, Labrador retrievers, English bulldogs, Beagles, Bouvier
des Flandres, Spaniels, and mixed breeds.
• The disease usually affects middle-aged dogs with a mean age of 4 to 7 years with no sex predilection.
• Clinical signs
associated with anal furunculosis are listed below.
| Clinical signs of anal furunculosis |
| • Tenesmus • Dyschezia • Haematochezia • Constipation or obstipation • Diarrhea • Ribbon like stool • Increased frequency of defaecation • Perianal purulent discharge and/or bleeding • Perianal licking • Self mutilation • Perianal pain • Scooting • Offensive odour • Low tail carriage • Weight loss |
PATHOGENESIS
• A definitive cause of anal furunculosis
has not been described; however, many theories have been proposed.
• The older hypotheses include poor conformation of the perianal region and tail (broad-based low tail carriage), anal crypt faecalith impaction resulting in abscessation, spread of infection from the anal glands or anal sacs, trauma, and foreign body reaction. Unfortunately, little evidence supports any of these hypotheses.
• The current theory
involves a multifactorial immune-mediated disease process.
An immune-mediated process is suspected
because both canine anal furunculosis and Crohn’s disease
respond to immunomodulation.
Accumulating evidence
shows that Crohn’s disease is the result of an unbalanced
host immune response to intestinal triggers in genetically susceptible
humans. Because German Shepherds with canine anal furunculosis
also have clinical and histologic evidence of colitis (inflammatory
bowel disease [IBD]), it is possible that enteral triggers (dietary
antigens, bacterial antigens, superantigens) are initiators of
canine anal furunculosis as well.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
• Examination of the perianal area of patients
with anal furunculosis usually requires sedation or general
anaesthesia because of severe pain.
• Clipping the perianal region is often necessary to assess the severity of disease. Lesions may vary from superficial pinpoint tracts to large ulcerated areas. Several of these tracts may often be interconnected. Tracts may tunnel deep within the surrounding tissue and occasionally communicate with the rectum, anus, and/or anal sacs.
• The tracts should be probed with a sterile, blunt instrument to determine their extent and involvement with regional structures.
• A rectal examination
should be performed to assess the external anal sphincter,
anal sacs, and rectal mucosa. Thickening (i.e., fibrosis) of
the anus and rectum can be palpated during the rectal examination.
It is important to determine whether there is evidence of anorectal
stenosis and/or perineal hernia, which would affect the prognosis.
The anal sacs may be normal,
impacted, or ruptured. In addition, the
anal sacs may be incorporated within surrounding tissue fibrosis.
• Cannulation of
the anal sac ducts determines whether they are occluded. Flushing
the anal sacs with sterile saline may reveal a previously unobserved
fistulating tract.
• The primary differential diagnoses include
anal sac abscessation, perianal adenoma, anal sac adenocarcinoma,
anal squamous cell carcinoma, rectal neoplasia, atypical bacterial
infection, mycosis, and oomycosis (pythiosis, lagenidiosis).
DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION
• The diagnosis of canine anal furunculosis
is based on history, physical examination findings, and ruling
out other primary diagnostic differentials.
• Superficial cytology is a standard tool for evaluating the cutaneous and sinus tract microenvironment. It invariably reveals pyogranulomatous inflammation with a mixed bacterial population.
• Fine-needle aspiration of an enlarged anal sac is warranted to rule out abscessation or neoplasia.
• Sinus tracts should be cultured with a sterile swab or tissue biopsy for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing because controlling secondary infection with antibiotics may take weeks to months.
• Tissue biopsy for histopathology can be used to verify the tentative diagnosis of canine anal furunculosis and to rule out neoplasia. Biopsy sites often have to heal by second intention.
• Other diagnostics that may prove useful include colonoscopy with biopsy, and pelvic radiography.
MANAGEMENT
SURGICAL
• Primary surgical treatment of canine anal
furunculosis was previously advocated. Surgical procedures
involved either destroying the epithelial lining of sinus tracts
or total en bloc tract excision to remove diseased tissue and
prevent recurrence.
• Surgical treatment included surgical excision, chemical cauterization, cryotherapy, deroofing and fulguration, and laser (i.e., neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet) excision. Tail amputation was also recommended as a means of reducing faecal soiling and contamination over the perianal area.
• These procedures
reportedly had varying success rates (48% to 97% of cases)
but a high rate of recurrence of disease (approximately 70%),
with some surgical techniques necessitating further surgical treatments.
• Other frequent serious complications such
as anal stenosis (up to 15% of cases, with the incidence approaching
47% following cryotherapy) and faecal incontinence (in up to 29%
of cases) were reported.
MEDICAL
• Fortunately, medical management in recent
years has shed new light on this devastating disease. Several
studies have reported favourable results with immunosuppressive
or immunomodulating drug regimens, including cyclosporin, tacrolimus,
and azathioprine and metronidazole. Conventional immunosuppression
with glucocorticoids has also been reported, albeit without
the same level of success.
• Consequently, clinicians can now give their clients new therapeutic options that can positively affect the prognosis. It is paramount for clinicians to discuss with clients the goal, effectiveness, length, and cost of therapy before implementing it.
• It is important for owners to understand that canine anal furunculosis is a chronic relapsing and remitting disease that can be managed but not necessarily cured. Lifelong therapy may be required as with other immunemediated diseases. If one drug combination does not achieve the defined goal, another drug protocol is warranted.
• The first goal of therapy should be to alleviate large bowel clinical signs such as tenesmus, dyschezia, hematochezia, constipation or obstipation, diarrhea, ribbon-like stool, increased frequency of defecation, and perianal pain. The second goal of therapy should be to reduce the diameter, depth, extent, and recurrence of sinus tracts.
• Medical management comprises immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment as well as hygiene, and antimicrobial therapy.
• As with treating other immune-mediated diseases, immunosuppressive therapy consists of induction and maintenance phases. The induction phase usually consists of oral systemic therapy to alleviate clinical signs associated with pain and inflammation. This phase can last 8 to 20 weeks.
• Once signs of
pain and lesional skin have improved, maintenance therapy
should be initiated. It may consist of the lowest effective dose
of oral therapy administered during induction and/or topical therapy.
Clinicians should not prescribe topical therapy until owners can
apply it safely and without discomfort to their dogs.
GLUCOCORTICOIDS,
AZATHIOPRINE AND METRONIZADOLE
| Association
of perianal fistula and colitis in the German Shepherd dog:
response to high-dose prednisolone and dietary therapy. JAAHA
32:515-520, 1996 |
| Prednisolone
(2 mg/kg PO q24h) was administered to 27 German shepherds
with canine anal furunculosis for 2 weeks, followed by a reduced
dose (1 mg/kg PO q24h) for an additional 4 weeks. Maintenance
prednisolone therapy (1 mg/kg PO q48h) was then administered
for varying durations (8 to 16 weeks). All 27 dogs completed the
study, with 33.3% of them showing complete resolution. One-third of the dogs improved with therapy, and one-third remained unchanged as far as lesional score. In most of the corticosteroid-treated dogs, associated clinical signs (tenesmus, hematochezia, frequent defecation) were reduced regardless of the extent of perianal lesion improvement at the end of the study. The resolution of associated clinical signs alone was a satisfactory outcome to owners for most cases in which lesions did not resolve. It is noteworthy that in addition to corticosteroids, all dogs received an altered protein diet during this study (Harkin et al 1996) |
• We have used glucocorticoids with reasonable success but usually combined with either azathioprine or metronidazole. This therapy is not cost prohibitive for most clients.
• Prednisolone should be initiated at immunosuppressive dose (2 to 4 mg/kg PO q24h or divided q12h), usually for 3 to 6 weeks to reduce pain, inflammation, and the extent of sinus tract involvement. Once the therapeutic goal has been achieved, the glucocorticoid dose should be slowly tapered over weeks to months to the lowest effective oral, every-other-day dose (ideally prednisone ≤1 mg/kg).
• Azathioprine suppresses both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and the potential side effects include gastrointestinal (GI) upset, bone marrow suppression, hepatotoxicity, and pancreatitis. When used as an adjuvant to glucocorticoids, azathioprine can be administered at 1.5 to 2.0 mg/kg/day PO for the first 2 to 4 weeks and then every other day.
• Metronidazole
has immunomodulating effects, is effective at reducing faecal
bacterial colonization of the perianal area, and is an antiprotozoal.
Its potential side effects include anorexia, GI upset, central
nervous system toxicity, and hepatotoxicity. We occasionally
administer metronidazole (10 to 15 mg/kg PO q12h) in combination
with glucocorticoids.
| Management of perianal fistulae
in five dogs using azathioprine and metronizadole prior to
surgery. Aust Vet Journal 77(6): 374-378 |
| A study was conducted to ascertain
the effectiveness of combination azathioprine and metronidazole
therapy prescribed once daily for 6 weeks before surgery (excision
of sinus tracts and anal sacculectomy). Time to maximal improvement
before surgery ranged from 3 to 6 weeks. During the first 2
weeks, associated clinical signs (anal irritation, licking,
dyschezia, tenesmus) resolved in all five German shepherds. Although
the perianal fistulas did not completely resolve, all lesions became
smaller with less inflammation. After surgery, all lesions resolved
with no recurrences (follow-up period: 7 to 10 months). Post surgical
medical treatment was continued for 2 to 6 weeks. Of importance,
the investigators found that medical therapy before surgery greatly
facilitated surgical success. (Tisdall 1999). We do not have experience with this combination of medical and surgical therapy; however, we share the belief that surgical therapy is more effective after medical therapy |
CYCLOSPORIN (CSA)
• CsA appears to be the most effective medical
treatment to date for canine anal furunculosis. Table 1 summarizes
the results of all the published trials utilising either CsA
alone or in combination with ketoconazole.
• The most effective therapeutic dosing regimen has not yet been clearly established. In most studies, CsA was given twice daily but data from recent studies suggest that once daily administration is as beneficial as twice daily dosing.
• Lesion resolution appears to be more rapid with the higher dosages, but clinical signs also improved with dosages ranging from as low as 2 to 5 mg kg 1. Short protocols with high dosages resulted in fast remission and high recovery rates, but they were likely to be followed by relapses of clinical signs after the discontinuation of treatment. Longer treatment protocols (> 13 weeks) decrease the rate of relapse.
GIVING KETOCONAZOLE
WITH CYCLOSPORIN
• Coadministration of ketoconazole with
CsA has been advocated to reduce the daily CsA dose and hence
cost to clients. Ketoconazole inhibits CsAmetabolizing enzymes
(i.e., cytochrome P-450 system), thereby decreasing CsA clearance
while increasing CsA blood concentration.
• The level of metabolizing
enzyme inhibition is quite variable among individuals. Therefore, the resulting
CsA blood concentration is variable and cannot be predicted. It should also
be remembered that ketoconazole has its own adverse side effects and drug
interactions that might prohibit its use.
• The co-administration of ketoconazole
decreases the dose of CsA needed to induce remission. A dosage
of 1 mg kg 1 of CsA combined with 10 mg kg 1 of ketoconazole
for 16 weeks was found to be effective in one study (Mouatt
et al 2002) and is currently the protocol we use in the dermatology
clinic.
• Other clinicians
prefer to use a higher induction dose of 5 mg kg 1 CsA in
combination with 5 mg kg 1 of ketoconazole for a shorter induction
period of 6 to 12 weeks before tapering the CsA dose (beginning
with a reduced daily dose is typical). If adverse effects are noted
during ketoconazole administration, CsA trough blood levels should
be determined by highpressure
liquid chromatography to rule out potential
CsA cytotoxicosis. Also, ketoconazole administration should
be discontinued and the cyclosporin dose either reduced or
discontinued pending CsA blood level results.
• Once clinical signs have substantially resolved, either the dose of CsA can be reduced by 20% to 40% and given daily or the same dose can be administered every other day. Continued dose tapering should be based on clinical response and lack of relapse. Tapering CsA too quickly is a frequent cause of clinical relapse.
MEASURING CYCLOSPORIN
TROUGH LEVELS
• A direct relationship between CsA blood
trough concentration and clinical efficacy in treating canine
anal furunculosis has not been definitively proven and we do
not routinely measure CsA trough blood levels. This tool should
be reserved for select patients, such as those receiving concurrent
ketoconazole, those not improving as expected, and those in which drug
toxicosis is
suspected. When trough levels are needed,
the high-pressure liquid chromatography method is recommended.
Unfortunately, this method is available in only select laboratories
and is expensive.
Table 1. Results
of CsA Therapy for Canine Anal Furunculosis
| Reference |
Year Published |
Oral Dosing |
Pertinent
Findings |
| Mathews et al |
1997 |
CsA (7.5–10
mg/kg q12h for 20wk) 80% of dogs required either trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole
(15 mg/kg q12h) or cephalexin (25 mg/kg q12h) for varying durations. |
100% of dogs showed progressive
improvement in associated signs and lesions after 1 wk. Total resolution occurred in 100% of dogs after 20 wk. Remission lasted 6–18 mo or more after treatment ended |
| Mathews et al |
1997 |
CsA
(5 mg/kg q12h for 16 wk) 100% of dogs were treatedwith cephalexin (20 mg/kg q12h for 10 days). |
The study was randomized, blinded, and
placebo-controlled during the initial 4 wk. 100% of dogs improved with
CsA therapy; 0% improved when administered a placebo. Several associated signs significantly improved within 4 wks. After 16 wk, 85% of dogs completely healed and the remaining dogs showed improvement. The disease recurred in 41% of dogs after treatment ended. The authors acknowledged that CsA blood concentration and efficacy may not be related. |
| Griffiths et al a, |
1999 |
CsA (7.5
mg/kg q12h for 10–20 wk) No concomitant antibiotherapy was administered. |
The average lesion reduction was
75% in all dogs within 1 wk. 100% of associated signs improved within
1 wk Lesions continued to resolve over 10–20 wk. The recurrence rate
was 17% during follow-up (mean: 7.7 mo). There was poor correlation
between CsA blood concentration and efficacy (at least after the first
week). |
| Hardie et al16 |
2000 |
CsA (4
mg/kg q12h until resolution [mean: 8.8 wk]) There was no mention
of concurrent antibiotherapy. |
96% of dogs showed improvement;
complete remission in 72% The recurrence rate was 36% during follow-up (mean:6.8 mo). Lesion recurrence averaged 10.6 wk after treatment ended. |
| Mouatt9, Et al a |
2002 |
CsA
did not exceed 1 mg/kg q12h for 16 wk Ketoconazole (10 mg/kg q24h for 16 wk) Antibiotherapy was given for concurrent conditions |
100% of dogs showed >50% reduction
in surface area and depth within 2 wk 100% of associated signs improved
within 2 wk Complete resolution occurred in 93% of dogs 50% of dogs
that had complete resolution were disease free for >1 yr. To maintain CsA at therapeutic blood levels, the dose of CsA was reduced 80%–90% when administered with ketoconazole. There was no consistent relationship between CsA blood concentration and efficacy. |
| Patricelli Et al a |
2002 |
CsA (2.5
mg/kg q12h or 4 mg/kg q24h [duration not specified] Ketoconazole (~8 mg/kg q24h in all dogs) There was no mention of concurrent antibiotherapy. |
Resolution of associated clinical
signs occurred within 9 wk in all dogs. Significant lesion improvement occurred in all dogs (mean time to remission: 14 wk). 63% of dogs that experienced remission had a mean time to recurrence of 12.4 wk. All dogs that experienced recurrence had moderate to severe disease at the initial examination. |
|
Doust
Et
al a
|
2003 |
CsA
(1.5, 3, 5, or 7.5 mg/kg q24h for 13 wk)
If clinical signs continued after 13 wk, owners could continue administering CsA. There was no mention of concurrent antibiotherapy. |
Lesions and associated signs
improved faster with the highest dose. The rate of complete resolution
was highest in dogs administered the highest dose. A longer (>12 mo) remission Or controlled response occurred regardless of the dose when dogs were treated for > 13 wk There was no consistent relationship between CsA blood concentration and efficacy. |
| O’Neill Et al a |
2004 |
CsA (0.5,
0.75, 1, or 2 mg/kg q12h [duration not specified; 3–10 wk?]) Ketoconazole (5–9 mg/kg q24h) Amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (12.5 mg/kg) or cephalexin (15 mg/kg q12h) was administered for 7 days before CsA and ketoconazole. |
Resolution of clinical signs began
in 1 to 2 weeks Lesions resolved in all dogs by 10 wk, but dramatic improvement occurred in the initial 2 wks. There was no correlation between the severity of lesions and duration of treatment. 63% of dogs remained in remission for 1–19 mo. Most dogs had CsA levels that exceeded therapeutic blood levels regardless of the dose of CsA. Significant interindividual variation occurred in CsA blood levels with similar drug doses. There was a cost reduction of 70% compared with using CsA (5 mg/kg q12h) alone. |
|
The microemulsified form of cyclosporine was prescribed. The target CsA blood trough concentration was usually 400–600 ng/ml. The associated signs (e.g., tenesmus, constipation, increased frequency of defecation, perianal licking, selfmutilation) varied with each study. Adjunctive surgical therapy was needed in several studies. |
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TACROLIMUS
• Tacrolimus has pharmacologic actions very
similar to those of CsA but is 10 to 100 times more potent.
It is applied topically to dogs because systemic administration
requires careful drug monitoring. All studies thus far indicate
that significant levels of tacrolimus do not accumulate in the blood
when it is given topically. The drug is currently used as a topical
immunomodulator in children and adults with atopic eczema. The most
common side effects in humans are stinging and burning.
• Topical tacrolimus (Protopic 0.1% ointment, Fujisawa Health Care) has been reported to completely heal sinus tracts in 50% of dogs or markedly improve lesions in 90% of dogs when applied once or twice daily to treat anal furunculosis. In this study, the severity of canine anal furunculosis was graded as mild to moderate before therapy. In dogs that healed completely with several months of remission, tacrolimus was applied up to 16 weeks. No major complications were reported in any of the dogs (Misseghers 2000).
• If clinical signs of canine anal furunculosis are relatively mild at initial presentation and the dog does not object to topical therapy, tacrolimus may be administered alone. Tacrolimus is not approved for use in dogs.
• As induction therapy is tapered, topical tacrolimus can be applied to the perianal region twice daily using a gloved hand. Induction therapy tends to be greatly reduced with concurrent tacrolimus therapy. We continue topical tacrolimus indefinitely regardless of whether induction therapy can be completely discontinued. Application of tacrolimus should be reduced to the lowest frequency that controls inflammation (usually every 24 to 72 hours). If tacrolimus is not used, the lowest possible dose of induction therapy should be given every 24 to 72 hours, depending on the drug(s) used.
Hygiene Therapy
• Antibiotic therapy is recommended to control
secondary infection and antibiotic selection should be based
on bacterial culture and susceptibility results. Empiric therapy
with either amoxicillin–clavulanic acid or metronidazole is useful,
pending culture results. Once the patient tolerates topical therapy,
mupirocin ointment (Bactroban, Pfizer) applied once or twice daily
may help reduce bacterial colonization.
• It is important
to keep the perianal region clean and dry. Clipping and cleaning
the perianal region under sedation can assist. Baby powder lightly
applied to the surrounding perineum may reduce regional relative
humidity. At home, antimicrobial shampoo therapy may be helpful
once the patient will tolerate it.
MONITORING
• Reexaminations are usually scheduled every
6 weeks. Tracking the degree of improvement in clinical signs
since the initial visit is important at each reexamination.
• Signs include tenesmus, dyschezia, hematochezia, constipation or obstipation, diarrhoea, ribbon-like stool, increased frequency of defecation, perianal licking, self-mutilation, perianal pain, scooting, offensive odour, low tail carriage, and weight loss. Although there may be several small sinus tracts, the owner may be satisfactorily impressed if signs of pain are reduced. Cutaneous reepithelialization may occasionally supersede the filling of sinus tracts, resulting in epithelialized tunnels, which were not associated with clinical problems in one study (Mouatt 2002)
• One of the most useful tools for monitoring improvement in canine anal furunculosis is a rectal examination while the patient is not sedated. Patients become less hesitant and require less restraint during rectal examinations as their clinical signs, specifically pain, improve. However, sedation is often needed during the first few reexaminations. The perianal, anal, and rectal tissues should be assessed. The anal sacs should be palpated and expressed if needed. The degree of tissue thickening (i.e., fibrosis) should be assessed during the rectal examination. In general, tissue thickening gradually reduces with time in patients that respond to treatment. Perianal cytology can be used to determine whether antibacterial treatments are still indicated.
ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT
• Unfortunately, all dogs with anal furunculosis
do not completely respond to medical management alone. Adjunctive
surgical therapy is warranted if affected tissue hinders improvement
in pain and/or healing or inflammation continues to expand despite
aggressive medical treatment. Despite differences among surgical
techniques previously described, the goal of surgical treatment is
to remove or destroy diseased tissue. This may include anal sacculectomy.
As previously noted, it appears that surgical outcomes improve with
prior medical treatment.
• The carbon dioxide
laser has been an effective adjunctive tool in treating canine
anal furunculosis in some dermatology practices in the US. Lasers
are used to ablate and/or excise ulcerative necrotic tissue
in patients with canine anal furunculosis.
FUTURE TREATMENTS
• To achieve and maintain remission in humans
with Crohn’s disease, several new and emerging therapeutic
options are being used. Many of these agents are designed to precisely
block or enhance immunologic events (i.e., cell signalling, leukocyte
adhesion) believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s
disease. Specifically, monoclonal anti–TNF-a antibodies (i.e., infliximab,
cytidine diphosphate-571), soluble TNF-a receptor antagonists (i.e.,
etanercept), recombinant IL-10 (i.e., antiinflammatory cytokine),
and intercellular adhesion molecule antagonists (i.e., natalizumab,
alicaforsen) have been used with varying success in patients with
Crohn’s disease.
• In addition to these treatments, use of probiotics (i.e., products containing microorganisms that beneficially alter the compartmental microflora of a host; e.g., Lactobacillus spp) in patients with Crohn’s disease is showing encouraging results.
• Perhaps once the
veterinary community elucidates the immunopathogenesis of canine anal furunculosis,
similar specific immune-altering therapies may prove useful in managing the
disease.
REFERENCES
Matushek KJ, Ederhard R: Perianal
fistulas in dogs. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 13(4):621–
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Day MJ, Weaver BM: Pathology of surgically
resected tissue from 305 cases of anal furunculosis in the dog.
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Harkin KR, Walshaw R, Mullaney TP: Association
of perianal fistula and colitis in the German shepherd dog:
Response to high-dose prednisone and dietary therapy. JAAHA 32:515–520,
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Tisdall PLC, Hunt GB, Beck JA, et al: Management
of perianal fistulae in five dogs using azathioprine and metronidazole
prior to surgery. Aust Vet J77(6):374–378, 1999.
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| Description
Cause Breed Occurrence Signs Complications |
Diagnosis
Treatment Prognosis Long-term problems |
Description
Anal furunculosis (or perianal fistulas)
are deep unsightly sinuses that track through the skin, sometimes
with flat open areas of ulceration. They are usually confined
to the skin around the anus, but in severe cases they can spread
as far as the flanks and run down the inside of the hindlegs.
Technically they are NOT fistulas because they course only within
the skin and do not open into another organ. Although they are near
the anal sacs (scent glands) the sinuses do not connect with them,
nor do they connect with the rectum or colon.
Cause
The cause of anal furunculosis is unknown.
The sinuses are not caused by infection,
although secondary bacterial infection may be present. Some
authors have suggested that dogs that carry the tail tightly
against the anal region may be predisposed to develop furunculosis
due to poor ventilation but this has not been proved. Others have
suggested that there may be impaction of the local crypts of Morgagni.
When the sinuses are tracked back to
their source they do not reach the anal sacs (scent glands)
or the rectum or colon, as was suggested by some authors who
were comparing the disorder with Crohne's Disease in humans..
Breed Occurrence
The disease occurs almost exclusively
in the German Shepherd Dog. It is seen in both sexes and in
German Shepherd crosses as well. It usually initially occurs
in dogs aged 3-8 years.
Signs
The skin lesions are irritable resulting
in self-trauma, and affected dogs often lick and bite
at the affected region. There may be pain, difficulty (or reluctance)
and straining during defaecation. If the lesions spread down
the legs the dog may walk with a straddled gait. Affected dogs
are often tail-shy and won't allow people near their rear end, or
to touch or lift their tail.
Complications
Repeated recurrences are common, and
repeated surgery or cryosurgery can lead to fibrosis making
defaecation difficult. Affected patients are often very tail-shy
and reluctant to allow inspection of the area , or touching/lifting
of the tail
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is confirmed at physical
examination and by ruling out other causes for the lesions
Treatment
Treatment with drugs alone has generally
not been successful, although recent reports suggest that
cyclosporin may be efficacious
There are two main forms of surgical
treatment :
Radical surgery where all the diseased
tissue is removed surgically (excised and debrided) and the
wounds are left open to heal by second intention. If the debrided
skin is sutured it will often breakdown.
Cryosurgery - applying freezing liquid
nitrogen, or by applying an ice-ball on a cryoprobe to the
diseased tissue.
Because of the extent
of the lesions these treatments often have to be repeated several times.
Prognosis
The prognosis is guarded as recurrence
is common
Long term problems
| Babesiosis as an Underlying Factor
Influencing the Severity and Duration of Perianal Fistulas in Three
Dogs |
Efficiency of Imidacarb Dipropionate
against Perianal Fistulas in 10 Dogs |
| Evaluation
of the Effect of Two Dose Rates of Cyclosporine on the Severity of Perianal Fistulae Lesions and Associated Clinical Signs in Dogs |