Introduction

Papular dermatitis in scarcely haired skin is clinically suggestive of leishmaniosis in an endemic area. This is a mild disease (stage I) of canine leishmaniosis (PDL) and is associated with a good clinical outcome. Ibizan hounds appear to be resistant to this infection. However, prevalence of this clinical condition in this breed has never been described.

Objective

The main objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of PDL in Ibizan hounds living in a highly endemic area of leishmaniosis and to compare it with other breeds.

Methods

Fifty Ibizan hounds and 47 dogs of several breeds, kept outdoors and living in the same geographic area (Mallorca), were included in winter period. Physical examination, cytological or dermatopathological examination with Leishmania-specific immunohistochemistry (IHQ) from papular lesions, and hemato-chemical and serological tests for the determination of anti-Leishmania antibodies were performed.

Results

All Ibizan hounds had normal hemato-chemical tests, and nine dogs (18%) were serologically positive (low levels). In the other group, 10 dogs (21%) had low to medium levels of antibodies. Papular dermatitis was observed in 27/50 Ibizan hounds, whereas any dog of the other group showed these lesions (p<0.0001). Although cytological examination (11/27) was suggestive of macrophagic inflammation in eight dogs, amastigotes were observed only in two. Further other three dogs were diagnosed by means of IHQ.

Conclusion

Papular dermatitis is highly prevalent (54%) in the Ibizan hound living in an endemic area for leishmaniosis compared with dogs of other breeds.