Ulcerative neutrophilic dermatitis resembling human bromoderma in a dog

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Dermatology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Idiopathic epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in dogs.
• Potassium bromide is a frequently used anticonvulsant medication in veterinary medicine.

Observation:

• A dog presented with painful, ulcerative lesions and hemorrhagic nodules on the nose and limbs.
• Lesions were unresponsive to antibacterial and immunomodulatory treatments.
• Histopathology revealed sterile neutrophilic dermatitis.

Findings:

• A diagnosis of sterile neutrophilic dermatitis, mimicking pyoderma gangrenosum, was made.
• A cutaneous drug reaction to potassium bromide was suspected.
• Discontinuation of potassium bromide resulted in complete resolution of ulcerative lesions within six weeks.

Implications:

• This case highlights a potential adverse drug reaction to potassium bromide in dogs, presenting as ulcerative dermatitis.
• The condition resembles human bromoderma, suggesting a shared pathomechanism.
• Veterinarians should consider potassium bromide-induced cutaneous reactions in dogs with unexplained ulcerative dermatitis.