Successful Use of a Single Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser Procedure as Medium-To-Long-Term Treatment for Unresponsive Dermal Arteritis of the Nasal Philtrum in Dogs: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND

Dermal arteritis of the nasal philtrum (DANP) is an uncommon and poorly understood condition affecting large vessels of the nasal philtrum in dogs. Medical and/or surgical management has been proposed with inconsistent results and incomplete resolution. Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers are used for a variety of soft tissue procedures and could be beneficial in DANP owing to their intrinsic haemostatic capabilities.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the use of CO2 laser ablation for the treatment of unresponsive DANP in dogs.

ANIMALS: Five client-owned dogs with a presumptive or definitive diagnosis of DANP and unresponsive to standard treatments were included.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

CO2 laser ablation of the ulcer and the adjacent tissue was performed until complete resolution of the nasal bleeding was achieved.

RESULTS

This cohort included two Saint Bernards, one great Dane, one American bulldog and one mixed-breed dog. There were four neutered males and one spayed female with a median age of 7 (range 6-10) years. The procedure led to complete resolution of the bleeding within a few days post-laser procedure. A follow-up ranging from 1 to 12 months reported a lack of relapses of bleeding and ulceration in all dogs.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this study of five dogs, a single CO2 laser ablation was practical, cost-effective, and provided full remission of the clinical signs of DANP that had been unresponsive to standard treatment. This is the first report describing CO2 laser as a potential alternative treatment for difficult cases of canine DANP.