ABSTRACT
When performing a biopsy of conditions that affect the skin as well as the nasal planum, it can be useful to sample affected skin rather than the actual nasal planum. This chapter outlines that the general approach to nasal dematoses: nasal arteritis, ulceration of the nasal philtrum in a weimaraner dog, discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). Arteritis is speculated that inflammation of the arterial walls leads to progressive thickening, resulting in partial occlusion, local tissue ischaemia, necrosis and ulceration. Solar radiation induces an inflammatory cascade that damages dermal and epidermal components and provokes a chronic, immune-mediated reaction. Lesions are characterised by depigmentation and loss of cobblestone architecture of the nasal planum. Loss of pigmentation and cobblestone architecture on the nose should raise a high index of suspicion for DLE. The goal of treatment should be to prevent the development of crusting, ulceration and new lesions.
