Dermoscopic Features of Calcinosis Cutis in 12 Dogs: An Observational Study.

Dermoscopy effectively visualizes calcinosis cutis in dogs as bright white areas with characteristic vascular patterns.

This observational study evaluated dermoscopic features of calcinosis cutis (CC) in 12 dogs with hyper-cortisolism. Calcinosis cutis is an uncommon condition characterized by cutaneous calcification, typically secondary to iatrogenic or endogenous hyper-adrenocorticism. Dermoscopic examination at ×10 magnification was performed by four board-certified veterinary dermatologists and residents. All lesions demonstrated structureless bright white areas and erythema. Eight lesions exhibited yellowish-to-brown plugs emerging from follicular ostia and/or epidermal ulcerations. Vascular patterns were predominantly monomorphic, with short dilated linear curved vessels observed in seven lesions and short linear vessels in four. Histopathological confirmation revealed white structures corresponded to dermal calcium deposits. The study found no specific association between dermoscopic features and mineralization distribution on histopathology. The authors conclude that dermoscopy is a useful non-invasive preliminary diagnostic technique for assessing calcinosis cutis in dogs, offering practical clinical value for evaluating these lesions in hypercortisolemic patients.

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