Dermatology - Autoimmune Focus
Receiving Days: Wednesday (Dr. Olivry), appointments
Objectives
Dr. Olivry specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of small animal autoimmune skin diseases, especially pemphigus and other blistering diseases (bullous and mucous membrane pemphigoids, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita). Our dermatology laboratory provides unique support to aid in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases of animals, with the availability of direct and indirect immunofluorescence assays and identification of the antigen(s) targeted by circulating auto-antibodies. Currently, we investigate novel modalities for treatment of autoimmune skin diseases including oral glucocorticoid pulses and the use of copper chelation as steroid-sparing agent in dogs with diseases refractory to conventional therapy.
English Bulldog with pemphigus foliaceus before (left) and after (right) immunosuppressive therapy
The presence of anti-basement membrane antibodies (green line) was revealed by indirect immunofluorescence in a dog with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
In this dog with pemphigus foliaceus, the direct immunofluorescence method allowed to visualize auto-antibody deposition in the skin (fishnet-like green lines)