Sepsis and multi-organ dysfunction associated with postgrooming furunculosis in a dog.

BACKGROUND: Postgrooming furunculosis, as previously described in the dog, is a type of pyoderma that typically responds to routine antimicrobial therapy. Systemic clinical signs are common but are usually mild.

ANIMAL: A 3-year-old spayed female great dane was presented with marked dorsal furunculosis of 24 h duration. The clinical signs and blood analyses were consistent with sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Skin culture revealed multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. The dog did not respond to aggressive medical therapy including intravenous antibiotic therapy, fresh frozen plasma and haemodynamic support, and was humanely euthanized. Postmortem findings were consistent with postgrooming furunculosis with associated sepsis and DIC affecting multiple organs including the lungs and brain.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Postgrooming furunculosis can progress to sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction in the dog and can lead to death.