Juvenile cellulitis, also called puppy strangles or juvenile sterile granulomatous dermatitis and lymphadenitis, is an uncommon disease of young puppies in which the face, ears and mandibular lymph nodes swell suddenly and fill with sterile pyogranulomatous inflammation. It looks infected but is not, and it responds to immunosuppressive glucocorticoids rather than antibiotics alone. Recognizing it early matters because delayed treatment leaves scars, and the main look-alike, demodicosis, is made worse by the same steroids.
Key facts
Juvenile cellulitis at a glance- Species and age: dogs, typically 3 weeks to 4 months old; rarely adults.
- Systems: skin (face and pinnae) and lymph nodes (mandibular lymphadenitis); sometimes joints.
- Cause: unknown; thought to be immune dysregulation. Lesions are sterile and no infectious agent has been isolated.
- Breeds at higher risk: Golden Retriever, Gordon Setter and Dachshund, though any breed can be affected.
- Classic presentation: sudden facial and periocular swelling, papules and pustules on the muzzle and pinnae, purulent otitis and large mandibular lymph nodes in a lethargic puppy.
- Zoonotic/reportable: no; it is not contagious.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 11 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
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