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Treatment

This disease is not life-threatening and symptomatic treatment is often sufficient in most animals. Antibiotics, vitamin supplementation, and topical medications are commonly used. Severe lesions, on the other hand, may be disfiguring in nature and may require a more aggressive therapy. In some dogs, drugs to suppress the immune system are also employed to counter the over-reactivity of the immune system.

Living and Management

Follow your veterinarian's guidelines regarding care of skin lesions; these lesions may bleed spontaneously and need proper attention during the treatment period. The dog should be protected from direct sun exposure (i.e., UV light) and may require sunblock.

You may be asked to bring in your dog every 14 days after initiation of treatment to evaluate clinical response. Laboratory testing, meanwhile, is conducted every three to six months to evaluate the disease and the effectiveness of the treatment. This disease is progressive in nature and remission is seen in the majority of patients. However, if immunosuppressive therapy is required on a long-term basis, prognosis is not good.

In addition, because of the genetic nature of the disease, your veterinarian will recommend against breeding a dog with cutaneous lupus erythematosus.