Dermoscopic Findings and Comparison of Usefulness of Longitudinal Versus Transversal Sections in the Histological Diagnosis of Alopecia X

This study investigated the correlation between dermoscopic and histological features in diagnosing alopecia X in Pomeranian dogs, using both longitudinal and transversal sectioning of skin biopsy samples. The study involved 19 affected Pomeranians and 5 healthy controls. Dermoscopic findings included scattered, thinned, short hairs, follicular plugging, scaling, and hyperpigmentation, which correlated with histological findings. Transversal sections were particularly useful for determining hair follicle density, growth arrest phases, and identifying mineralization of the hair follicle basement membrane, proving more informative than longitudinal sections. The study concludes that dermoscopic evaluation and transversal biopsy sections are valuable tools in diagnosing alopecia X. No correlation was found between histological findings and the dogs' demographic or clinical characteristics.