Cervical Cutaneous Fistula of Odontogenic Origin in a Dog: A Case Report

Abstract

Cutaneous odontogenic fistulas are pathological connections between the oral cavity and the animal's skin, caused by chronic dental infection. Due to their diverse cutaneous manifestations, they can be misdiagnosed or diagnosed late, which may lead to inadequate and unnecessary treatments. A dog with a history of draining cutaneous lesions underwent several unsuccessful surgical and dermatological interventions. During veterinary dental care, erythematous cutaneous lesions were observed in the mandibular region that extended to a draining fistula in the middle third of the neck, leading to the suspicion that it was a cutaneous odontogenic fistula despite its atypical location. The definitive diagnosis was reached by means of intraoral dental radiography, revealing a periapical abscess in a mandibular molar tooth, which had communication with the cervical fistula. The condition in the dog was completely resolved after tooth extraction, revealing the importance of considering odontogenic infections in the differential diagnosis of atypical skin lesions in the head and neck region.