Evaluation of hypochlorous acid as an ear flush in dogs with chronic otitis externa

BackgroundChronic otitis externa (OE) in dogs frequently requires anaesthetised ear flushing. ObjectivesTo evaluate hypochlorous acid as an ear flushing and antimicrobial agent in dogs with chronic OE. AnimalsTwenty dogs with chronic OE caused by the same organisms bilaterally. Materials and MethodsOne ear was flushed under anaesthesia with hypochlorous acid, the other with saline solution. Subsequently, the ear flushed with hypochlorous acid was cleaned with the same solution twice daily for 2 weeks, the other ear with a commercial ear cleaner. An ear medication containing miconazole, polymyxin B and prednisolone was used once daily in both ears. Clinical scores were determined before the flush. Ear cytological results were obtained, a hearing test was conducted before and after the ear flush, and a culture was taken directly after flushing. Ears were evaluated after 2 weeks of therapy. ResultsYeast was present in the ears of 11, cocci in one and a mixed infection in eight dogs. Five ears were negative on culture after flushing with hypochlorous acid, one after the saline flush. Clinical and cytological scores decreased significantly with both solutions after 2 weeks of treatment. There was no difference between treatments in any of the scores at any time point between treatments and in the results of the hearing test before and after the flushing procedure. Adverse effects were not seen. Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceHypochlorous acid is a suitable cleaning solution for canine OE

A randomised, double-blinded comparison between subcutaneous rush and intralympathic allergen immunotherapy induction in atopic dogs

BackgroundAtopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common skin diseases in small animal practice. Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only curative treatment for the disease, and oral, subcutaneous and intralymphatic administration of allergens are commonly employed. ObjectivesTo compare the efficacy of AIT following an induction phase with intralymphatic injections (ILIT) or rush immunotherapy (RIT). AnimalsFifty privately owned dogs with AD. Materials and MethodsIn a double-blinded study, dogs were randomly assigned to either four monthly ILIT of allergen extract or RIT with five injections administered subcutaneously at hourly intervals on the first day. They were assessed by validated scores;Canine Atopic Dermatitis Lesion Index (CADLI) and pruritus Visual Analog Scale (PVAS) at the beginning of the study and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The latter were performed daily for 7 days before each revisit. Medication scores and a total clinical score were calculated and compared between each group and time point. ResultsThere was no significant difference in CADLI and PVAS scores, or CADLI and medication scores between groups at any of the time points. A significant improvement with both ILIT and RIT was seen in total and pruritus scores, respectively. An owner global assessment of good-to-excellent treatment efficacy was seen in 40% of the dogs;total scores improved by 27% and 35% in the RIT and ILIT group, respectively. Adverse effects were not seen. Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceInduction of AIT can be conducted either as RIT or ILIT with no loss in efficacy

Reproducibility of serum testing for environmental allergen‐specific IgE in dogs in Europe

Background Serum testing for allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E is commonly employed to identify allergens used for allergen-specific immunotherapy in dogs, yet the reliability of results has been a matter of debate. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of serum tests for environmental allergen-specific IgE in three European laboratories. Animals/Methods Serum was obtained from 33 client-owned dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, divided into three aliquots and sent to the laboratories under different names. Two aliquots were sent simultaneously to one of the laboratories on the first day; the third sample was then sent to the same laboratory on the subsequent day. The laboratory for each patient was chosen according to a predetermined randomization list. The agreement between different samples from the same dog for each of the laboratories was calculated with a Cohen’s Kappa test. Spearman's rank coefficients (rsp) as well as the coefficients of variation (CV) additionally were calculated. Results The intra- and interassay agreements for laboratories A, B and C were 0.79 and 0.75, 0.92 and 0.90, and 0.90 and 0.85, respectively. The CVs were 18.92% and 22.95%, 14.43% and 18.79%, and 15.38% and 18.75% (respectively) and the rsp 0.73 and 0.68, 0.95 and 0.92, and 0.82 and 0.74 (respectively). Conclusion and clinical relevance The differences in reproducibility between laboratories complicate test interpretation and underline the importance of interpreting results of serum testing for allergen-specific IgE in the context of the patient's clinical history