Suggested guidelines for using systemic antimicrobials in bacterial skin infections: part 2-- antimicrobial choice, treatment regimens and compliance.

Systemic antimicrobials are critically important in veterinary healthcare, and resistance is a major concern. Antimicrobial stewardship will be important in maintaining clinical efficacy by reducing the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Bacterial skin infections are one of the most common reasons for using systemic antimicrobials in dogs and cats. Appropriate management of these infections is, therefore, crucial in any policy for responsible antimicrobial use. The goals of therapy are to confirm that an infection is present, identify the causative bacteria, select the most appropriate antimicrobial, ensure that the infection is treated correctly, and to identify and manage any underlying conditions. This is the second of two articles that provide evidence-led guidelines to help practitioners address these issues. Part 1 discussed the use of clinical signs, cytology and culture in diagnosis. This article will cover the rationale for topical and systemic antimicrobial therapy, including choice of first-, second- and third-line drugs, the dose, duration of therapy, compliance and identification of underlying predisposing conditions. In addition, there is guidance on cases of therapeutic failure and environmental hygiene. These guidelines will help veterinarians avoid the development and propagation of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial strains.

Suggested guidelines for using systemic antimicrobials in bacterial skin infections (1): diagnosis based on clinical presentation, cytology and culture.

Systemic antimicrobials are critically important in veterinary healthcare and resistance is a major concern. Antimicrobial stewardship will be important in maintaining clinical efficacy by reducing the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Bacterial skin infections are one of the most common reasons for using systemic antimicrobials in dogs and cats.Appropriate management of these infections is therefore crucial in any policy for responsible antimicrobial use. The goals of therapy are to confirm that an infection is present, identify the causative bacteria, select the most appropriate antimicrobial, ensure that the infection is treated correctly, and to identify and manage any underlying conditions. This is the first of two articles that will provide evidence-led guidelines to help practitioners address these issues. This article covers diagnosis, including descriptions of the different clinical presentations of surface, superficial and deep bacterial skin infections, how to perform and interpret cytology, and how to best use bacterial culture and sensitivity testing. The second article, to be published in a subsequent issue of Veterinary Record, will discuss therapy,including choice of drug and treatment regimens.

Clinical, histopathological and genetic data of ichthyosis in the golden retriever: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: We described epidemiological, clinical, histopathological and ultrastructural features of ichthyosis in the golden retriever breed in a prospective study. We also investigated the mode of transmission of this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 150 golden retrievers, 73 of which were affected by ichthyosis (35 males and 38 females). We carried out detailed clinical and histopathological examinations for 40 affected dogs. Transmission electron microscopy was performed for two of them. We used pedigree analysis with the Cyrillic software to determine the mode of transmission. RESULTS: Dermatological signs included a mild to moderate or severe generalised scaling with initially small to large whitish scales and progressively blackish scales. The ventral glabrous skin was hyperpigmented and rough, similar to sandpaper. Histopathological features were characterised by moderate to severe laminated or compact orthokeratotic epidermal hyperkeratosis without significant involvement of the stratum granulosum. Ultrastructural findings revealed laminated or compact keratin layers and numerous persistent corneodesmosomes within the stratum corneum. Analysis of the pedigree suggested an autosomal recessive inheritance. CONCLUSION: The histopathological and ultrastructural characteristics strongly suggest that golden retriever ichthyosis is a retention ichthyosis, caused by absence of corneodesmosomal degradation, transmitted through an autosomal recessive mode.

Therapy of difficult cases of canine pyoderma with marbofloxacin: a report of 39 dogs.

Thirty-nine dogs with severe and/or recurrent lesions of pyoderma were treated with marbofloxacin at an average dosage of 2.12 mg/kg bodyweight, once daily, for time periods varing from 10 to 213 days. Forty-seven strains of bacteria, isolated from 34 cultures, were tested for sensitivity to various antibiotics. At day 0, no resistance to marbofloxacin was found, but one refractory case, a strain of Staphylococcus intermedius resistant to marbofloxacin, was cultured at day 28. Thirty-three dogs (84.6 per cent) showed an excellent response (cure), one (2.6 per cent) a clear improvement and one (2.6 per cent) a smaller improvement, while the remaining four dogs showed no response after 11 to 60 days. Fifteen dogs (45.5 per cent) relapsed over the follow-up period of three to 191 days, but none of the dogs in the study exhibited any adverse effects.

Feline Pododermatoses.

Abstract- Pododermatoses are uncommon in the cat. Diagnosis is based on a detailed and thorough history including progression of the disease, its response to previous therapy, involvement of other animals or people, and the cats' environment. Physical examination of both the skin and the body, as a whole, is essential because feline pododermatoses are often associated with systemic disease such as feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodefiency virus (FIV) and diabetes mellitus. Laboratory tests include skin scrapings, Wood's light examination, fungal culture, lesion smears, and skin biopsy. The latter is often the key to the diagnosis of feline pododermatoses. Other tests may include the intradermal skin test, patch testing and evaluation of endocrine function. Successful therapy of feline pododermatoses is dependent upon obtaining a definitive diagnosis. Résumé- Les pododermatites sont peu fréquentes chez le chat. Le diagnostic repose sur une anamnèse soignée comprenant l'évolution de la maldie, sa réponse aux traitements antérieurs l'atteinte d'autres animaux on de personnes et l'environnement du chat. L'examen clinique, de la peau et de l'enseble du corps comme un tout, est essentiel, les pododermatites félines étant souvent associées à des maladies générales telles que le FeLV, le FIV ou le diabète sucré. Les examens complémentaires comportent des raclages cutanés, un examen à la lampe de Wood, une culture fongique, des caiques des lésions et des biopsies. Cette derrière est souvent la clef du diagnostic d'une pododermatite féline. Les autres examens complémentaires peuvent ètre des intradermopréactions, des tests épicutanés et des tests hormonaux. Le succès du traitement d'une pododermatite féline dépend de la possibilité d'établir un diagnostic définitif. Zusammenfassung- Pododermatitis bei Katzen ist selten. DieDiagnose beruht auf einer detaillierten und sorgfältig erhobenen Anamnèse einschließlich des Verlaufs der Erkrankung, ihrem Ansprechen auf bereits durchgeführte Therapien, die Erkrankung weiterer Tiere oder Menschen sowie Angaben über die Lebensumstände der Katze. Die klinische Untersuchungen von Haut und dem Körper als Ganzes ist ein wesentlicher Punkt, da feline Pododermatosen oft mit systemischen Erkrankungen wie FeLV, FIV und Diabetes mellitus vergesellschaftet sind. Laboruntersuchungen schließben Hautgeschabsel, Untersuchungen mit der Wood-Lampe, Pilzkultur, Abklatschpräparate, der Hautveränderungen und Hautbiopsien mit ein. Letztere sind oft der Schlüssel zur Diagnose der felinen Pododermatitis. Andere diagnostische Methoden können intradermale Hauttests, Patchtests und überprüfung endokriner Organfunktionene beinhalten. Die erfolgreiche Behandlung der felinen Pododermatitis hängt davon ab, ob eine definitive Diagnose erstellt werden kann. Resumen Pododermatosis es un hallazgo infrequente en el gato. El diagnóstico se basa en una historia detallada y completa incluyendo el curso de la enfermedad, respuesta a la terapia instaurada, si ha afectado a otros animales o personas, y el medio ambiente que rodea al gato. El examen fisico de ambos, piel y cuerpo, como si se tratase de una entidad única, és esencial, ya que las pododermatosis felinas se asocian frequentemente a enfermedades sistémicas como FeLV, FIV y diabetes mellitus. Los exámenes de laboratorio incluyen raspados cutáneos, investigación con la lámpara de wood, cultivos fungales, examinación microscópica directa del exudado, y biopsia cutánea. Esta última es frecuentemente la clave en el diagnóstico de la pododermatosis felina. Otros tests a llevar a cabo podrían ser pruebas cutáneas intradérmicas, tests de sensibilidad de contacto, y evalucación de la función endocrina. El éxito de la terapia depende de la obtención de un diagnóstico correcto.