Quality of Life of Allergic Dogs Treated with Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy-A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: The quality of life (QoL) of dogs with canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) treated with allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) was studied to determine whether the QoL of dogs treated with ASIT (AG) improved compared with dogs not treated with ASIT (CG). METHODS: The power of the study was calculated in advance assuming that the AG would assess QoL 20% better than the CG. The CG consisted of 21 dogs with CAD and the AG of 46 dogs with CAD. Validated QoL1 (pre-treatment) and QoL2 (post-treatment) questionnaires were emailed to owners. RESULTS: AG dogs were significantly less disturbed during mealtimes (i.e., had better appetites and scratched less during mealtimes) and caused significantly less physical discomfort to their owners (due to unpleasant odor, the impression of a dirty apartment) than CG dogs. Owners of dogs treated with ASIT were able to significantly improve their daily activities (leisure, vacation, walks, work, hunting), significantly reduce their expenses (treatment costs, veterinary costs), feel significantly less emotional distress (less guilt, powerlessness, sadness, regret, fear, anger, disgust, rage, frustration), and experience less influence on relationships with family members and friends compared to owners of dogs not treated with ASIT. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, the quality of life of dogs treated with ASIT and their owners seemed to improve significantly.

Dirofilaria Repens in Dogs and Humans in Slovenia.

Introduction: The prevalence of Dirofilaria repens in dogs in countries bordering Slovenia ranges from 1.5% to 47.3%. The aim of this study was to estimate its prevalence in Slovenian dogs and to present the cases of dirofilariasis diagnosed in humans from 2010 to 2020. Material and Methods: Epidemiological data were collected and blood samples were taken from 465 dogs older than one year and born in Slovenia. A real-time PCR was performed on all samples to detect filarioid DNA, and a D. repens-and D. immitis-specific real-time PCR was performed on positive samples. Blood samples from 446 dogs were tested for Dirofilaria spp. using a modified Knott's test. Human cases were diagnosed from histological sections of excised subcutaneous nodules. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the samples. The one-sample nonparametric chi-squared test was used to assess whether categories of a variable were equally distributed. Results: Three dogs' samples tested positive for D. repens using the species-specific real-time PCR, while D. immitis DNA was not detected. The modified Knott's test was positive in two of the three PCR-positive dogs, two of which had never travelled outside Slovenia's borders. Four human patients with D. repens dirofilariasis were diagnosed. Since their travel history was unknown, autochthonous transmission could not be confirmed. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a 0.64% prevalence of D. repens infection in dogs in Slovenia. Two cases could be autochthonous.

Canine Leishmaniasis Prevalence in the Slovenian Dog Population.

INTRODUCTION: Leishmaniasis is a life-threatening zoonosis of which dogs are the major reservoir and sandflies are the vectors. Until now, the prevalence of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) in the Slovenian dog population was unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Epidemiological data, eye swabs and blood samples were taken from 465 dogs born in Slovenia and older than one year. Commercial ELISA kits and real-time PCR were used. For ELISA-positive samples, an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) was performed. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the samples. The one-sample nonparametric chi-square test was used to test whether the categories of a variable were equally distributed. RESULTS: A 59.9% proportion of the recruited dogs had travelled to endemic regions and 62.1% of them had not been protected by insect repellents. Skin symptoms that might be CanL-related were described in 109 of the dogs' histories (23.4%), inappetence and/or weight loss in 25 (5.4%), and anaemia, intermittent fever, and/or lymphadenopathy in 19 (4.1%). At the time of recruitment, all dogs were asymptomatic. All samples were PCR negative, nine (1.9%) were ELISA positive, but none were IFAT positive. Five of the nine ELISA-positive dogs were non-travellers. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the seroprevalence of canine leishmaniasis of 1.9 % in the autochthonous Slovenian dog population may pose a risk of endemic spread of the disease.

Insect Protein-Based Diet as Potential Risk of Allergy in Dogs.

Before insects can be used widely as an alternative source of dietary protein, their allerginicity should be investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the potential adverse reactions of the immune system of dogs against Tenebrio molitor proteins. Dogs sensitised to storage mites T. putrescentiae and A. siro were included. Clinically healthy and clinically allergic dogs were compared. Proteins were extracted from mealworm larvae and their digestibility determined by in vitro incubation with digestive proteases. Mealworm protein extracts and digests were analysed by SDS-PAGE. Canine sera tested for the presence of mite-specific IgEs were used for subsequent Western blotting. LC-MS/MS analysis was used to identify mealworm proteins and their allergenic potential was predicted with the AllermatchTM tool. The binding of canine sera IgEs to mealworm proteins was confirmed; however, the differences between the two groups of dogs were not significant. Moreover, no clear correlation was found between sensitisation to storage mites and clinical status of the dogs. Altogether, 17 different proteins were identified, including tropomyosin, α-amylase, and Tm-E1a cuticular protein that are known cross-reacting IgE-binding allergens. Our results suggest that dogs allergic to mites may clinically express also the cross-reactivity with mealworm proteins.

Determination of N-acylhomoserine lactones of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in clinical samples from dogs with otitis externa.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial intercellular communication, called quorum sensing, takes place via the production and collective response to signal molecules. In Gram-negative bacteria, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, these signaling molecules are N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). P. aeruginosa is a common cause of inflammation of the ear canal (otitis externa) in dogs. It employs quorum sensing to coordinate the expression of host tissue-damaging factors, which are largely responsible for its virulence. The treatment of P. aeruginosa-associated otitis is challenging due to a high intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa to several antibiotics. Attenuation of quorum sensing signals to inhibit bacterial virulence is a novel strategy for the treatment of resistant bacterial pathogens, including P. aeruginosa. Therefore, it is important to recognize and define quorum sensing signal molecules in clinical samples. To date, there are no reports on determination of AHLs in the veterinary clinical samples. The purpose of this study was to validate an analytical procedure for determination of the concentration of AHLs in the ear rinses from dogs with P. aeruginosa-associated otitis externa. Samples were obtained with rinsing the ear canals with physiological saline solution. For validation, samples from healthy dogs were spiked with none or different known amounts of the selected AHLs. With the validated procedure, AHLs were analyzed in the samples taken in weekly intervals from two dogs, receiving a standard treatment for P. aeruginosa-associated otitis externa. RESULTS: Validation proved that the procedure enables quantification of AHLs in non-clinical and clinical samples. In addition, a time dependent reduction of AHL concentration was detected for the treated dogs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is superior in detecting AHLs compared to other chromatographic techniques. This is the first report on determination of AHLs in the clinical samples of veterinary importance. The analytical procedure described in this paper is capable of supporting novel antimicrobial strategies, which target quorum sensing.

Management of canine leishmaniosis in endemic SW European regions: a questionnaire-based multinational survey.

BACKGROUND: Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by Leishmania infantum is a widespread endemic disease in SW Europe. This study was designed to determine how veterinarians clinically manage CanL in this region by analysing information collected in a questionnaire completed by local veterinarians working in clinics in France, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Italy and Slovenia. METHODS: Over the period 2004-2011, a questionnaire on CanL was sent to 12,546 small animal clinics located in the six countries surveyed. The questionnaire with 10 items comprising open and closed questions sought to obtain comparable data regarding the main clinical manifestations of CanL, the diagnostic methods used, the treatment regimens selected, recommended preventive measures and awareness of the important public health implications of CanL. RESULTS: The data collected reflect similarities in the clinical manifestations reported although there was some variation in the concurrent diseases described, and wide variation in the clinical management of CanL among the countries examined in terms of dosing regimens, therapeutic agents and the criteria used to diagnose CanL. Most veterinarians properly informed dog owners about the preventive measures available and about the zoonotic implications of CanL. CONCLUSIONS: This survey describes the current situation in SW endemic countries in Europe regarding the clinical management of CanL. The data collected reveal a need to unify criteria from evidence-based medicine to determine and similarly apply the best diagnostic and treatment methods available for this disease in the different countries.

Plasma and skin vitamin E concentrations in canine atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Altered homeostasis of vitamin E has been demonstrated in human atopic dermatitis. Data on plasma and skin vitamin E concentrations in canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) are not available. OBJECTIVE: To determine vitamin E concentrations in plasma and skin of atopic dogs. ANIMALS AND METHODS: Vitamin E concentrations in plasma and full-thickness skin biopsies of 15 atopic dogs were related to CAD extent and severity index (CADESI-03) scores and compared to the equivalent concentrations in 17 healthy dogs. Statistically significant differences of measured parameters between the two groups were determined by the nonparametric Mann Whitney U test and correlations between CADESI-03 scores and vitamin E concentrations were evaluated by the Spearman rank test. A value of P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations of vitamin E were significantly lower in atopic dogs than in healthy dogs, with median values of 29.8 and 52.9 µmol/L, respectively. Skin vitamin E values did not differ significantly between patients and healthy controls. The median concentration of skin vitamin E in atopic dogs was higher than that in healthy dogs. No significant correlations were found between CADESI-03 score and plasma vitamin E or skin vitamin E concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly lower plasma vitamin E concentrations in atopic dogs than in healthy controls indicate altered homeostasis of vitamin E in CAD. CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Further investigation into vitamin E supplementation in CAD is warranted.

Oxidative stress markers in canine atopic dermatitis.

There are no data in the veterinary literature relating to oxidative stress in canine atopic dermatitis (CAD). The study aimed to determine levels of oxidative stress markers, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), in 15 CAD patients and 17 healthy dogs. A correlation between CADESI (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index) score and MDA was also determined. Significantly higher plasma MDA levels were found in patients than in healthy dogs. The significant, highly positive correlation determined between CADESI score and MDA in the patient group indicates an association between the severity of CAD and the extent of oxidative damage to membrane lipids. There were no significant differences in TAC, GPX and SOD between patients and healthy dogs. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress with increased lipid peroxidation could be involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis in dogs.