ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the treatment efficacy of a topical spray containing hydrocortisone aceponate (HCA) on dogs with flea-allergy dermatitis (FAD). DESIGN: A controlled clinical study was conducted on dogs with experimentally induced FAD. Sixteen laboratory beagles with mild to moderate clinical signs were divided into two groups. The test group received HCA by topical spray once daily for 7 days, while the control group did not. Pruritic events (time and frequency) were videotaped and then scored. Clinical signs (erythema, papules, excoriation and alopecia) present on four anatomical regions were monitored and their severity directly assessed. RESULTS: After 2 days, pruritus was reduced by 94% in the treatment group and by 24% in the control group (P = 0.014) in cumulative time, and by 86% versus 34% (P = 0.034) in frequency. The HCA spray also resulted in significant improvements in overall clinical signs: 23% versus 0% in the control group (P = 0.0006) on day 3 and 43% versus 15% in the control group (P = 0.0006) on day 7. During the 7-day trial, no drug-related adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Topical treatment with HCA showed a rapid and potent antipruritic effect on dogs with FAD. HCA also demonstrated significant overall therapeutic effects on FAD-associated skin lesions.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis, Allergic Contact/veterinary , Dog Diseases/immunology , Glucocorticoids/pharmacology , Hydrocortisone/analogs & derivatives , Pruritus/veterinary , Siphonaptera/immunology , Administration, Topical , Animals , Dermatitis, Allergic Contact/drug therapy , Dermatitis, Allergic Contact/immunology , Dog Diseases/drug therapy , Dogs , Female , Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use , Hydrocortisone/administration & dosage , Hydrocortisone/pharmacology , Hydrocortisone/therapeutic use , Male , Pruritus/drug therapy , Pruritus/immunology , Videotape RecordingABSTRACT
An experiment has been conducted on the centrifuge to examine roll-axis tracking performance in both static and stress environments. The stress environments were +5 Gz from 95 s and combined +5 Gz/+/- 1 or +/- 2 Gy for 95 s. Compared to the static condition, performance decrements of 19% were measured at +5 Gz, 45% at combined +5 Gz/+/- 1 Gy, and 70% at combined +5 Gz/+/-2 Gy. Heart rate increases were noted during the stress environments but no significant heart rate differences were noted between the +5 Gz and the combined +5 Gz/+/-2 Gy conditions. The conventional lap belt and shoulder harness restraint system, while not optimum, was adequate for these G environments.
