Establishment of clinical criteria for the diagnosis of adverse food reactions in dogs with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Diagnosis of canine adverse food reactions (AFRs) is based on vague criteria, such as '>50% improvement' during elimination diet trial (EDT) followed by 'deterioration' during provocation test (PT).

Objective: The objective of the study was to use predefined criteria to evaluate response during EDT [i.e.

Update on the skin barrier, cutaneous microbiome and host defence peptides in canine atopic dermatitis.

Background: Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex inflammatory skin disease associated with cutaneous microbiome, immunological and skin barrier alterations. This review summarises the current evidence on skin barrier defects and on cutaneous microbiome dysfunction in canine AD.

Objective: To this aim, online citation databases, abstracts and proceedings from international meetings on skin barrier and cutaneous microbiome published between 2015 and 2023 were reviewed.

Update on the role of genetic factors, environmental factors and allergens in canine atopic dermatitis.

Background: Canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is a common, complex and multifactorial disease involving, among others, genetic predisposition, environmental factors and allergic sensitisation.

Objective: This review summarises the current evidence on the role of genetic and environmental factors and allergic sensitisation in the pathogenesis of cAD since the last review by ICADA in 2015.

Materials And Methods: Online citation databases and proceedings from international meetings on genetic factors, environmental factors and allergens relevant to cAD that had been published between 2015 and 2022 were reviewed.

Specificity of a pancreatic lipase point-of-care test and agreement with pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity in cats without clinical evidence of pancreatitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the specificity of a rapid point-of-care test for the estimation of feline pancreatic lipase (SNAP fPL) in healthy and sick cats without clinical evidence of pancreatitis. A second objective was to evaluate the agreement between SNAP fPL and serum pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI), as measured by Spec fPL.

Methods: A total of 150 cats were prospectively enrolled into this study.

High-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy findings of the skin of dogs with atopic dermatitis.

Background: The high-frequency ultrasonographic appearance of skin of dogs with atopic dermatitis (cAD) has not been described.

Objectives: To compare high-frequency ultrasonographic findings among lesional, macroscopically nonlesional skin of dogs with cAD, and the macroscopically nonlesional skin of healthy dogs. Additionally, to determine whether there is any correlation between the ultrasonographic findings in lesional skin and local Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index, 4th iteration (CADESI-04) or its domains (erythema, lichenification, excoriations/alopecia).

Seroprevalence of and risk factors for feline coronavirus infection in cats from Greece.

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a highly contagious and ubiquitous virus of domestic cats and wild felids. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal, systemic disease caused by FCoV infection when spontaneous mutations of the viral genome take place. The aims of this study were primarily to determine the prevalence of seropositivity for FCoV in different populations of cats in Greece and assess risk factors for seropositivity.

Clinical and Clinicopathologic Discriminators Between Canine Acute Monocytic Ehrlichiosis and Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia.

Acute canine monocytic ehrlichiosis due to Ehrlichia canis (aCME), and primary immune thrombocytopenia (pITP) are major differentials for dogs presented with thrombocytopenia, and the two diseases may clinically overlap. The aim of this study was to compare dogs diagnosed with naturally occurring aCME and pITP, to establish potentially useful clinical and clinicopathologic discriminators. A clinical record-based retrospective study was performed in 35 dogs diagnosed with aCME and 29 dogs with pITP.

Repeatability and reproducibility of the interpretation of intradermal test results in dogs with atopic dermatitis.

Background - There is lack of studies evaluating the repeatability and reproducibility of the interpretation of intradermal testing in dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD). Objectives - To evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of the interpretation of intradermal test results in dogs with AD. For comparison, the repeatability of allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E serology also was examined.

Investigation of the diagnostic performance of prick test with two environmental allergens in dogs with atopic dermatitis: A study using intradermal test as the gold standard.

Background: There are no studies investigating the correlation between prick test (PT) and intradermal test (IDT) with environmental allergens in dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between PT and IDT for two environmental allergens, and to calculate the sensitivity, specificity and Youden index of PT, using IDT as the gold standard.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-two dogs with AD were selected.

Serial Measurement of Serum Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity, Feline Trypsin-like Immunoreactivity, and Cobalamin Concentrations in Kittens.

Serum concentrations of feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI), feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI), and cobalamin are commonly used for the diagnostic investigation of cats with gastrointestinal signs. No information on these parameters in healthy cats less than 1 year of age exists. We aimed to evaluate serum concentrations of fPLI, fTLI, and cobalamin in healthy cats at different time-points during their first 12 months of life.

Efficacy of Antimicrobial Treatment in Dogs with Atopic Dermatitis: An Observational Study.

There is a shortage of studies reporting the efficacy of antimicrobial treatment of dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD) and skin infections (SIs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in the severity of skin lesions and pruritus, and the overall efficacy of antimicrobial treatment, in dogs with AD and bacterial overgrowth/infection and/or dermatitis. A total of 20 dogs with AD and SIs were prospectively enrolled (group A) and they were examined before and after the administration of systemic antimicrobials that resulted in the resolution of SIs.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for spp. and Haemoplasma Infections in Cats from Greece.

Bartonellosis and haemoplasmosis are vector-borne diseases with global impact on the health of domestic cats and of zoonotic importance. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological aspects of various populations of cats infected with spp. or haemoplasma species.

Repeatability and reproducibility of microscopic examination of adhesive tape strip cytology slides for the quantification of Malassezia spp. in canine skin.

Background: The optimal microscopic magnification and number of optical fields of adhesive tape strip cytological slides that should be examined when searching for Malassezia yeasts on canine skin are unknown.

Objectives: To determine the optimal magnification and the minimum number of optical fields that should be examined to maximise intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility.

Materials And Methods: Seven experienced examiners counted, twice, the number of yeasts in 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 optical fields of 40 slides at ×400 and ×1000 magnification.

Prevalence, association with systemic inflammatory response syndrome and outcome of stress hyperglycaemia in sick cats.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of stress hyperglycaemia in sick cats, and to investigate the association of stress hyperglycaemia with systemic inflammatory response syndrome and outcome.

Materials And Methods: Medical records (2004 to 2013) from sick cats admitted to the Medicine Unit of a Veterinary Teaching Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were enrolled if a serum glucose measurement and a complete medical record were available.

A prospective epidemiological, clinical, and clinicopathologic study of feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus infection in 435 cats from Greece.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are retroviruses causing significant morbidity and mortality in cats. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and clinicopathologic aspects of FeLV and FIV infections in different populations of cats in Greece, including client-owned cats, stray cats and cats who live in catteries. A total of 435 cats were prospectively enrolled.

Serum cobalamin concentrations in dogs with leishmaniosis before and during treatment.

Hypocobalaminemia in dogs is most commonly associated with gastrointestinal disorders leading to impaired absorption and utilization of cobalamin. The objectives of this study were to compare serum cobalamin concentrations between dogs with leishmaniosis and clinically healthy dogs, and to assess possible alterations of serum cobalamin concentrations in dogs with leishmaniosis at different timepoints during treatment. Fifty-five dogs with leishmaniosis and 129 clinically healthy dogs were prospectively enrolled.

A proposed medication score for long-term trials of treatment of canine atopic dermatitis sensu lato.

Background: The use of concurrent medications is necessary in trials of treatment of canine atopic dermatitis. Our aim was to use the best available evidence to construct and then to validate a medication score (MS) formula that will estimate the impact of concurrent medications on trial outcomes.

Methods: Trials of 15 interventions were scrutinized to find those that were consistent in terms of specific medication, administration route and dosage regimen.

Evaluation of the cutaneous inflammatory cells in dogs with leishmaniosis and in dogs without the disease that were naturally infected by Leishmania infantum (syn. L. chagasi).

Background: Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is associated with an aberrant cutaneous immune response. Few studies have compared cutaneous immune cells among dogs with leishmaniosis or infected without leishmaniosis, and noninfected dogs.

Hypothesis/objective: Evaluate the number of neutrophils, histiocytes, T lymphocytes, T-bet-positive, GATA3-positive, FoxP3-positive and interleukin (IL)-17-positive cells, in lesional (Group A) and normal-looking (Group B) skin of nine dogs with stage II/III leishmaniosis; in normal-looking PCR-positive (Group C; n = 6) or PCR-negative (Group D; n = 6) skin of infected dogs; and in the normal-looking skin of 12 noninfected dogs (Group E).

Evaluation of clinicopathological abnormalities in sick cats naturally infected by .

Feline infection by (syn. ) has been described in areas where canine leishmaniosis is endemic. A wide variety of clinicopathological abnormalities have been reported in cats presenting clinical signs of leishmaniosis but there is a paucity of information regarding cats infected by that do not suffer from leishmaniosis but from other diseases.