Prevalence of hepatotoxicity and myelosuppression with alternate day use of azathioprine and glucocorticoids for treatment of dermatological conditions in dogs.

Background: The use of azathioprine (AZA) in dogs is limited by the potential for hepatotoxicity and myelosuppression.

Hypothesis/objectives: To determine the prevalence of AZA-associated hepatotoxicity in dogs with dermatological conditions receiving alternate-day AZA. The hypothesis was that dogs receiving AZA every other day (EOD) would have a lower prevalence of hepatotoxicity compared to published data for dogs receiving daily AZA.

Stability of dexamethasone sodium phosphate over a 28 day period when added to commercial veterinary wipe and pad products.

Background - Topical glucocorticoids commonly are used in the management of canine atopic dermatitis to control and prevent allergy flares. Compounding commercial veterinary wipe/pad products to include dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dex SP) can simplify treatment protocols for owners. Dex SP has not been evaluated for stability when added to wipes/pads.

A double-blinded, randomized, controlled, crossover evaluation of a zinc methionine supplement as an adjunctive treatment for canine atopic dermatitis.

Background: Zinc is important for skin health and proper immune system function.

Hypothesis/objectives: A zinc methionine, essential fatty acids (EFA) and biotin product (Zn supplement) was compared to an EFA and biotin product (control) in canine atopic dermatitis (CAD).

Animals: Twenty seven client-owned dogs with chronic CAD receiving ciclosporin or glucocorticoids.

Isolation of bacterial skin flora of healthy sheep, with comparison between frequent and minimal human handling.

Background: Few data are available regarding skin bacterial flora of healthy sheep and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus carriage.

Hypothesis/objectives: To compare skin, ear and mucosal bacterial populations between minimally and frequently handled sheep; to determine whether the frequency of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus varied between groups.

Animals: One hundred and three healthy feedlot and show sheep from eight farms.

Adverse events in 50 cats with allergic dermatitis receiving ciclosporin.

Ciclosporin is an immunosuppressive drug that has been used to treat allergies and other immune-mediated diseases in cats, dogs and humans. Information about the adverse effects of ciclosporin in cats has been limited to smaller studies and case reports. Adverse effects in dogs are mainly gastrointestinal in nature, but humans can also experience hypertension and altered renal function.

The expression of histamine H4 receptor mRNA in the skin and other tissues of normal dogs.

The histamine 4 (H(4)) receptor was first cloned and characterized in 2000 using the human H(3) receptor DNA sequence. The H(4) receptor has been shown to participate in various aspects of inflammation, such as chemotaxis, upregulation of adhesion molecule expression and modulation of cytokine secretion. The primary goal of this study was to determine whether H(4) receptor mRNA is expressed in normal canine skin by performing an RT-PCR.

Efficacy of tylosin tartrate on canine Staphylococcus intermedius isolates in vitro.

In the past 5 years, the incidence of canine skin infections caused by resistant strains of Staphylococcus (pseud)intermedius has increased. Many older antibiotics are used to treat these infections because the sensitivity can be demonstrated in vitro. Additionally, many of these older drugs are efficacious and unlikely to induce multidrug resistance.