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Background: Canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is an allergic skin disease affecting approximately 10% of dogs. allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is currently the only treatment option able to induce tolerance to the causative allergens.Objective: To retrospectively establish the efficacy of ASIT in atopic dogs. Animals: Client-owned (n = 664) dogs with cAD presented between 2008 and 2018 to two dermatology referral clinics. Materials and Methods: Clinical records of atopic dogs were reviewed to obtain information including the results of the intradermal skin test and/or allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E serological results, the allergens included in the ASIT, concurrent symptomatic medications, and ASIT efficacy after at least 9 months.Results: Excellent (ASIT alone controlled clinical signs), good (≥50% reduction of clinical signs) and poor (<50% improvement) responses were seen in 31.5%, 28.5% and 40.1% of the dogs, respectively. No significant differences in efficacy were associated with breed, sex, age at initiation of ASIT, type of allergens in ASIT, and between clinics. Dogs re-examined regularly responded significantly better to ASIT than dogs that did not (>50% improvement in 69.3% and 55.4% of the dogs, respectively). Dogs treated with ASIT and concomitant systemic glucocorticoids showed a significantly poorer response (success rate of >50% improvement of 38.5%). Conclusions and clinical importance:In 59.9% of atopic dogs, subcutaneous ASIT can improve clinical signs by ≥50%. The beneficial effect of ASIT is higher if dogs are re-examined regularly and if systemic long-term corticosteroids are avoided, at least during the first 9 months of ASIT.

Background In equine atopic patients intradermal testing (IDT) and immunoglobulin (Ig)E serology are used frequently. There is little evidence regarding the reproducibility of the IDT and IgE serology in horses. Objectives To compare the results of a simultaneously performed IDT on the left and right side of the neck in atopic horses, and to compare these results with allergen‐specific IgE serology. Animals Ten equine patients from a university hospital population with chronic urticaria and/or pruritus. Methods and materials The IDT was performed using 16 allergens and the results were evaluated after 30 min, 1, 4 and 24 h. Thirteen allergens also were analysed in duplicate with two monoclonal allergen‐specific IgE enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results Good agreement (Kappa > 0.6) between left and right IDT was found only for Dermatophagoides farinae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, birch pollen mixture and perennial rye at 30 min, birch pollen mixture at 1 h, and Acarus siro and nettle and common mugwort mixture at 4 h. The bilateral comparison of the other allergens and even the same allergens at other time points showed little or no concordance between left and right IDT. The interlaboratory comparison between both ELISAs, and the comparison between the ELISAs and IDT, showed a good agreement for two of 13 allergens: D. farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Conclusions and clinical importance Based on these preliminary data, IDT and IgE serological test results should be interpreted with great care and further studies are needed to indicate the clinical relevance of these findings.

Background In the Netherlands there is a lack of data regarding resistance of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius to the systemic antimicrobial drugs used for the treatment of superficial pyoderma. Objectives To assess antimicrobial resistance, with emphasis on resistance to clindamycin and meticillin, in clinical isolates of S. pseudintermedius isolated from dogs with superficial pyoderma. Results were compared between dogs with and without a history of systemic antimicrobial therapy during the previous year. Animals A retrospective study of 237 referral cases presented to an academic teaching hospital between 2014 and 2019, with the clinical and microbiological diagnosis of superficial pyoderma. Methods and materials All clinical isolates were identified primarily by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested either by an agar diffusion method (2014–2016) or by broth microdilution. Antimicrobial history in the preceding year was obtained from medical records. Results Meticillin‐resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) was isolated from 8% of superficial pyoderma cases. Within the meticillin‐susceptible S. pseudintermedius (MSSP) population, clindamycin resistance was significantly more common in isolates derived from dogs with histories of antimicrobial treatment (37.7%) compared to dogs with no histories of exposure (21.7%; P = 0.03). Conclusions Given the high prevalence of clindamycin resistance in MSSP isolated from dogs with prior antimicrobial exposure, it is recommended that bacterial culture and susceptibility testing be pursued before prescribing systemic antimicrobials. Clindamycin should be regarded as the preferred treatment option if susceptibility is confirmed, due to its narrow spectrum and reduced selective pressure for MRSP.

Canine pyoderma is characterised by a predominant colonisation of the skin with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and inflammatory symptoms associated with it. Immunoglobulins isolated from cows milk are neutralizing virulence factors and toxins of S. pseudintermedius. In a pilot study with four dogs with pyoderma we were able to show that the application of immunoglobulin gel leads to a decrease in the staphylococcal population and an increase in the diversity of the skin microbiome. Due to the limited number of animals, the measurable effect is not statistically significant. Therefore, we are planning a follow-up study that includes more animals.