BackgroundA multi-centre field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of afoxolaner based chewables (NexGard® or NexGard Spectra®) for the treatment of generalised demodicosis caused by Demodex canis in dogs under field conditions in France, Italy and Poland.MethodsClient-owned dogs, diagnosed positive for Demodex mites by pre-treatment skin scrapings and presenting clinical signs of generalised demodicosis were included. Dogs were orally treated with afoxolaner three times at monthly intervals. Of the 50 dogs enrolled, 48 completed the whole study. Efficacy of the treatments was assessed monthly by Demodex mite counts and physical examination with special regard to the severity and extension of skin lesions.ResultsTreatments were well tolerated in all dogs and resulted in a rapid reduction of mites, with all post-treatment mite counts significantly lower than baseline. The number of mites was reduced by 87.6%, 96.5% and 98.1% on Days 28, 56 and 84, respectively. In addition, the skin lesion severity and extent scores as well as the pruritus were all significantly lower at all post-treatment visits compared to the pre-treatment assessment.ConclusionsThis clinical field study demonstrated that monthly administrations of afoxolaner in NexGard® or NexGard Spectra®, offered a convenient and reliable solution for the treatment of canine generalised demodicosis.

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Atopic dermatitis is one of the most frequent allergic diseases in dogs. There are many methods of treating its symptoms but specific immunotherapy has recently gained high popularity. Before the application of specific immunotherapy, it is necessary to identify the allergens provoking the reaction of hypersensitivity in the selected animal. This raises a question about the method of allergen identification the medical practitioner decides to use in order to obtain the most credible result. The authors of the present study decided to compare the results of intradermal allergic tests and the results of an IgE screening test carried out using the Fc ε RIα receptor method. The aim of the study was to compare the results of both tests directed to dust and storage mites. The study proves that in case of the IgE screening tests (for a group of allergens), the sensitivity is quite high (85 to 90.69%) but the specificity of these tests is insufficient (25 to 50%). In case of antibodies for the selected mites the sensitivity and specificity was too low (65.1 to 89.4% for the sensitivity, with only 14.2 to 33.3% for the specificity). Only in case of D. petronyssinus the results were higher with the sensitivity calculated at 65.1% and the specificity at 80%. The IgE screening test carried out using the Fc ε RIα receptor method is reliable only in case of screening test for mites and the intradermal allergic test remains the gold standard for allergy testing.

The influence of docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid obtained from a new generation of eggs on ventricular electrical function of 24 pigs with experimentally induced tachycardiomyopathy was described. Two groups were formed, 12 pigs had experimentally evoked tachycardiomyopathy and were getting standard feed (control group TIC). Twelve pigs with tachycardiomyopathy received feed with an addition of a dietary supplement containing phospholipids isolated from new generation of eggs at a dose of 1,000 mg of DHA/animal/24 h (experimental group TIC). Electrophysiological study was carried out from an external programmer immediately after implantation of the pacemaker. All the tests were carried out in general anaesthesia. After 8 weeks of fast ventricular pacing at 170 bpm in pigs receiving phospholipids obtained from eggs, a statistically significant shortening of ventricular refraction time was observed during sinus rhythm and also during the ventricular pacing of 130 bpm, and 150 bpm in the group of pigs fed standard feed. The ventricular refraction time in the sinus rhythm was significantly longer after 12 weeks of fast pacing and in the pacing at 130 bpm and 150 bpm it was significantly longer after 8 weeks of fast pacing. Phospholipids containing high percentage of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) obtained from new generation of eggs may contribute to the shortening ventricular refraction period after its oral administration. The n-3 PUFA obtained from a new generation of hen eggs may be an alternative to fish oil source of DHA and other polyunsaturated fatty acids.