A significantly greater number of positive reactions for IDT in horses with AD or RU, compared with horses without atopy, provides evidence of type-I IgE-mediated hypersensitivity for these diseases. Evaluation of results of IDT performed in horses with AD or RU is useful in determining specific allergens for the formulation of immunotherapy along with providing identification of allergens that could be useful when creating avoidance strategies.

None of the 3 serum allergy tests reliably detected allergen hypersensitivity, compared with the intradermal test. The FcepsilonRIalpha-based ELISA performed significantly better overall than the other 2 tests. Low sensitivity of all 3 assays indicates the need for continued study to elucidate a more sensitive test for the determination of potentially pathogenic allergens in horses.

Results indicated the presence of HDMs and HDM allergens in the specific microenvironment of dogs in homes. Factors associated with high levels of exposure were identified, which may be associated with increased risk for sensitization and development of atopic diseases.

In an open non-randomized study, 90 cats with severe dermatophytosis were treated with 21 days of oral itraconazole at 10 mg/kg and one of three topical antifungal rinses applied twice weekly: lime sulphur (LSO); reformulated lime sulphur with an odour-masking agent (LSR); or a 0.2% miconazole nitrate and 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate rinse (MC). Weekly examinations and fungal cultures were used to monitor the cats' response to therapy. If at day 42 of treatment cats were still strongly fungal culture positive and/or developing new lesions, they were retreated with oral itraconazole and LSO. Cats were not prevented from licking the solutions and none developed oral ulcerations. Thirty-one cats were treated with LSO, 27 with LSR and 32 with MC. The median number of days to cure was 30 (range 10-69 days) and 34 (range 23-80 days) for LSO and LSR, respectively. Thirty-two cats were treated with MC, and 13 of 32 cats required repeat treatment because of persistent culture-positive status and development of new lesions. Median number of days of treatment for the 19 cats that cured with MC was 48 (range 14-93 days). When the number of days to cure was compared between the groups, there was a significant difference between cats treated with LSO and LSR (P=0.029) and cats treated with LSO and MC (P=0.031), but no significant difference between the number of days to cure for cats treated with LSR and MC (P=0.91).

Results suggested that both pulse administration and once daily administration of itraconazole were efficacious in the treatment of M pachydermatis cutaneous infection in dogs. However, adjunctive treatment may be needed in dogs with M pachydermatis otitis.