ABSTRACT. Two different allergy tests, antigen-specific immunoglobulin E quantification (IgE test) and flow cytometric analysis of antigen-specific proliferation of peripheral lymphocytes (lymphocyte proliferation test), were performed to examine differences in allergic reactions to food allergens in dogs with food allergy (FA). Thirteen dogs were diagnosed as FA based on clinical findings and elimination diet trials. Seven dogs clinically diagnosed with canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) were used as a disease control group, and 5 healthy dogs were used as a negative control group. In the FA group, 19 and 33 allergen reactions were identified using the serum IgE test and the lymphocyte proliferation test, respectively. Likewise, in the CAD group, 12 and 6 allergen reactions and in the healthy dogs 3 and 0 allergen reactions were identified by each test, respectively. A significant difference was found between FA and healthy dogs in terms of positive allergen detection by the lymphocyte proliferation test, suggesting that the test can be useful to differentiate FA from healthy dogs but not from CAD. Both tests were repeated in 6 of the dogs with FA after a 1.5-to 5-month elimination diet trial. The IgE concentrations in 9 of 11 of the positive reactions decreased by 20-80%, whereas all the positive reactions in the lymphocyte proliferation test decreased to nearly zero (P<0.05), suggesting that lymphocytes against food allergens may be involved in the pathogenesis of canine FA.

Canine non-rabies combined vaccines are widely used to protect animals from infectious agents, and also play an important role in public health. We performed a large-scale survey to investigate vaccine-associated adverse events (VAAEs), including anaphylaxis, in Japan by distributing questionnaires on VAAEs to veterinary hospitals from April 1, 2006 through May 31, 2007. Valid responses were obtained for 57,300 vaccinated dogs at 573 animal hospitals; we obtained VAAEs information for last 100 vaccinated dogs in each veterinary hospital. We found that of the 57,300, 359 dogs showed VAAEs. Of the 359 dogs, death was observed in 1, anaphylaxis in 41, dermatological signs in 244, gastrointestinal signs in 160, and other signs in 106. Onset of VAAEs was mostly observed within 12h after vaccination (n=299, 83.3%). In this study, anaphylaxis events occurred within 60 min after vaccination, and about half of these events occurred within 5 min (n=19, 46.3%). Furthermore, where anaphylaxis was reported, additional information to support the diagnosis was obtained by reinvestigation. Our resurvey of dogs with anaphylaxis yielded responses on 31 dogs; 27 of these demonstrated collapse (87.1%), 24 demonstrated cyanosis (77.4%), and both signs occurred in 22 (71.0%). Higher rates of animal VAAEs, anaphylaxis, and death were found in Japan than in other countries. Further investigations, including survey studies, will be necessary to elucidate the interaction between death and vaccination and the risk factors for VAAEs, and thus develop safer vaccines. Moreover, it may also be necessary to continually update the data of VAAEs.

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ABSTRACT. A dog with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica, CJ) pollinosis had oral allergy syndrome (OAS) after ingesting fresh tomato. The dog showed specific IgE to both CJ and tomato allergens. As a negative control, twenty dogs without atopic dermatitis that had no exposure to tomato and no specific IgE to CJ allergen were used. They had no specific IgE to tomato allergen. Furt hermore, IgE cross-reactivity was observed between CJ and tomato allergens in the dog. We found that OAS induced by tomato exists in the dog and there is a relationship between CJ and tomato allergens. KEY WORDS: oral allergy syndrome, pollen, tomato.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 64(11): 1069-1070, 2002 In Japan, Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica, CJ) pollinosis is one of the most common human allergic diseases [3]. CJ pollinosis has also been reported in dogs in Japan [10]. Our recent epidemiological study reported that approximately 20% of atopic dogs had specific IgE to crude CJ allergen [7]. Furthermore, dogs sensitive to CJ allergen showed blastogenesis and histamine release from peripheral leukocytes specific to this pollen antigen [5]. These findings suggested that CJ allergen might be associated with the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis in dogs.Human patients showed oral allergy syndrome (OAS) after eating fruits and vegetables [1]. In human pollinosis patients, sensitivity to fruits and vegetables as OAS was reported [8]. Furthermore, there has been reported the association between some pollinosis and OAS in regard to fruits such as apple, orange, tomato, grape [2,11]. Recently, it is suggested that there is an association between human CJ pollinosis and tomato (Lycopersicon escletum) allergy [4]. However, there has been no report on OAS in dogs. In this study, we found that a dog with CJ pollinosis showed OAS induced by tomato.A 6-years-old male mixed-breed dog showed typical lesions of chronic dermatitis including erythema, eczema, and hair-loss with severe pruritus during April to October. The dog showed severer symptoms during the season of CJ pollenation. Specific IgE to both crude CJ and tomato allergens were assayed by a fluorometric ELISA as described previously [6]. Fresh tomato was washed well with water and rinded. Next, the tomato was dissected and homogenized. After centrifugation and filtration through a 0.22-µm membrane, the tomato extract was used as an ELISA antigen. The dog had specific IgE to both CJ and tomato allergens (Fig. 1). As a negative control, 20 healthy dogs without specific IgE to CJ allergen were used. There was no history of exposure to tomato in the dogs. The 20 control dogs showed no specific IgE to tomato allergens (Fig. 1). In this study, interdermal skin test could not be performed.Since the dog with atopic dermatitis had been treated with elimination diets (Eukanuba veterinary diets dry dog food, Response TM FP/Canine, Iams Co., Dayton, U.S.A.) for the last 3 years, it is considered that the dog has not been exposed to tomato. Oral provocation test was performed to * CORRESPONDENCE TO: DR. SAKAG...

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy of topical skin lipid complex (SLC) in canine atopic dermatitis (AD). Eight dogs with chronic AD and no improvement of main therapy in symptoms, erythema, lichenification, excoriation, and alopecia in the previous month were treated with SLC topically as adjunct therapy at lesion sites twice weekly for 12 weeks. A statistically significant reduction (26.0%, P < 0.05) in the third version of the Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI-03) modification from baseline was recorded 6 weeks after treatment, with marked reduction in the erythema subscore (36.2%, P < 0.005). A significant reduction in excoriation and alopecia subscores was observed 6 weeks after treatment (39.9%, P < 0.05 and 19.9%, P < 0.05, resp.). However, the lichenification subscore was not reduced significantly at 6 or 12 weeks. These findings suggest that topical SLC may have therapeutic and clinical benefits in dogs with AD.

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Background: IgE reactivity to fish allergens in atopic dogs, which are used as models for food allergy, has not been elucidated to date. We investigated IgE reactivity to crude extracts and purified Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) allergens in atopic dogs to identify the allergenic proteins of cod.Methods: Specific IgE to crude cod extracts in the sera of 179 atopic dogs, including 27 dogs with cod allergy, were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The allergens of crude cod extracts were analyzed by ELISA, immunoblotting, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). IgE reactivity to parvalbumin, collagen, and tropomyosin was evaluated using the sera of atopic dogs that were positive for specific IgE to crude cod extracts.Results: Specific IgE to crude cod extracts were present in 36 (20%) of the 179 atopic dogs and 12 (44%) of the 27 dogs with cod allergy. In allergen component analysis, IgE reactivity to tropomyosin and enolase was observed in the sera of dogs with cod allergy. Among the 36 dogs with IgE reactivity to crude cod extracts, 9 (25%), 14 (39%), and 18 (50%) dogs had specific IgE to parvalbumin, collagen, and tropomyosin, respectively.Conclusions: The dogs exhibited IgE reactivity to the cod allergens which observed in humans, providing support for the use of atopic dogs with fish allergy as a model for fish allergy in humans.