P‐23 
Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 153 cases of Sarcoptic acariosis in dogs

Abstract

Skin physiology in cats has received little attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term influence of sex, time and the level of dietary fat and energy on the dynamics and qualities of the hair coat. Twenty-four European short-haired laboratory cats were followed over a 1-year period. They were divided into eight groups of three, according to: sex (12 males and 12 females), sexual status (intact or neutered) and diets [(high energy 4300 kcal/kg as fed, 21% fat) vs. (moderate energy 3500 kcal/kg as fed, 10% fat)]. Both diets were fed for 6 months to all cats following a cross-over design. The following parameters were evaluated throughout the study: thickness of hair coat and hair lengths (neck, rump, lateral, flank), hair regrowth (after periodic clippings of 25 cm 2 areas), and telogen/anagen ratio. The thickness of the hair coat initially varied from 1.2-1.7 cm on the neck, 1-1.4 cm on the rump, 1.8-2.5 cm on the flank, and hair shaft lengths were 1.7-2.5, 3.7-3.9 and 2.5-3.2 cm, respectively. Comparison of values revealed few statistical differences: increase of the thickness of hair coat in neutered cats (male and female) during the study, and increase of the length of lateral hairs in all groups during the study. Over all periods and in all groups, the curve of growth was similar (rapid then slower). Some transient variations were attributed to temporary changes in ambient conditions. In conclusion, neither sex, nutrition or season (in housed cats) influenced the general quality of hair coat, in particular hair regrowth. Funding: Royal Canin. Veterinary Dermatology 2004, 15 (Suppl. 1), 41-69 Ó 2004 ESVD and ACVD 41 Poster Abstracts Poster Abstracts

Can immunosuppressive therapy facilitate the diagnosis and affect the clinical signs of canine scabies? A retrospective study of 79 cases

“…Pruritus ranged from severe to extremely severe in 83.9% of the enrolled dogs, corroborating clinicians’ and owners’ experiences that it is a major concern in scabies. Other studies support our findings and report marked to intense pruritus in 61–77% of infested dogs . This feature of scabies is thought by some authors to be a manifestation of hypersensitivity (immediate and delayed) reactions to mite antigens .…”

“…The broad age range of disease onset (4 months to 14 years) in this study was similar to previous reports, suggesting no age predilection. Some authors report that more than half of the scabies cases affect dogs less than 2 years of age and allege that young dogs have a less developed immune system, are generally more sociable and tend to explore the outdoor environment more frequently, all factors that could increase the risk for contagion .…”

Characterization of pruritus in canine atopic dermatitis, flea bite hypersensitivity and flea infestation and its role in diagnosis

“…Studies by Bourdeau et al. 6 and Mueller et al. 7 both reported a low positive response rate of 4 and 6.2%, respectively, in the control group.…”

“…The pinnal pedal scratch reflex has been found to correlate with a diagnosis of scabies in 43–82% of cases 6,7 . In one study, the pinnal pedal reflex had a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 93.8% 7 .…”