Efficacy of an essential fatty acid‐enriched diet in managing canine atopic dermatitis: a randomized, single‐blinded, cross‐over study

Abstract

Evidence suggests that high-quality diets enriched with essential fatty acids (EFA) and other nutrients can ameliorate canine atopic dermatitis (AD). This study compared such a diet (Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Dermatosis FP) with a home-cooked equivalent (fish and potato) in a randomised, single-blinded, cross-over trial. Twenty dogs with perennial AD were randomly assigned to receive either the test (group A) or the control diet (group B) for 1 month, followed by the contrasting diet for a further month. Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI version 2) and pruritus (visual analogue scale) scores were recorded at days 0, 30 and 60. Eight dogs in each group completed the study. CADESI scores significantly declined when dogs were fed the test diet (group A P < 0.01; group B P < 0.001), and increased (group A P < 0.05) or remained steady (group B) on the control diet. CADESI scores decreased in 15 of 16 dogs fed the test diet, but this was less than 50% in all cases. Pruritus scores also declined when dogs were fed the test diet compared to the control diet, but this was only significant for group A (P = 0.027). Pruritus was reduced in 11 of 16 dogs fed the test diet, but this was 50% or more in only two dogs. This trial provides evidence for the efficacy of Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Dermatosis FP in canine AD, although it is likely that most cases will require adjunct therapy. The mechanism is unclear, but may involve increased and balanced EFA levels.

Efficacy of ultra‐micronized palmitoylethanolamide in canine atopic dermatitis: an open‐label multi‐centre study

“…Although the present study was an open design, the mean percentage reduction in pruritus was higher than that previously reported for the placebo in controlled studies, which ranged between 11% and 20% . Among published reports, the percentage of dogs whose pruritus improved more than 50% at study end ranged from 11% to about 80% . Our result of 35% lies in the middle, being lower than that of prednisolone and higher than antihistamines .…”

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials for prevention or treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs: 2008–2011 update

“…Of the RCTs that tested the evolution of skin lesions over time, the validated third version of the CADESI score was used in 10 studies, 21–24,26,27,29,30,34,35 while five trials employed the second version of this scale, which had limited validation 25,31,33,36,37 . Four trials employed unvalidated scales modified from the first, second or third versions of the CADESI – the so called ‘modified CADESI’ or ‘mCADESI’– having changed the type of lesions, the body sites and/or the severity rating used (A. Puigdemont, personal communication 2012) 28,38,39 .…”

“…In summary, out of 21 RCTs, only one had an overall quality rated as ‘poor’, 33 seven were given an ‘intermediate’ rating, 31,35–40 and the remaining 13 had the highest quality mark (Table 2). The most common reason for not attributing this ‘high‐quality’ rating was a lack of performance of ITT analyses 33,35,36,38 …”

Effekt eines Insektenprotein-basierten Futters auf die Symptomatik von futtermittelallergischen Hunden

“…Coat quality was assessed as follows: dull: -1, poorly reflective: 0, slightly reflective: 1, shiny: 2, greasy: -1 (19). Pruritus was judged via a standardized and validated PVAS (28) displaying the pruritus from 0 (no pruritus) to 10 (intense) pruritus (see appendix) 1 .…”