Is Vitamin D3 a Worthy Supplement Protecting against Secondary Infections in Dogs with Atopic Dermatitis?

Abstract

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common, chronic, inflammatory skin disease in dogs worldwide. This disease often predisposes for secondary organisms overgrowth and skin infections with pathogens, such as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis. Unfortunately, the causes of this disease in both humans and animals are not fully understood; therefore, the only possible option is a lifelong, symptomatic treatment. The management of CAD is mainly based on limiting contact with allergens and antipruritic therapy, most often with glucocorticoids and antihistamines. A serious problem in this situation is the fact, that long-term administration of glucocorticoids leads to side effects like polyuria, alopecia, increased susceptibility to infection, muscle atrophy, and many others. For this reason, great emphasis is placed on the development of replacement and supportive therapies. It is a well-documented fact that reduced concentrations of serum vitamin D3 contribute to the severity of atopic dermatitis symptoms in humans. Moreover, unlike the most commonly used therapeutic methods, of which the main goal is to ameliorate inflammation and pruritus, namely the symptoms of AD, vitamin D3 supplementation affects some underlying factors of this disease. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the role of vitamin D3 in CAD, its protective effect against secondary bacterial and fungal infections, and the potential of its supplementation in dogs.

Evaluating the Adjuvant Therapeutic Effects of Probiotic Strains Lactococcus cremoris and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei on Canine Atopic Dermatitis and Their Impact on the Gut and Skin Microbiome

“…Repetitive scratching disrupts the epidermal barrier and tissue fluid exudation. Coupled with licking behaviors in dogs, this makes allergen penetration easier and facilitates the colonization of pathogens, which can even include commensal bacteria that typically prevent pathogen invasion [7][8][9].…”

Immune Response of the Host and Vaccine Development

“…Chrobak-Chmiel et al [ 13 ] review the role of antimicrobial peptides and the effect of vitamin D3 in the regulation of innate immunity. Vitamin D3 induces the transcription of genes encoding pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and activates cytokine production.…”