Abstract
Nutritional supplements, also known as complementary feeds, are products administered with the aim of furnishing health benefits, regardless of nutritional needs. They have been used since ancient times in veterinary dermatology, and a number of studies have focused on investigating the health benefits of some ingredients found in commercially available complementary feed for dogs. The aim of this paper is to review the literature available on the use of nutritional supplementation for the management of canine skin diseases, critically appraising the clinical efficacy of such interventions and summarizing the current state of knowledge. This review highlights how these feeds can be considered useful in the management of dermatological disorders and outlines their beneficial effects in the prevention of dietary deficiencies and treatment of diseases, alone, or in addition to conventional pharmacological therapy. In recent years, nutritional supplements have found increasing potential application in veterinary medicine, and the scientific proofs of their beneficial effects are described in this review.
Highlights
The skin is the largest organ in the bodies of dogs and is perpetually exposed to a range of different distressing internal and external factors [1]
Alongside these traditional pharmacological therapies, in the last few years, The aim of this paper is to succinctly review recent progress with respect to nutriti non-pharmacological approaches have been put forward in the hope of reducing clinical signs of supplementation in the management of canine skin diseases, critically appraising the clinical effi certain skin disorders, especially canine atopic dermatitis
The aim of this paper is to succinctly review recent progress with respect to nutritional supplementation in the management of canine skin diseases, critically appraising the clinical efficacy of such interventions and summarizing the current state of knowledge
Summary
The skin is the largest organ in the bodies of dogs and is perpetually exposed to a range of different distressing internal and external factors [1]. Skin is one of the most important immunologic structures of the body, with relatively high physiological requirements in terms of nutrients [1]. Canine cutaneous problems refer to skin abnormalities that are usually caused by inadequate nutrition and/or hormonal imbalances, in addition to numerous agents, including microorganisms, physical or chemical agents, and immunological reactions [1,5]. Among these conditions, flea infestations, bacterial infections, and allergic skin diseases, such as canine atopic dermatitis and neoplasia, are the most frequently encountered [6,7]. Genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the development of these diseases, most of which are inflammatory in nature [8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
