Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial measuring the effect of a dietetic food on dermatologic scoring and pruritus in dogs with atopic dermatitis

Miguel Sánchez De Santiago,Yolanda Moral Llamas,Iveta Becvarova,José Luis González Arribas,Hein Meyer

doi:10.1186/s12917-021-03063-w

Miguel Sánchez De Santiago, Yolanda Moral Llamas + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-021-03063-w

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundCanine atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common condition that often requires multimodal therapy. Including a diet in the multimodal management of AD may reduce medication doses, saving pet owners money and reducing side effects. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to determine if a diet fortified in antioxidants, polyphenols, and omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the clinical signs of AD. Forty client-owned dogs with AD were enrolled in the study and assigned to either an enriched diet (diet B) or control diet (diet A) for 60-days. CADESI-4 index scores and owner-reported pruritus scores were measured periodically.ResultsTotal CADESI-4 index scores for dogs eating diet B were lower on day 60 compared to baseline (P = 0.003). There was no statistical difference in scores for dogs eating diet A over a 60-day period. Diet B dogs had 25 and 49% reductions in CADESI-4 index scores on days 30 and 60, respectively (P = 0.0007) while diet A had no change over the study period. When comparing the percent change in owner-reported pruritus scores, diet B also performed better than diet A. By day 60, owners feeding diet B to their dogs reported a significant reduction (P < 0.0001) of 46.4% in itching, while those on diet A reported a 26.8% reduction, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.08).ConclusionsThese study results demonstrate feeding a diet enriched with ingredients to improve skin health and reduce inflammation improves the clinical signs of AD in dogs.

Highlights

Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common condition that often requires multimodal therapy
In a study of healthy dogs, a diet supplemented with the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduced serum prostaglandin-E2 concentrations and interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 activity [12]
Eighteen male (6 intact, 12 neutered) and 22 female dogs (5 intact, 17 spayed) with AD were enrolled over a 30-month period and randomly assigned to diet A (n = 20) or diet B (n = 20)

Summary

Introduction

Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common condition that often requires multimodal therapy. Including a diet in the multimodal management of AD may reduce medication doses, saving pet owners money and reducing side effects. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to determine if a diet fortified in antioxidants, polyphenols, and omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the clinical signs of AD. While the pathogenesis of AD is still unclear, Atopic dermatitis often requires multimodal therapy incorporating allergy avoidance, immune-modulation, and enhancement of the epidermal barrier [5]. Several studies suggest oral supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) reduces pruritus and can lower the dosages of cyclosporine and glucocorticoids required to control clinical signs [6,7,8,9,10]. In a study of healthy dogs, a diet supplemented with the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduced serum prostaglandin-E2 concentrations and interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 activity [12]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion