Complementary Effect of Probiotics on Canine Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a genetically predisposed inflammatory and pruritic allergic skin disease with characteristic clinical features associated with IgE antibodies that are most commonly directed against environmental allergens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate complementary therapeutic effect of probioticson CAD and identify on-set time and duration of the effects. Twenty dogs clinically diagnosed as CAD in Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Seoul National University were subjected to the present study and randomly assigned to two groups, a probiotics administration group ( probiotics group, n=10) and a non-probiotics administration group (control group, n=10). All dogs were allowed to maintain medications at the same dose that they had been taking prior to the study. The study was divided into two phases. Phase 1 was toevaluatethe effects of probiotics compared tothe control group, and phase 2 was a follow-up study for monitoring probiotics group after cessation of administration. Canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index, pruritus visual analog scale and dermatology specific questions were performed for evaluating the effects of the probiotics on CAD. In the phase 1, both probiotics and control group showed a decreasing tendency of scores in clinical evaluation parameters after treatment. However, scores of probiotics group declined significantly more than those of control group at the end of the phase 1 period. Furthermore, clinical evaluation parameters of probiotics group were gradually exacerbated back in phase 2. Subsidiary effects, such as reduced greasiness and foul smell, were only detected in probiotics group and these effects diminished after halt of probiotics. In conclusion, probiotics has complementary therapeutic effect on CAD. Probiotics showed its efficacy markedly in 8th week and the effects were lasted less than 8 weeks. Therefore, continuous administration of probiotics to CAD patients is recommended for the treatment and prevention of CAD in dogs.