Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Does owner compliance affect allergy shots success in dogs
By Ramió-Lluch, Laura et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2020·Animal Health BU, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Allergen-specific immunotherapy in dogs with atopic dermatitis: is owner compliance the main success-limiting factor?
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 145 dogs with itchy skin due to atopic dermatitis (a common allergic skin condition) were treated with allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) to help reduce their symptoms. The study found that dogs receiving ASIT for at least 12 months had a much better response, with 65% showing improvement, compared to only 22% in those treated for less than a year. Additionally, dogs on long-term treatment were able to reduce their use of other medications by 87%. This suggests that sticking with the treatment plan is crucial for success, and better communication between vets and pet owners about how ASIT works could help improve compliance.
People also search for: dog itching treatment · atopic dermatitis in dogs · allergen-specific immunotherapy for dogs · how long does ASIT take to work in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While the efficacy of allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) to treat canine atopic dermatitis has been well established, it remains unclear why not all dogs show the same response to treatment. The goal of the study was to determine the relationship between duration of ASIT and two measurements of success: disease severity and concomitant medication sparing effect. METHODS: Data were retrospectively compiled for 145 dogs with atopic dermatitis treated with ASIT. As a measure of treatment compliance, cases were stratified into dogs treated for less than 12 months or for at least 12 months. Treatment efficacy, defined as a reduction in disease severity score (scale 0-10), was compared between both groups, and correlations between treatment success and several related factors were examined. RESULTS: ASIT treatment duration was strongly correlated with treatment efficacy. Animals treated for less than 12 months showed lower efficacy rates (22 per cent) than those treated for at least 12 months (65 per cent). Further, in animals treated for at least 12 months, concomitant medications were reduced more (87 per cent) than in animals treated for less than 12 months (39 per cent). CONCLUSION: A lack of owner compliance emerged as the main factor explaining the reduced effectiveness of ASIT. To improve treatment adherence, veterinarians and owners need to be better informed about ASIT mechanisms of action before starting treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33082241/