Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hydrocortisone spray helps reduce itching in cats with allergic skin
By Schmidt, Vanessa et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2012·School of Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Efficacy of a 0.0584% hydrocortisone aceponate spray in presumed feline allergic dermatitis: an open label pilot study.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 10 cats with itchy skin due to suspected allergies were treated with a hydrocortisone aceponate spray to see if it would help relieve their symptoms. Over the course of the study, the cats showed significant improvement in their skin condition and itching, with many owners reporting that the spray was easy to use and well-tolerated by their pets. By the end of the study, most cats had reduced their treatment frequency, and there were no serious side effects noted. This spray seems to be a promising option for managing allergic dermatitis in cats, even though it isn't officially approved for them yet.
People also search for: cat itchy skin treatment · hydrocortisone spray for cats · feline allergic dermatitis relief
Abstract
This study evaluated the efficacy of a 0.0584% hydrocortisone aceponate (HCA) spray (Cortavance(®); Virbac SA) in 10 cats with presumed allergic dermatitis. The cats initially received two sprays/100 cm(2) of skin once daily. Clinical lesions (a Feline Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index; FeDESI), pruritus (10 cm visual analog scale with grade descriptors) and owner assessments of efficacy, tolerance and ease of use (from 1=very poor to 5=excellent) were assessed every 14 days. The frequency of treatment was reduced after day 28 in cats with a >50% reduction in FeDESI and pruritus scores. One cat was lost to follow up at day 28 and two at day 42. Intention-to-treat data were analysed. The FeDESI [mean (SD): day 0, 42.2 (15.7) and day 56, 9.9 (11.7); P<0.0001] and pruritus scores [day 0, 61.2 mm (20.1) and day 56, 14.6 mm (16.1); P<0.0001] significantly decreased throughout the trial. The owner scores for tolerance [median (range): day 14, 4 (1-5) and day 56, 4 (3-5); P=0.003] and ease of administration [day 14, 3 (2-5) and day 56, 4 (2-5); P=0.02] significantly increased during the trial, but there was no significant change in efficacy scores [day 14, 4 (3-5) and day 56, 4 (2-5); P=0.5]. There were no adverse effects attributable to the HCA spray, no significant changes in weight [mean (SD): day 0, 5.0 kg (1.4) and day 56, 5.0 kg (1.6); P=0.51] and no significant changes in haematology, biochemistry or urinalysis (n=4). Six cats required every-other-day treatment and four required daily treatment. In conclusion, HCA spray appeared to be effective and safe in these cats, although it is not licensed for use in this species.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21718369/