Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High cortisol levels in hair of dogs with atopic dermatitis
By Park, Seol-Hee et al.·Published in The Japanese journal of veterinary research·2016·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Elevated cortisol content in dog hair with atopic dermatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with atopic dermatitis (a chronic skin condition) had higher levels of cortisol in their hair compared to healthy dogs, indicating increased stress. The study found that the severity of their skin issues correlated with these elevated cortisol levels. This suggests that measuring cortisol in hair could be a useful way to assess stress in dogs suffering from this condition. Understanding this connection may help veterinarians better manage the quality of life for dogs with atopic dermatitis.
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Abstract
Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease occurring in 10% of the canine population. Although most studies have focused on the pathophysiological mechanism involved in CAD, the detrimental impact of CAD on quality of life has received only little attention. Hair cortisol analysis is becoming a valuable tool in monitoring chronic stress. To further validate this approach in CAD, we compared the hair cortisol concentration of atopic dogs with that of healthy conditioned dogs. The extent and severity of cutaneous lesions of atopic dermatitis were assessed according to modified CADESI-03 scores. In addition, skin barrier function was evaluated by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum conductance. The correlation between CAD severity and hair cortisol concentration was evaluated. The level of hair cortisol evaluated by ELISA assay showed that the atopic dermatitis group had significantly increased cortisol levels compared to that of the healthy control group. A significant positive correlation was identified between hair cortisol level and the CADESI score in CAD patients. The TEWL value of the cubital flexor of the forelimb in the atopic group was significantly higher compared to the healthy controls. These findings imply that the hair cortisol analysis can be an effective and objective biomarker in assessment of long-term stress of CAD patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27506086/