Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vitamin A treatment for dogs with sebaceous adenitis
By Lam, Andrea T H et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2011·William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Oral vitamin A as an adjunct treatment for canine sebaceous adenitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with a skin condition called sebaceous adenitis, which causes hair loss and itching, were treated with oral vitamin A to see if it could help improve their symptoms. The dogs ranged in age from 9 months to 12 years, and many were Akitas. After at least a month of treatment, about half of the owners noticed some improvement in their dogs' coat quality and itching, while others saw no change and stopped the vitamin A. Overall, while some dogs benefited, the results varied widely, and there was no clear link between the amount of vitamin A given and how well the dogs responded.
People also search for: dog sebaceous adenitis treatment · vitamin A for dog skin problems · Akita hair loss treatment
Abstract
Medical records of dogs with sebaceous adenitis diagnosed by histopathology over an 18-year period were reviewed. From a total of 40 cases, 24 were treated with oral vitamin A. Dogs ranged from 9 months to 12 years of age at the time of disease onset. Purebred as well as mixed-breed dogs were affected. Akitas represented approximately one-third of the affected population. No sex predilections were observed. Vitamin A was administered for a minimum of 1 month. Doses varied from 380 to 2667 IU/kg/day, with a mean of 1037 IU/kg/day. Two dogs received oral vitamin A exclusively. Concurrent treatments included systemic antibiotics, systemic antifungal medications, fatty acid supplementation and various topical treatments. Of 24 dogs treated with vitamin A, three were lost to follow-up. Twelve owners were satisfied with the overall appearance of their dogs, reporting ≥25% improvement in clinical signs, including level of pruritus, amount of scale, alopecia and overall coat quality, compared with pretreatment appearance. Three owners observed adequate initial improvement, with regression to pretreatment state within 6 months of starting treatment. Two owners reported 25-50% improvement in clinical signs while on oral vitamin A supplementation; however, changes were attributed to concurrent topical treatment. Six owners reported no improvement and discontinued oral administration of vitamin A within 7 months. No correlations could be made between vitamin A dosage and response to treatment; prognoses could not be made based on clinical and histopathological findings.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21599767/