Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Topical fatty acids and oils help itching in dogs with atopic
By Tretter, Sandra & Mueller, Ralf S·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2011·Small Animal Medicine Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The influence of topical unsaturated fatty acids and essential oils on normal and atopic dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of seven dogs with itchy skin due to atopic dermatitis (a common allergic skin condition) were treated with a spot-on product containing essential oils and unsaturated fatty acids for eight weeks. Another group of atopic dogs received a daily spray with similar ingredients. After treatment, the dogs showed significant improvement in their skin condition and reduced itching. There were no side effects noted, suggesting that these topical treatments could be a helpful option for dogs suffering from allergies and skin problems.
People also search for: dog itching treatment · atopic dermatitis in dogs · essential oils for dog skin problems
Abstract
Seven dogs with atopic dermatitis and six normal dogs were treated with a spot-on product containing essential oils and unsaturated fatty acids q 7 days for 8 wk. Seven additional atopic dogs received a daily spray containing similar ingredients to the spot-on. In all dogs, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was measured before and after treatment using a closed chamber device. In atopic dogs, a validated lesion score (canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index, CADESI) was determined and pruritus was assessed with a visual analog scale before and after treatment. The mean CADESI scores in atopic dogs decreased with the spot-on (P=0.0043) and with the spray (P=0.0366). Similarly, the pruritus scores decreased with the spot-on (P=0.266) and with the spray (P=0.0177). There was a significant difference between the TEWL values of healthy and atopic dogs on the abdomen (P=0.0181) and back (P=0.0123). TEWL decreased significantly on the back after treatment with the spray (P=0.016), but not on the abdomen (P=0.078). Adverse effects were not observed. The results of this pilot study indicate that topical fatty acids and essential oils are a useful treatment option for canine atopic dermatitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21673338/