Dermatology
The Dermatology Service offers referral services six days a week. Clients benefit from detailed consultations with immediate in-house testing.
Current Studies
Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic Dermatits(AD) is a common itchy skin problem of dogs caused by allergies to environmental substances such as grass and tree pollen, dust mites and some moulds. It is a chronic disease which can be managed but not cured and can affect dogs from as early as 6 months of age.
AD is characterised by pruritus (itching), self trauma and infection of the skin of various parts of the body. Areas commonly affected include the skin around the eyes, inner ear flaps, between the toes, under the front legs and in the groin area. When the disease is severe it greatly affects the quality of the dog’s life. For example, working dogs such as guide dogs and assistance dogs may not be able to work effectively if they are severely affected by AD.
The fact that this disease can occur in young dogs suggests it may be inherited. Certain breeds such as Retrievers, West Highland White Terriers and Bull terriers are thought to be at higher risk although any dog can be affected.
It is important to ensure the dog doesn’t have other skin diseases before making a diagnosis of AD. This is done by testing for bacterial and yeast infections, other causes of inflammation and hormone problems. Allergies to substances such as skin parasites (e.g. fleas) and food must also be eliminated as possible causes as these triggers can be removed from the pet’s environment whereas pollens, dust mites and moulds cannot. This may involve a dietary trial for several weeks.
Once all other causes of skin disease have been ruled out a diagnosis of AD can be made. The disease then must be managed for the rest of the dog’s life. Mild cases may be successfully managed by bathing the dog with a medicated shampoo. More severe cases require a regimen of serious drug therapy just to control the itchiness sufficiently so that it is not affecting the dog’s quality of life.
Atopic Dermatitis - New treatment.
Of the drugs currently available for management of AD, the most commonly prescribed are corticosteroids (cortisone). Although these drugs can offer relief from the clinical signs of itchiness and inflammation they are associated with side effects and their effectiveness may decrease with prolonged use. Other drugs which may control the clinical signs can be effective but also have side effects.
In the search for new treatments that are effective with few side effects the Royal Veterinary College in conjunction with an animal health company are looking for dogs with confirmed AD to participate in a study of a new drug which has shown promising efficacy in treating this condition. The study will be comparing the new drug with a drug currently licensed to treat AD. It is hoped that the new drug will have equal or greater efficacy with fewer side effects.
Client Incentives
Examination by a Specialist Veterinary Dermatologist
Regular Blood and Urine Analysis throughout the study
Complimentary flea and worm control medication
Voucher for pet care at client’s regular veterinary practice, on completion of study.
Eligibility Criteria
Previous diagnosis of AD (with documented history)
Dog otherwise healthy, weighing over 3kg and at least 6 months old.
Owner must be willing and able to travel to the RVC on a regular basis with their pet.
To Find out more contact theClinical Investigation Centre via email:
Atopic Dermatitis in Labradors and Golden Retrievers
In dogs, as in people, genetic as well as non-genetic factors appear to be important for disease expression, Atopic dermatitis is commonly diagnosed in Labrador and Golden retrievers. These breeds are genetically much more homogeneous than the human population, therefore recognition of genetic polymorphisms associated with atopic dermatitis in these dogs is expected to add significantly to the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease in the dog and also has implications for human atopic dermatitis.
To this end The Royal Veterinary College aims to collect large numbers of samples from affected and unaffected Golden and Labrador Retrievers for analysis to investigate the genetic background of this disease.
Print out further study information here.