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Review
. 2024 Feb 13:15:15-29.
doi: 10.2147/VMRR.S412570. eCollection 2024.

Canine Atopic Dermatitis: Prevalence, Impact, and Management Strategies

Affiliations
Review

Canine Atopic Dermatitis: Prevalence, Impact, and Management Strategies

Yvonne Drechsler et al. Vet Med (Auckl). .

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory and pruritic allergic skin disease in humans and dogs worldwide. The pathogenesis of AD is multifactorial, immunologically complex, and may involve genetic factors, epidermal barrier dysfunction, microbiome changes, immune dysregulation, and allergic sensitization. Across species, prevalence of AD is on the rise. At present, there is no cure for canine AD (CAD). The treatment for CAD is multifaceted and aimed at controlling the pruritus, associated inflammation, and infections, repairing the skin barrier function, and dietary management. This review presents data on prevalence, impact, and complex immunological interactions in AD with a focus on subsequent management of the disease in the canine population. A multimodal approach for management of CAD to address varying clinical signs and responses to therapies is discussed.

Keywords: alarmins; immune therapies; immunopathology; pruritus; systemic therapies; topical therapies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr Charli Dong reports occasional contracted speaker engagements for Zoetis and Hill’s. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Immunological pathways and relevant therapeutic interventions in the canine atopic skin. Several cell types are involved in inflammation in the skin, including keratinocytes, fibroblasts, dendritic cells, mast cells, several subpopulation of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. Different cytokines and other inflammatory mediators are released by various cells and can be targeted by topical and systemic therapeutics. Created with Biorender.com.

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