Zentrum für Klinische Tiermedizin

BACKGROUND: Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) is an established and efficacious therapy for canine atopic dermatitis (AD). In humans, intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) was reported to be associated with fewer and less severe adverse effects than subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy and to be efficacious for several years after three intralymphatic injections. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate safety and effects of ILIT in a case series of dogs with (AD). ANIMALS: Fifty one privately owned dogs with AD. METHODS: Dogs received injections of 0.2 mL alum-precipitated allergen extract into the popliteal lymph nodes at monthly intervals for 3-5 months. Lesion scores, pruritus and medication scores were determined before and at three and 12 months after beginning immunotherapy, and compared in a per protocol analysis (PP) and an intention-to-treat analysis (ITT). RESULTS: Twenty two dogs completed the study and 29 dogs did not fulfil study completion criteria due to lack of a final study visit (21 of 29) or due to insufficient improvement (14 of 29). All scores improved during the study with both analyses. For pruritus and Quality of Life scores this improvement was significant with both analyses; for Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI)-03 values and medication scores only with PP. The only rare adverse effects observed included mild swelling of the lymph node post-injection and increased pruritus. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: ILIT is safe and feasible, and provides long-lasting relief in some atopic dogs with a limited number of injections.

The latest outbreak of a coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), evolved into a worldwide pandemic with massive effects on health, quality of life, and economy. Given the short period of time since the outbreak, there are several knowledge gaps on the comparative and zoonotic aspects of this new virus. Within the One Health concept, the current EAACI position paper dwells into the current knowledge on SARS-CoV-2's receptors, symptoms, transmission routes for human and animals living in close vicinity to each other, usefulness of animal models to study this disease and management options to avoid intra- and interspecies transmission. Similar pandemics might appear unexpectedly and more frequently in the near future due to climate change, consumption of exotic foods and drinks, globe-trotter travel possibilities, the growing world population, the decreasing production space, declining room for wildlife and free-ranging animals, and the changed lifestyle including living very close to animals. Therefore, both the society and the health authorities need to be aware and well prepared for similar future situations, and research needs to focus on prevention and fast development of treatment options (medications, vaccines).

BACKGROUND: Allergic skin diseases are common in horses worldwide. The most common causes are insect bites and environmental allergens. OBJECTIVES: To review the current literature and provide consensus on pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the literature up to November 2022. Results were presented at North America Veterinary Dermatology Forum (2021) and European Veterinary Dermatology Congress (2021). The report was available to member organisations of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology for feedback. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is the best characterised allergic skin disease. An immunoglobulin (Ig)E response against Culicoides salivary antigens is widely documented. Genetics and environmental factors play important roles. Tests with high sensitivity and specificity are lacking, and diagnosis of IBH is based on clinical signs, seasonality and response to insect control. Eosinophils, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-31 are explored as therapeutic targets. Presently, the most effective treatment is insect avoidance. Existing evidence does not support allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) using commercially available extracts of Culicoides. Hypersensitivity to environmental allergens (atopic dermatitis) is the next most common allergy. A role for IgE is supported by serological investigation, skin test studies and positive response to ASIT. Prospective, controlled, randomised studies are limited, and treatment relies largely on glucocorticoids, antihistamines and ASIT based on retrospective studies. Foods are known triggers for urticaria, yet their role in pruritic dermatitis is unknown. Recurrent urticaria is common in horses, yet our understanding is limited and focussed on IgE and T-helper 2 cell response. Prospective, controlled studies on treatments for urticaria are lacking. Glucocorticoids and antihistamines are primary reported treatments.

PURPOSE: The risk of secondary zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from pet animals remains unclear. Here, we report on a 44 year old Caucasian male presenting to our clinic with COVID-19 pneumonia, who reported that his dog displayed respiratory signs shortly prior to his infection. The dog tested real-time-PCR (RT-PCR) positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the timeline of events suggested a transmission from the dog to the patient. METHODS: RT-PCR and serological assays were used to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection in the nasopharyngeal tract in the dog and the patient. We performed SARS-CoV-2-targeted amplicon-based next generation sequencing of respiratory samples from the dog and patient for sequence comparisons. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 infection of the dog was confirmed by three independent PCR-positive pharyngeal swabs and subsequent seroconversion. Sequence analysis identified two separate SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the canine and the patient's respiratory samples. The timeline strongly suggested dog-to-human transmission, yet due to the genetic distance of the canine and the patient's samples paired-transmission was highly unlikely. CONCLUSION: The results of this case support current knowledge about the low risk of secondary zoonotic dog-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 and emphasizes the strength of genomic sequencing in deciphering viral transmission chains.

Liver diseases are common in horses but often proceed subclinically. They are rarely recognized by horse owners due to the immense reserve and regenerative capacity of this organ. Therefore only liver diseases at advanced stages become clinically relevant. Even veterinarians diagnose liver diseases often as incidental findings in routine laboratory blood analyses. Clinical signs horses display due to liver diseases are often non-specific. As the liver plays a major role in equine metabolism this article is meant to give an overview of liver function, common symptoms of liver diseases, diagnostic methods and non-specific as well as specific treatments of liver diseases. The different diagnostic methods presented in this article allow veterinarians to make diagnoses and prognoses as well as to control therapeutic success in equine liver diseases. .

This chapter presents a discussion of the number of Demodex species found in dogs. Historically, determining species in Demodex mites was based on morphological features and on which host harboured the species of mite. In the last few years, PCR techniques have been developed to specifically amplify Demodex DNA, and these have been utilized to distinguish species in several phylogenetic studies. The new technique for in-house diagnosis of demodicosis combines use of an acetate tape preparation with skin squeezing. The acetate preparation is more sensitive and, in addition, is less traumatic for the dogs, and is safer than scrapes, particularly in sensitive areas such around the eyes, lips or interdigital spaces. It can be performed in uncooperative or aggressive dogs, is low-cost and easy to do. Doramectin, fluralaner, and afoxolaner are used to treat generalized demodicosis in the dog.

Fragestellung: Heterozygote Munich Ins2 C95S Mausmutanten weisen eine Punktmutation im Ins2-Gen auf. Männliche Mutanten zeigen einen früh einsetzenden, progressiven Diabetes mellitus mit Entwicklung einer Insulinresistenz und hochgradigem Verlust der funktionellen Betazellmasse. Im Gegensatz dazu weisen weibliche Mutanten lediglich eine gestörte Glukosetoleranz auf und die Betazellmasse ist nicht reduziert. Ziel der Studie war es, den Einfluss einer Ovariektomie mit und ohne Estradiolersatztherapie auf den Glukosestoffwechsel und das Betazellüberleben bei weiblichen Munich Ins2 C95S Mausmutanten zu untersuchen.

Einleitung Zur detailgetreuen Darstellung einzelner Neurone und ihrer Fortsätze bedarf es besonderer Färbemethoden. Goldstandard ist hier die Golgi-Färbung, die überwiegend an frischem Hirngewebe durchgeführt wird. Kleine Modifikationen erlauben jedoch auch die Aufarbeitung langzeitfixierten Nassmaterials.

Unter zahlreichen neuromuskulären Krankheiten beim Golden Retriever sticht in höherem Alter eine progrediente distal betonte, symmetrische Parese mit Sensibilitätsstörungen heraus. Ziel dieser Studie war, Läsionen betroffener Tiere zu charakterisieren, um zu ermitteln, ob es sich um ein einheitliches Syndrom handelt.

Das Multiblock-System ist eine Technik, die schnell und kostengünstig Untersuchungen (Immunhistologie, In-situ-Hybridisierung) zur Qualitätssicherung mit bis zu 100 Geweben in einem Paraffinblock ermöglicht. Bei dieser modifizierten Methode wird auf die praktische und einfache Herstellung sowie Reduktion der Probenzahlen Wert gelegt.

Aims: GIPRdn transgenic mice on the CD1 outbred genetic background show loss of functional beta cell mass in combination with a severe diabetic phenotype. In this study, the influence of the genetic background FVB/N (F.CD1-GIPR dn) and C57Bl/6J (B6.CD1-GIPR dn) on the diabetic phenotype and the postnatal development of the endocrine pancreas of GIPRdn transgenic mice were investigated.

Hintergrund Der Placebo-Effekt ist ein häufiges Phänomen in klinischen Studien. Die Datenlage darüber in kaninen Epilepsie-Studien ist begrenzt, obwohl seine Ausprägung die Wirksamkeitsbewertung neuer Therapien maßgeblich beeinflussen kann. Bei kürzlich durchgeführten Epilepsie-Studien wurde die Hypothese aufgestellt, dass der Placebo-Effekt in Studien im Cross-over Design vermindert ist.