Knowledge Hub
Access valuable information to help pet owners and veterinarians improve canine health and quality of life.
Skin & Allergies Research
The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) funds research aimed at improving the health of dogs by understanding, diagnosing, and treating skin and allergic diseases.
Read MoreLipid Profiles to Diagnose Atopy
Atopic dermatitis, or atopy, is the most common inflammatory skin disease in people and dogs. It is caused by an abnormal immune response to environmental allergens that penetrate the skin’s outer protective layer. Clinical signs include itching, scratching, and licking which predispose the skin to secondary infection. There is no definitive diagnostic test for atopy […]
Read More02694: Investigation on the Molecular Crosstalk between Canine Atopic Skin and Microbes: Unraveling Potential Pathomechanisms for Chronic Recurrent Skin Infections
Environmental allergy is extremely common in dogs. Alterations of the skin barrier may lead to an altered inflammatory signal in allergic skin cells that perpetuates the inflammatory response and alters the interaction between skin cells and the external environment. Microorganisms have been shown to be more adherent on allergic compared with healthy skin. This increased […]
Read More03166-A: Evaluation of the Effects of Diluted Sodium Hypochlorite on Skin Microbiome in Dogs with Superficial Pyoderma and Atopic Dermatitis: a Single Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial
In canine allergies, recurrent skin infection is frequent, often requiring repeated antibiotic use. This leads to a financial burden on owners and higher risk for antibiotic resistance. Recent studies in people have shown that diluted bleach baths can help patients with allergies and skin infections. In dogs, bleach has shown antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in […]
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The Low Down on the Wipe Down for Working Dogs
Introduction Search and rescue dogs and military working dogs provide valuable services to help keep us safe, but they are often deployed to areas contaminated with hazardous materials such as petroleum products, heavy metals, and volatile organic solvents. Regular decontamination of the dogs’ fur and skin is recommended, but there is little objective data on […]
Read More00680-A: Screening of Healthy Dogs and Dogs with Chronic Allergic Dermatitis for Colonization of the Skin by Methicillin-Resistant Strains of Staphylococci
Bacterial skin infection (pyoderma) is the most common skin disease occurring in dogs. Greater than 90 percent of pyoderma in dogs is caused by Staphylococcus spp. bacteria, and canine skin is more susceptible to staphylococcal infections than the skin of human beings or any other domestic species. In dogs with allergic skin diseases (which may […]
Read More02182-A: Is Defective Secretion of Antimicrobial Peptides Associated with Reduced Microbicidal Effects in Atopic Keratinocytes?
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small proteins produced by many organisms. They have multiple functions, the most important of which is the defense against pathogens. The antimicrobial activity of such proteins has been demonstrated against multiple microorganisms. Recently, a lack of secretion of AMPs, after exposure to bacteria in human skin cells harvested from allergic patients, […]
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