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, […]
Read More02837: Duration of Antibiotic Therapy for Canine Superficial Pyoderma: Is the One-Week Post Resolution of Clinical Signs a Valid Rule-of-Thumb?
Canine superficial bacterial skin infection in dogs is the main presentation leading to antibiotic use in small animal practice. Commonly prescribed duration of treatment for bacterial infections are not evidence-based and it has been anecdotally recommended that all cases of bacterial skin infections take antibiotics for seven days beyond clinical resolution of lesions. Bacterial skin […]
Read MoreExploring Biomarkers for Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis in dogs, also known as atopy or seasonal allergies, is a common and frustrating problem affecting up to 25% of dogs in the United States. The disease is characterized by an exaggerated immune system response to allergens in the environment. Intense itching is the most common clinical sign, accompanied by secondary skin and […]
Read More03215-A: Investigation of the Role of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Phenol-soluble Modulins in Canine Pyoderma
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a bacterium found on dog skin. This bacterium is also the leading cause of skin infection in dogs and can be transmitted to humans. S. pseudintermedius produces several toxins, including phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs), but the roles of these toxins in dogs with skin infections are unknown. S. pseudintermedius is similar to a […]
Read More03433: Identification of commensal skin bacteria that inhibit the growth of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and their associated bacteriocins
Lay Abstract: Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is one of the most common causes of infection in dogs. However, these infections are typically endogenous stemming from the dog’s own skin microbiome. Despite this, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in this pathogen is booming. Our clinical laboratory has observed multi-drug resistance (MDR) in 75.7% of S. pseudintermedius isolates. In fact, pan-resistant […]
Read More02111-A: Evaluating the Contribution of Fungal Infection to the Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis: Putting Evidence under the Use of Antifungal Medication
This study utilized next-generation sequencing to describe the natural fungal microbiome (mycobiome) of canine skin and to identify changes in the mycobiome when allergic skin disease is present. Superficial skin swabs from ten dogs with healthy skin and eight dogs with allergic skin disease were collected from haired and non-haired sites, 10 sites for healthy […]
Read More02921-MOU: Transcriptome Profiling of Canine Familial Dermatomyositis Skin Lesions and Treatment with a JAK Inhibitor to Identify Novel Pathways Involved in Pathogenesis
Dermatomyositis (DMS) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorder affecting primarily skin and muscle in both humans and dogs. Familial canine DMS is mainly described in predisposed breeds, such as Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs, and is characterized by severe inflammatory lesions leading to skin scarring with disfiguration, increased morbidity and decreased quality of life. Full […]
Read More02176-A: Intralymphatic Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Canine Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a genetically predisposed inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 10% of dogs globally and is probably the most prevalent skin disease in all canines. Affected dogs manifest with itchy skin and ears and secondary infections. Clinical features are associated with IgE antibodies produced against indoor/outdoor environmental allergens. Breeds such as Boxers, Terriers, […]
Read More03162: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Treatment of Canine Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is a common inflammatory and itchy skin disease, constituting a global issue that affects millions of people and dogs world-wide. The pathogenesis of this disease is known to be multifactorial and not only consisting of skin barrier dysfunction, but also with immunological dysregulation and skin microbiota changes playing a central role.In humans, establishment […]
Read More02825-A: Effect(s) of Atopic Dermatitis-associated Cytokines on Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
Allergies are extremely common in dogs, with environmental allergy being one of the most common. The exact cause of allergies is unknown but does present with an abnormal immune response. An immune response is a complex mechanism by which the body fights infections. A major component of this mechanism is made of small signaling proteins […]
Read More02116-A: Establishing Best Practices in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance
Atopic dermatitis (AD/Allergic skin disease) is a common condition affecting approximately 10% of the canine population, with strong breed predilections. Affected dogs often succumb to recurrent bacterial skin infections, namely by Staphylococcus species. As in human medicine, one of the major obstacles in treating these infections is combating antimicrobial resistance. Frequently, multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria […]
Read More0002234: Basophil/Mast Cell Response to Lectins as a Predictor for Risk of Allergic Disease in Genetically Susceptible Dogs
Atopic dermatitis or skin allergies is a chronic debilitating disease that is widely distributed among the breeds of dogs. This inherited disease is listed as a high research priority for the following breeds: Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Bull Terrier, Cairn Terrier , Dalmatian, Vizsla, Welsh Terrier and West Highland White Terrier. The skin mast cell […]
Read More01240-A: Development of a Diagnostic Method for Canine Atopic Dermatitis
Grant Status: Closed Grant Amount: $11,880 Daniel A. Gingerich, DVM; Imulan Bio Therapeutics, LLC May 1, 2009 – April 30, 2010 Sponsor(s): American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Charitable Trust, American Sealyham Terrier Club, Boston Terrier Club of America Charitable Trust, Chinook Health Fund, French Bulldog Club of America, Sally Z. Monroe, MD FUND, Samoyed […]
Read More02472-A: Effect of Lokivetmab on Tissue Biomarkers of Canine Atopic Dermatitis using RNA Sequencing
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common, chronic, inflammatory and pruritic allergic skin disease that affects dogs worldwide. Treatment of canine AD has a high unmet need for effective and safe therapeutics. The transcriptome investigation of human AD tissues before and after treatment modalities has revolutionized the understanding of the molecular fingerprint of AD, further […]
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