Veterinary Medicine - August 2008 - (Page 451)

10. A dog with demodectic pododermatitis. The diagnosis of 9. Using the hair pluck technique to obtain samples to diagnose demodicosis. demodicosis was missed on deep skin scrapes by the referring veterinarian because of the difﬁculty in scraping the ulcerated paws. Mites were found through hair plucks upon referral. 11. Canine demodicosis on histologic examination. Multiple mites are present in the hair follicle (hematoxylin-eosin; 20X). will ever treat (Table 1). Counsel owners on the time (possibly up to a year or longer) and nancial commitment required to treat this potentially life-threatening dermatosis. Premature treatment cessation by owners is a central reason for treatment failure. Since clinical signs often improve before parasitologic cure, it is paramount owners understand the need for regularly scheduled follow-up visits to ensure a successful outcome. A client handout may be helpful in educating clients about demodicosis. Clinical and microscopic observation Some dogs less than 1 year of age with mild generalized disease may spontaneously recover. Clinical and microscopic observation over several weeks with no mite-speci c therapy is an option if signs are mild. Elective sterilization to avoid disease propagation in the gene pool can be performed once any secondary pyoderma is controlled; however, the stress of anesthesia and surgery may promote disease progression.8 If clinical signs progress or mite Download a client handout on demodicosis at veterinarymedicine.dvm360 .com/Demodicosis. numbers increase, miticidal therapy is indicated. A complete blood count, serum chemistry pro le, and urinalysis are useful, particularly in adult dogs to exclude predisposing conditions or when deep pyoderma is a confounding factor. This minimum database taken in context with presenting clinical signs may lead to other diagnostic testing such as hormonal assays and stimulation studies. Treatment success is directly related to identifying and controlling underlying conditions. Nevertheless, demodicosis may precede an undiagnosed predisposing disease. chlorhexidine, or ethyl lactate when secondary pyoderma is present. The use of any glucocorticoid-containing product is contraindicated and could favor disease generalization. Evaluate the patient’s overall health with special consideration to conditions affecting the immune system such as poor husbandry, poor nutrition, inoculation status, and internal parasitism. A clinical examination with skin scrapings two to four weeks after initial diagnosis is indicated to monitor for disease resolution or progression. Antibiotic therapy for pyoderma Super cial staphylococcal pyoderma is treated empirically by using a betalactamase-stable antibiotic for a minimum of four weeks (Table 2). In dogs with unresponsive super cial pyoderma or deep pyoderma or when rod-shaped bacteria are identi ed on cytologic examination, select antibiotic therapy based on bacterial culture and antimicrobial sensitivity testing. Continue antibiotic therapy until the pyoderma is clinically and cytologically resolved. Adjunctive topical therapy with an antibacterial shampoo may hasten clinical resolution. Common antibacterial shampoo ingredients include benzoyl TREATING GENERALIZED CANINE DEMODICOSIS Generalized demodicosis can be one of the most frustrating skin diseases you VETERINARY MEDICINE August 2008 451 http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/Demodicosis http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/Demodicosis

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - August 2008

Veterinary Medicine - August 2008 Contents Editors' Note Leading Off ClinQuiz Idea Exchange Practical Matters Diagnosing and Treating Canine Copper-Associated Hepatopathies Canine and Feline Demodicosis CE Form Advertiser Index Product Preview Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - August 2008

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