Cell proliferation kinetic values were established for the epidermis, hair follicle epithelium, and sebaceous glands of 8 Cocker Spaniels with primary idiopathic seborrhea. Values were established by intradermal pulse labeling injections of tritiated thymidine followed by cutaneous biopsy and autoradiography.The epidermal basal cell-labeling index was 4.96 +/- 0.97%, and the epidermal nucleated cell-labeling index was 3.33 +/- 0.71%. Calculated epidermal cell renewal time for the viable layers of the epidermis was 7.85 +/- 1.80 days. The hair follicle infundibulum basal cell-labeling index was 5.48 +/- 2.01%, and the sebaceous gland basal cell-labeling index was 5.94 +/- 4.15%. When compared with previously reported cell kinetic values for Cocker Spaniels and Beagles with healthy skin, these data indicate accelerated cellular proliferation in all 3 cutaneous structures in seborrheic Cocker Spaniels.

Six horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 8 horses with recurrent urticaria were skin tested with 67 extracts from 58 allergens, including pollens, epidermals, cultivated farm plants, dusts, molds, and insects. Reactions were evaluated 3 times over a 24-hour period immediately after the injections. Results were compared with those obtained from 11 clinically normal horses. All horses had positive skin test reactions. Significant difference was evident between horses with COPD and clinically normal horses for only 3.0% of the possible extract reactions, and between horses with urticaria and clinically normal horses for only 4.5% of the possible extract reactions. Horses with COPD or urticaria had greater total percentage of allergen extract reactions than did clinically normal horses. Positive reactions were observed at all 3 evaluation periods, and late-onset reactions were not always preceded by positive reaction at earlier periods. All horses with COPD or urticaria had at least 1 skin test reaction that exceeded the mean +/- 2 SD, as calculated for each of the 67 extracts for the group of clinically normal horses.

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy of application of an alcohol-based antiseptic (80% ethyl alcohol) hand rub (ABAHR) with that of a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate scrub (CGS2) for immediate reduction of the bacterial population on the skin of dogs. ANIMALS 50 client-owned dogs with no evidence of skin disease. PROCEDURES On each dog, 2 areas of hair on the ventral aspect of the abdomen were clipped with a No. 40 blade and cleared of debris. A direct contact plate holding tryptic soy agar with polysorbate 80 and lecithin was gently pressed (for 2 seconds) on each skin site (preapplication sample). The CGS2 and ABAHR were each aseptically applied to 1 skin site on each dog. A direct contact plate was subsequently applied to each site in a similar manner (postapplication sample). All plates were cultured, and bacterial isolates were identified and quantified by the number of CFUs per plate. RESULTS Application of the CGS2 and ABAHR significantly decreased skin bacterial colony counts, compared with findings for preapplication samples. The number of CFUs per plate or postapplication percentage reduction in CFUs per plate did not differ between treatments. There were no adverse skin reactions associated with either application. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that applications of ABAHR and CGS2 were equally effective at immediately reducing the bacterial population on the skin of dogs, and there was no significant difference in percentage reduction in colony counts between the 2 applications.

Objective—To characterize the response of skin of nonallergic horses following ID injection of polyclonal rabbit anti-canine IgE (anti-IgE) and rabbit IgG. Animals—6 healthy horses. Procedures—Skin in the cervical area was injected ID with anti-IgE and IgG. Wheal measurements and skin biopsy specimens were obtained before and 20 minutes and 6, 24, and 48 hours after injection. Tissue sections were evaluated for inflammatory cells at 4 dermal depths. Immunohistochemical analysis for CD3, CD4, and CD8 was performed, and cell counts were evaluated. Results—Anti-IgE wheals were significantly larger than IgG wheals at 20 minutes and 6 and 24 hours after injection. There were significantly more degranulated mast cells after anti-IgE injection than after IgG injection. There were significantly more eosinophils at 6, 24, and 48 hours and neutrophils at 6 hours after anti-IgE injection, compared with cell numbers at those same times after IgG injection. There were significantly more eosinophils in the deeper dermis of anti-IgE samples, compared with results for IgG samples. No significant differences between treatments were detected for CD3+, CD4+, or CD8+ cells. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Injection of anti-IgE antibodies was associated with the development of gross and microscopic inflammation characterized by mast cell degranulation and accumulation of inflammatory cells, particularly eosinophils and neutrophils. This pattern appeared to be similar to that of horses with naturally developing allergic skin disease, although lymphocytes were not increased; thus, ID injection of anti-IgE in horses may be of use for evaluating allergic skin diseases of horses.

A 4-year-old female American cocker spaniel was hospitalized with 6 months prolonged dermal problems in The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Seoul National University. Initial noticed signs by owner of this dog were rashes and papules on ear part and they were spreaded whole body. On initial physical examinations, papules, pustules, crusts, and erythema were presented on whole body. Diameters of focal scaly and erythematous alopetic lesions were varied ranging 1 to 4cm. Skin scraping for detecting ectoparasites and wood's light examinations for dermatophyte were negative. Any bacteria were not detected but Malassezia pachydermatis was detected on cytological examination and fungal culture. The dog was treated with Itraconazole (5mg/kg, q12h) and Cephalexin (20mg/kg, q12h) orally and then bathed with 2% chlorhexidine shampoo twice per week for 5 weeks. From 12 weeks after starting therapy, all dermal problems were disappeared although some mild pyoderma were once relapsed. Regular chlorhexidine bathing treatment so far has been continued for preventing recurrence.

A six-month-old, male mongrel dog presented with wet ventral abdominal skin hairs and a short prepuce with penis. In physical examination, the penis was underdeveloped with fusion failure of the prepuce and the urethral opening was in the transitional area between os penis and perineal region. the radiological shape of urinary bladder was normal in positive contrast cystography and there was no any other routes except the observed urethral opening. Cryptochidism was also shown. It was diagnosed as hypospadia.

A suction blister technique was used in 10 healthy dogs to remove the epidermis from the dermis in a standardized way. Collection chambers were attached to these skin windows and filled with autologous serum to attract exudative neutrophils. The chambers were emptied by fine-needle aspiration at 4-hour intervals and were refilled with serum for 24 hours after the Int aspiration. The collected cells were counted, differentiated, and stained, using the trypan blue dye-exclusion method to determine cell viability. Multiple skin biopsy specimens obtained during the procedure were examined histologically. The chamber fluid collected after 24 hours was cultured for bacteria. Increasing numbers of viable neutrophils were collected during the 24-hour period from the induced skin windows. In all but 1 dog, sufficient viable neutrophils could be collected to perform further functional tests in vitro. Our conclusion is that this technique might be useful to study chemotaxis in vivo and to perform functional tests on exudative neutrophils.

Two 2.5-cm2 full-thickness skin wounds were created surgically over the lateral aspect of the cannon bone of each limb of 6 horses (n = 48 wounds). Dressings evaluated were a nonadherent gauze pad (group 1); a synthetic semiocclusive dressing, (group 2); equine amnion (group 3); and a synthetic fully occlusive dressing (group 4). Wounds were assessed subjectively at each dressing change, and total wound area, area of granulation tissue, and area of epithelium in each wound were determined by computerized digital analysis of photographs of the wounds. Complete healing time (wound covered by epithelium) also was determined for each wound. Statistical comparisons were made, using Kruskal-Wallis analysis and a Mann-Whitney U test. Median time to complete healing was: group 1, 53 days; group 2, 71 days; group 3, 63 days; and group 4, 113 days. Time to complete healing was significantly longer for wounds of group-4 horses than all other groups, and wounds of group-1 horses healed faster than did those of group-2 horses (P < 0.05). Wounds in group-4 horses required significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) more excisions of granulation tissue (median, 11.5 times) than did those in group-1 (median, 3.5), group-2 (median, 5.5) or group-3 (median, 2.5) horses. Epithelial tissue was detected later in wounds of group-4 horses (median, 27 days) than in wounds of horses in groups 1, 2 or 3 (median, 17 days); however, this difference was not statistically significant. Significant differences were not found for percentage of healing attributable to wound contraction or epithelialization. Use of synthetic semiocclusive and fully occlusive dressings resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) prolonged healing and production of excess wound exudate, compared with control wounds. In this model, occlusion of wounds was not beneficial for healing of full-thickness skin wounds of the distal portion of the limbs of horses.