TDK conference 2010

This survey studies the skin disorders found in examined dogs and the prevalence of each disease. The purpose of this study was to find correlation between a disorder and the patient’s breed, age, sex and other conditions (like season), raising the possibility of creating an algorithm that helps to establish a correct diagnose and widens the range of differential diagnosis of practicing veterinarians.

Our investigations were made on examination sheets of 154 dog claimed for dermatologic examination at the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences University of Kolozsvár, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Parasitological and Dermatology Department between September 2007 and December 2009. These examination sheets contained the patient’s signalments, medical and dermatological history, clinical and physical examination findings and the results of diagnostic tests used. The information gathered was reassessed and subjected to statistical analysis.

By assessing the combined results of historical facts, clinical symptoms and additional diagnostic tests we set up 169 skin disease in the examined dogs. The most common groups of dermatological disorders encountered were allergic dermatitis (80/169, 47%) and parasitic skin disorders (49/169, 29%) followed by bacterial skin diseases (10 / 169, 6%), autoimmune disorders (9 / 169, 5.3%), fungal skin diseases (8 / 169, 4.7%) and endocrine skin diseases (7 / 169, 4%). The fewest occurred cases were keratinization and seborrheic disorders (5 / 169, 3%) and neoplastic skin tumors (3 / 169, 2%). In cases of allergic dermatitis (atopic dermatitis, food allergy, flea bite allergy) and demodicosis we performed more through investigations to examine the symptoms, type of lesions, appearance in time, distribution, underlying diseases etc.

In our observations certain skin diseases occur more frequently in the presence of some characteristics (breed, age, sex etc). These observations have raised the possibility of creating a new procedure besides dermatological, internal and additional examinations Thus, some dermatologic conditions can be linked to individual and not only limited to the symptoms. Creating this diagnostical algorithm may help to set up a correct diagnose and in the future could also suggest additional examination tests