Background – Perianal fistulas are painful ulcers or sinus tracts that disproportionately affect German shepherd dogs and are proposed as a spontaneous animal model of fistulising Crohn's disease. Objectives – To characterise the rectal and cutaneous microbiota in German shepherd dogs with perianal fistulas and to investigate longitudinal shifts with lesion resolution during immunomodulatory therapy. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance – Changes in lesional cutaneous and rectal microbiota occur in German shepherd dogs with perianal fistulas and shift over time with lesion resolution during immunomodulatory therapy. Further investigations of the role of cutaneous and enteric microbiota in the pathogenesis of perianal fistulas, and whether manipulation of microbial populations may ameliorate disease, are needed.

Background – Animal and owner quality of life (QoL) is pivotal in treatment decisions. Accurate measurement of owner-reported QoL and treatment satisfaction (TS) supports disease burden and treatment benefit evaluation. Objectives – Develop and evaluate an owner-completed canine dermatitis QoL and TS questionnaire (CDQoL-TSQ) in allergic dogs. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance – The CDQOL-TSQ is a two-part assessment to evaluate QoL and TS in canine allergic dermatitis. The QoL questionnaire demonstrated validity and reliability, and interpretation of scores was derived, making it suitable for use in research and practice. The TS module is suitable for clinical setting use to improve owner–veterinarian communication.

Background – Fine bubble (FB) bathing has shown benefits on a mouse model of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, its efficacy in dogs with AD remains to be evaluated. Objective – This study aimed to assess the clinical effectiveness of FB bathing in dogs with AD. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance – These results suggested that FB treatment provides benefits for dogs with AD and offers an alternative topical treatment option with a lesser impact on skin barrier function compared to frequent shampooing.

Background – Supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) enables dose reduction of prednisolone and ciclosporin in canine atopic dermatitis (cAD). Objective – To determine if oral administration of PUFA can reduce the dose of oclacitinib for cAD. Conclusion – Oral supplementation of PUFA allowed dose reduction of oclacitinib and improved pVAS, QoL, QoC and GA significantly in patients with cAD. The use of PUFA is recommended and safe in atopic dogs receiving oclacitinib.

Background – Diagnosis of canine adverse food reactions (AFRs) is based on vague criteria, such as ‘>50% improvement’ during elimination diet trial (EDT) followed by ‘deterioration’ during provocation test (PT). Objective – The objective of the study was to use predefined criteria to evaluate response during EDT [i.e., Owner Global Assessment of Treatment Efficacy (OGATE) = good-to-excellent] and relapse during PT [i.e., Owner Global Assessment of Challenge Deterioration (OGACD) = moderate-to-severe and/or >100% increase of lesional (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index, 4th iteration, CADESI-04) and/or of pruritus (pruritus Visual Analog Scale, PVAS) scores]. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance – The proposed (predefined) criteria for the evaluation of response during EDT and deterioration during PT seem reliable and are easily applicable in clinical practice and research.