P-58 Three cases of pathological dermal deposits associated with internal diseases in dogs (xanthomatosis, calcinosis and amyloidosis)

Intestinal parasites have been anecdotally associated with pruritus in dogs. A relationship was proposed when the elimination of a specific parasite resolved the pruritus, and re-infection with a parasite caused the pruritus to recur. Ascarids, coccidia, hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms have all been incriminated. Recent reports in the human and veterinary literature have suggested that there may be a relationship between Giardia infection and the development of pruritus and other allergic signs. In order to determine if there is an association between infection with Giardia and pruritus in dogs, faecal samples were collected from 71 pruritic dogs and 101 clinically normal dogs. Three faecal samples from each animal were analysed using a zinc-sulphate concentration technique for the presence of Giardia cysts, and one randomly selected faecal sample from each dog was analysed with an ELISA for Giardia -specific antigen. Ten of 101 dogs (9.9%) in the clinically normal group tested positive with the ELISA, and Giardia cysts were detected in the faeces of seven of these antigen-positive dogs. No Giardia cysts were found in the dogs that tested negative with the ELISA. None of the dogs in the pruritic group tested positive for Giardia by either method. The results indicated a negative association between Giardia infection and pruritic skin disease ( P  = 0.006). Cephalexin was commonly used in the pruritic group, but not in the control group, and may therefore be an explanatory variable.
Funding: Ontario Veterinary College Pet Trust.