INTRADERMAL REACTIVITY TO VARIOUS INSECT AND ARACHNID ALLERGENS AMONGDOGS FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED-STATES

Objective-To compare cutaneous reactivity to insect and arachnid aller gens in clinically normal (control) and allergic dogs in the southeast ern United States. Design-Prospective, controlled study. Animals-26 cl inically normal dogs and 82 allergic dogs from the southeastern United States. Procedure-Intradermal skin testing with various dilutions of 13 insect and arachnid allergens was performed on control dogs to esta blish skin threshold concentrations (ie, concentrations to which < 25% of the dogs had positive reactions). These established threshold conc entrations were then used to test allergic dogs for reactivity. Preval ence of single and multiple insect and arachnid reactions were determi ned. Results-Flea allergen was the only allergen that caused a signifi cantly higher prevalence of positive reactions in allergic dogs than i n control dogs. Clinical Implications-Flea hypersensitivity is the mos t important arthropod hypersensitivity in dogs. The importance of reac tivity to insect and arachnid allergens other than flea allergen can b e determined only when prevalence of positive reactivity has been dete rmined in an appropriate regional control group of dogs.