RETROSPECTIVE SURVEY OF ALLERGEN IMMUNOTHERAPY IN CANINE ATOPY

The clinical records of 277 cases of canine atopy treated with specifi c allergen immunotherapy were reviewed. A good response was defined as control with immunotherapy either alone or with topical agents, a par tial response as control with immunotherapy and other systemic agents, and a poor response as no perceived benefit and the immunotherapy dis continued. The mean follow-up period was 29.2 months (range 10 to 85 m onths). Ninety-one cases (33 per cent) were lost to follow-up or faile d to comply with the therapeutic protocol. Of the remaining 186 cases, 40 (21.5 per cent) had a good response to immunotherapy, 74 (39.8 per cent) had a partial response, and 72 (38.7 per cent) had a poor respo nse. Immunotherapy was therefore of long-term benefit in 114 dogs (61. 3 per cent). No significant differences in response rates were associa ted with the breed or sex of the dog, or the age of onset of the disea se, or with the type or number of allergens included in a vaccine. Dog s which had clinical signs for more than 61 months before immunotherap y had a significantly poorer response rate (23.5 per cent, P<0.05). In -house cases had a significantly better response rate' (95.2 per cent, P<0.05) than externally managed cases.