The ACVD task force on canine atopic dermatitis (XIV): clinical manifestations of canine atopic dermatitis

Canine atopic diseases, including those with skin lesions, have been descri bed for many years. Unfortunately, early descriptions often failed to estab lish definitive guidelines for considering a patient atopic, and criteria f or diagnosing atopic dermatitis (AD) have varied from author to author. Lar ger case-series published from the 1960s to the 1980s suggested that the mo st common clinical manifestation of AD was pruritus, particularly of the fa ce, ears, paws, extremities, and/or ventrum. It is not always clear that te sting to eliminate other differential diagnoses was always carefully perfor med on patients in early reports; therefore, some descriptions could includ e patients affected with diseases other than or in addition to AD. Points o f consensus regarding clinical manifestations of AD in case-series include the presence of pruritus beginning at a young age, possibly seasonally; and a prominent lesional involvement of the face, extremities, axillae or vent rum. Conflicting information on breed and sex predispositions is present, p erhaps representing regional or temporal variability. Clinical reports vary , in regard to the description of lesions seen in dogs with AD. This reflec ts a possible confusion with lesions of secondary complications, and highli ghts the fact that the existence and nature of primary lesions of canine AD are not truly known. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.