title: Cheyletiella infestation in the dog: observations on diagnostic methods and clinical signs.
abstract: The aims of this study were to evaluate the ability of diagnostic methods to detect naturally occurring Cheyletiella infestation in dogs, and to quantify and relate the number of mites and eggs present to clinical signs. Privately owned dogs with skin problems were eligible for inclusion in the study. Four diagnostic tests were performed on each dog in the following order: tape impression, hair plucking, skin scraping and vacuum cleaning. Dogs with positive test results for Cheyletiella infestation in at least one of the tests under evaluation were included in the study (n=27). The severity of pruritus and scaling was graded on a four-point fixed scale. The diagnostic findings in vacuum cleaning samples provided a semiquantitative measure of the grade of infestation. The vacuum cleaning test gave a positive test result in all dogs and was significantly more efficient than the other tests evaluated (P<0.01). The number of diagnostic findings varied considerably among the different vacuum samples. No significant relationship between the number of diagnostic findings and severity of clinical signs was detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Parasitology, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Saevik
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bredal
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Ulstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008925:Mites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D011537:Pruritus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*