title: Comparison of two shampoos for the treatment of canine Malassezia dermatitis: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Two antimicrobial shampoos for treatment of canine Malassezia dermatitis (CMD) were compared in a prospective, randomised, single-blinded, field clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven dogs with pedal or generalised dermatitis associated with Malassezia overgrowth (MO) were treated with 3% chlorhexidine shampoo (3%CHX) or 2% miconazole-2% chlorhexidine shampoo (2%MIC/CHX) and evaluated for up to 6 weeks until cytological recovery. Pruritus, erythema, papules, greasy seborrhoea, scaling, malodour, excoriations, secondary hairloss, lichenification, hyperpigmentation and lesion extent were each scored on a 0-3 severity scale and combined making an aggregate score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 54 dogs with good treatment compliance, reduction of yeast counts by at least 88% was recorded in 21 of 22 dogs with 3%CHX and 30 of 32 dogs with 2%MIC/CHX. No significant difference was detected between products for yeast count reduction (P=0·592). Time to cytological recovery was not significantly different between groups (P=0·960). Lesion score was significantly reduced in both groups after treatment (72·5 ±25·7% with 3%CHX versus 78·7 ±22·3% with 2%MIC/CHX, P=0·309). Four dogs treated with chlorhexidine shampoo showed minor adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, 3%CHX was clinically as effective as 2%MIC/CHX for treatment of CMD.
authors: VIRBAC SA, 06511 Carros, France.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Maynard
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Rème
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Viaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D008290:Malassezia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008825:Miconazole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D008825:Miconazole; D002710:Chlorhexidine