title: Clinical outcome and cyclo-oxygenase-2 expression in five dogs with solar dermatitis/actinic keratosis treated with firocoxib.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The conversion of arachidonic acid into prostaglandin is catalysed by the cyclo-oxygenases (COX-1/COX-2). Several studies indicate that COX-2 is overexpressed in actinic keratosis in humans and dogs. Firocoxib is a COX-2-selective inhibitor that blocks the biochemical activity of COX-2.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of firocoxib (5 mg/kg orally once daily) for the treatment of dogs with solar dermatitis/actinic keratosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Firocoxib 5 mg/kg was given orally once daily for 180 days to five dogs with clinical signs and histopathological lesions consistent with solar dermatitis/actinic keratosis. On days 0, 50 and 180, the severity of erythema, skin shine, induration and the number of comedones were evaluated by a clinical scoring system. On the same days, samples were collected for histopathology from 'target lesions' and COX-2 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical follow-up showed that four of five dogs improved with the treatment; improvement in terms of histological findings was correlated with the regularization of the epidermal proliferation rather than the recovery of dermal changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A role for COX-2 might thus be hypothesized in the pathogenesis of canine solar dermatitis.
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Clinica San Clemente, Via Pietro Benvenuti 7, 52100, Arezzo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Albanese
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abramo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caporali
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vichi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Millanta
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D013450:Sulfones; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015107:4-Butyrolactone; C487384:firocoxib