title: Efficacy of an ethanol/guar/triclosan/glycerine gel on bacteria and yeast loads in canine pododermatitis: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess efficacy of a gel compound containing guar, glycerine, triclosan and ethanol (Pawcare®, JOKER Technologies, Kerzers, Switzerland) in decreasing bacterial and yeast loads on the paws of dogs with erythematous, greasy and/or malodorous pododermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 20 dogs, each with at least two affected paws, semiquantitative Malassezia species counts were performed on 10 oil-immersion fields (range: 0 to 30) from acetate tapes pressed on the palmar/plantar surface of one paw. Half of the area was sampled before and the other half immediately after the application of Pawcare(®) . With a similar procedure, swab samples were collected from the other paw for bacterial culture, identification and evaluation of colony-forming units before and immediately after treatment. Statistical evaluation of pre- and posttreatment counts was performed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine dogs were positive for Malassezia species Mean acetate tape preparation counts decreased significantly from 8·78 (±8·03) to 5·668 (±6·65) (P=0·0039) after treatment. Twenty-five bacterial isolates of 11 different species were cultured in 19 dogs. Posttreatment cultures were sterile in 8 dogs that had an initial zero or low number (1 to 2 log counts) of colony-forming units. In cases with a higher pre-treatment number of colony forming units (2 to 6 log counts), there was a significant decrease - by a mean of 1·16 log counts (pre 3·12 ±1·69, post 1·96 ±1·57) (P=0·0002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study support the use of PawCare® gel to decrease bacterial and yeast loads in dogs affected by chronic diseases involving the inter-digital spaces.
authors.affiliation: Servizi Dermatologici Veterinari, 10024 Moncalieri, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortalda
authors.affiliation: Servizi Dermatologici Veterinari, 12016 Peveragno, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noli
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medicine, Unit of Medical Statistics and Cancer Epidemiology, University "Amedeo Avogadro' of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cena
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005685:Galactans / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005782:Gels; D005990:Glycerol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D053149:Plant Gums / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012997:Solvents; D014260:Triclosan / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D005685:Galactans; D005782:Gels; D008351:Mannans; D053149:Plant Gums; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol; D014260:Triclosan; C007894:guar gum; D005990:Glycerol