Evaluation of a clinical scoring system for canine demodicosis

BACKGROUND: Canine demodicosis is a common disease in small animal practice. Although a number of studies evaluating treatment efficacy for canine demodicosis have used clinical scoring systems, none have been validated. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the validity, reliability, reproducibility and sensitivity to change of a clinical scoring system for canine demodicosis. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty-eight dogs with generalised demodicosis were evaluated using a clinical scoring system that assessed erythema, comedones/ papules/pustules, follicular casts/scales/crusts and alopecia, rated from none to mild, moderate and severe in 36 body locations. Two evaluators scored lesions at monthly consecutive visits during treatment. Mites were counted to a maximum of 50 in four deep skin scrapings. With >50 mites, the approximate mite number was calculated with the help of a grid drawn onto the slide before placing the scraped material onto it. RESULTS: A Pearson correlation coefficient showed a high interobserver reliability (r = 0.97) between two different clinicians evaluating the same dog. The Wilcoxon signed rank test showed good sensitivity to change with a reduction of clinical scores with each of the first six evaluations (P < 0.0001). A linear mixed model also showed a clear reduction in mite counts (P < 0.001) and clinical scores (P < 0.0001) from the first evaluation with time. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The clinical scoring system for canine demodicosis evaluated in this study showed a good sensitivity to change and interobserver reliability, and can be used in studies evaluating canine demodicosis.

Authors: B. Dengler, E. Mendoza-Kuznetsova, L. Nikolaeva, A. Rieger and R. S. Mueller Title: Evaluation of a clinical scoring system for canine demodicosis Full source: Vet Dermatol, 2021,Vol 32, Iss 4, pp 311-e84
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Abstract	Source
BACKGROUND: Canine demodicosis is a common disease in small animal practice. Although a number of studies evaluating treatment efficacy for canine demodicosis have used clinical scoring systems, none have been validated. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the validity, reliability, reproducibility and sensitivity to change of a clinical scoring system for canine demodicosis. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty-eight dogs with generalised demodicosis were evaluated using a clinical scoring system that assessed erythema, comedones/ papules/pustules, follicular casts/scales/crusts and alopecia, rated from none to mild, moderate and severe in 36 body locations. Two evaluators scored lesions at monthly consecutive visits during treatment. Mites were counted to a maximum of 50 in four deep skin scrapings. With >50 mites, the approximate mite number was calculated with the help of a grid drawn onto the slide before placing the scraped material onto it. RESULTS: A Pearson correlation coefficient showed a high interobserver reliability (r = 0.97) between two different clinicians evaluating the same dog. The Wilcoxon signed rank test showed good sensitivity to change with a reduction of clinical scores with each of the first six evaluations (P < 0.0001). A linear mixed model also showed a clear reduction in mite counts (P < 0.001) and clinical scores (P < 0.0001) from the first evaluation with time. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The clinical scoring system for canine demodicosis evaluated in this study showed a good sensitivity to change and interobserver reliability, and can be used in studies evaluating canine demodicosis.