2025, Szczepaniak, Marcin, Pomorska-Handwerker, Dorota, Jank, Michał, Kurosad, Agnieszka

Atopic dermatitis is the most common allergic disease in dogs. The main sign of the disease is severe pruritus, whereas potential therapies include treatment of the causes and symptomatic treatment. The latter involves the use of glucocorticosteroids, oclacitinib, and lokivetmab, but less severe signs can be treated with polyunsaturated fatty acids, antihistamines, cannabidol, or palmitoylethanolamide. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of palmitoylethanolamide combined with polyunsaturated fatty acids in the symptomatic treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs. The study was performed on 10 dogs. The study arm received palmitoylethanolamide in combination with polyunsaturated fatty acids. In all animals, the intensity of pruritus (pVAS) and the severity of skin lesions (CADESI 04) were assessed six times at weekly intervals. In the study arm, there was a statistically significant reduction in pruritus after 4 weeks of treatment, and a reduction in skin lesions was achieved after 3 weeks of treatment. Palmitoylethanolamide combined with polyunsaturated fatty acids effectively reduces the intensity of skin lesions and pruritus.

2025, Jank, Michał, Włodarek, Jan

2026, Synowiec, Aleksandra, Pachota, Magdalena, Krejmer-Rabalska, Martyna, Ziemann, Daria, Szczubiałka, Krzysztof, Jank, Michał, Rabalski, Lukasz, Nowakowska, Maria, Gawor, Jerzy P., Pyrć, Krzysztof

2025, Gawor, Jerzy P., Ziemann, Daria, Jank, Michał, Gard, Carole, Navarro, Christelle, Jahier, Bruno

Dental home care of pets plays a critical role in preventing periodontal disease. Active methods of dental home care such as tooth brushing are recommended along with oral hygiene measures that can help reduce dental plaque. The study evaluated the effectiveness of a new topical oral gel (TOG) in controlling plaque accumulation in dogs. After scaling and polishing, 32 dogs were randomly assigned to either a control group with no further oral hygiene care or the TOG group that received an application of the oral gel once a day for 30 days. All dogs were fed the same diet during the trial. Five parameters were evaluated in 9 target teeth on days 0 and 30: periodontal disease index (PDI), calculus index (CI), gingival bleeding index (GBI), plaque index, and oral health index (OHI). On day 30, comparison between the groups showed no differences for PDI and CI. However, OHI, PDI, and GBI were significantly lower in the TOG group ( P  < .05). Furthermore, OHI and GBI decreased over time in the TOG group ( P  < .05) and not in the control group. These results show that once-daily oral applications of TOG, without mechanical action, reduced the accumulation of dental plaque in dogs.

2026, Pawelczak, Paweł, Laska-Modzelewska, Alicja, Jank, Michał, Skupińska, Mirosława, Belter, Agnieszka

2024, Gawor, Jerzy, Jank, Michał, Harvey, Colin E., Nicolas, Celine S.

Many dental homecare products are marketed, several of which have been evaluated using a “clean tooth” protocol (the teeth are scaled at the start of the trial). The efficacy of dental products in dogs that have not had their teeth professionally cleaned (“dirty tooth model”) has been studied far less often. Some dogs for which professional dental cleaning is indicated will not have their teeth cleaned because of anesthetic risk or for other reasons. In this study, 6 dental homecare products were evaluated against a negative control group; none of the dogs received professional dental cleaning at the start of the study. The home care protocols tested were: brushing every other day using a toothpaste, feeding a dental chew once daily (VF), adding a water additive in the water daily (AQ), brushing once a week + VF daily, brushing once a week + AQ daily, VF + AQ daily. Dental deposits (plaque and calculus) and periodontal health were assessed on awake dogs, before and after receiving the assigned homecare regimen for 8 weeks. Results were compared with an untreated control group. Dental deposits were reduced by regular mechanical action (brushing or VF daily). Periodontal health status was improved when AQ daily was combined with either brushing once a week or VF daily. Two scoring techniques useful for determining a recommendation from a veterinarian to commence home oral hygiene or recommend dental scaling as a necessary first step are described.

2024, Szkopek, Dominika, Pierzynowski, Stefan G., Pierzynowska, Kateryna, Zaworski, Kamil, Kondej, Agata, Wychowański, Piotr, Konieczka, Paweł, Seklecka, Blanka, Donaldson, Janine, Jank, Michał, Woliński, Jarosław

AbstractThe purpose of this review was to analyze the scientific literature on exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in dogs and cats and our own research on porcine model to compare animal‐ and microbial‐derived enzymes in the treatment of animals with this disease. Clinical signs of EPI occur when more than 85% of the pancreatic parenchyma is non‐functional. EPI can be a consequence of various diseases. The insufficient activity or deficiency of pancreatic enzymes leads to impaired digestion and absorption, and consequently, to malnutrition. The primary treatment for enzyme insufficiency is pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT). PERT in animals with EPI is a lifetime therapy. Most commercially available products are of animal origin (processed pancreata obtained from a slaughter house) and contain lipases, alpha‐amylase, and proteases. Enzymes of microbial and plant origin seem to be a promising alternative to animal‐derived enzymes, but to date there are no registered preparations containing all enzymes simultaneously for use in clinical practice to treat EPI. Results from some previous studies have highlighted the “extra‐digestive” functions of pancreatic enzymes, as well as the actions of pancreatic‐like microbial enzymes. For example, trypsin activates protease‐activated receptor and provokes maturation of enterocytes and enterostatin inhibits fat absorption. It has been postulated that intrapancreatic amylase is the main component of the acini‐islet‐acinar axis—the reflex which down regulates insulin release, while gut and blood amylase exhibit anti‐incretin actions “per se.” Additionally, high but still physiological blood amylase activity coincide with physiological glucose homeostasis and a lack of obesity.

2026, Laska-Modzelewska, Alicja, Pawelczak, Paweł, Jank, Michał, Skupińska, Mirosława, Belter, Agnieszka