Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Contributors -- Foreword -- Introduction: the immunological basis of allergic diseases -- Part 1: Canine Allergy -- Section 1: Canine Atopic Dermatitis -- 1: Introduction: canine atopic dermatitis as an evolving, multifactorial disease -- References -- 2: Canine immunoglobulin E -- Introduction -- The role of immunoglobulin E in atopic disease -- Immunoglobulin E interaction with immune and inflammatory cells -- The immunoglobulin E network of soluble receptors and autoantibody complexes -- Therapeutic anti-immunoglobulin E -- Conclusion -- References -- 3: The aberrant immune system in atopic dermatitis -- Atopic dermatitis as a type I hypersensitivity: the role of mast cells, histamine, IgE, and leukotrienes -- The role of dendritic cells -- T cells: different populations and cytokine response -- T regulatory cells or Tregs -- Keratinocytes: an active player in the immune response -- Summary of proposed pathogenesis -- References -- 4: Allergens and environmental influence -- Introduction -- Sources of allergens -- House dust and storage mites -- Human, feline, canine, equine, and other dandruffs -- Feathers -- Cockroach -- Pollens -- Mould spores -- Environment and canine atopic dermatitis -- Mites as triggers of canine atopic dermatitis flares and route of sensitization -- Environmental allergen avoidance as a therapeutic tool -- Choosing environmental allergens for allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) -- Allergen specificities -- Major and minor allergens -- Panallergens -- Non-allergenic mode of action -- Conclusion -- Internet sites -- References -- 5: The genetics of canine atopic dermatitis -- Introduction -- Investigating atopic dermatitis-associated genotypes -- Genome-wide linkage studies -- Candidate gene association studies -- Genome-wide association studies.

Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) -- Bias and false results -- Genomic studies in canine atopic dermatitis -- Canine atopic dermatitis is a complex disease -- Microarray studies -- Candidate gene studies -- Genome-wide linkage studies -- Genome-wide association studies -- Conclusion -- References -- 6: Skin barrier and its role in the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis -- Introduction -- Methods to determine impairment of barrier function of the canine skin -- Extracellular lipids in the stratum corneum and atopic dermatitis -- Structure and metabolic pathway of ceramides in the epidermis -- Reduction of ceramides in the stratum corneum in dogs with atopic dermatitis -- Current evidence for aberrant filaggrin expression in dogs with atopic dermatitis -- Structure and function of filaggrin in the epidermis and its role in humans and mice -- Aberrant expression of filaggrin in canine atopic dermatitis-what we know so far -- Other barrier abnormalities in human atopic dermatitis -- Future perspectives for the investigation of cutaneous barrier function in canine atopic dermatitis -- References -- 7: The role of bacterial agents in the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis -- Introduction -- Environmental exposure -- Response to probiotics -- The defective skin barrier -- Staphylococcal colonisation/adherence -- Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) -- Superantigens and related proteins -- Exfoliative toxins -- Ceramidase -- Flagellin and thymic stromal lymphopoietin -- Bacterial virulence and the pathogenesis of canine pyoderma -- Conclusion -- References -- 8: The role of fungal agents in atopic dermatitis -- Introduction -- Overview of fungi in human and canine atopic dermatitis -- Environmental fungal allergens in human atopic dermatitis -- Environmental fungal allergens in canine atopic dermatitis.

Dermatophytosis in human and canine atopic dermatitis -- Malassezia yeasts in human atopic dermatitis -- Malassezia yeasts in canine atopic dermatitis -- Conclusion -- References -- 9: Clinical signs of canine atopic dermatitis -- Signalment of CAD dogs -- History of canine atopic dermatitis dogs -- Clinical signs of canine atopic dermatitis -- Breed-associated phenotypes -- References -- 10: Diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis -- The approach to the chronic pruritic dog -- Establishing the diagnosis of CAD -- The role of 'allergy' testing in diagnosing CAD -- Identifying the role of the environment in the diagnosis of CAD -- Determining environmental allergens for CAD -- In vivo testing -- In vitro testing -- Conclusion -- References -- 11: Allergen avoidance -- The role of indoor allergens -- Environmental mites -- Pet dander allergens -- Mould spores -- Cockroach allergens -- General strategies for indoor allergen remediation -- The role of outdoor allergens -- General strategies for outdoor allergen avoidance -- Conclusion -- References -- 12: Allergen-specific immunotherapy -- Introduction -- Mechanism of action -- Selection of allergens -- Conventional allergen-specific immunotherapy -- Protocol of conventional allergen-specific immunotherapy -- Efficacy of allergen-specific immunotherapy -- Factors potentially influencing treatment outcome -- Adverse effects of allergen-specific immunotherapy -- Rush immunotherapy -- Intralymphatic immunotherapy -- Sublingual immunotherapy -- Allergen-specific immunotherapy and concurrent drug therapy -- References -- 13: Guidelines for symptomatic medical treatment of canine atopic dermatitis -- An integrated approach to treatment -- Evidence-based guidelines for treatment of canine atopic dermatitis -- Managing acute flares of canine atopic dermatitis -- Identification and elimination of flare factors.

Improving skin and coat hygiene and care -- Reducing pruritus and lesions with short-term medications: What works and what doesn't? -- Long-term management of chronic atopic dermatitis -- Identification and avoidance of flare factors -- Improvement of skin condition and epidermal barrier function -- Long-term medical treatment options -- Modifying underlying disease pathogenesis -- References -- 14: Non-conventional treatments -- Introduction -- Pentoxifylline -- Tacrolimus -- Misoprostol -- Chinese herbal medicine -- Capsaicin -- Leukotriene inhibitors -- Serotonin uptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants -- Probiotics -- Therapy with helminths -- Interferon-γ -- Hardy kiwi preparation -- Heat-killed Mycobacterium vaccae -- Conclusion -- References -- Section 2: Food Hypersensitivity -- 15: The pathogenesis of food allergy -- Introduction: lessons from human food allergy -- Natural development of oral tolerance -- Mechanism of development of food allergy -- Allergens -- The natural evolution of food allergy -- What do we know about canine food allergy? -- Epidemiology -- Immunological investigations -- Allergen specificity -- Other immunological findings -- Canine models -- Conclusion -- References -- 16: Cutaneous manifestations of food hypersensitivity -- Historical perspective -- Epidemiology -- Sex, age (at onset), and breed predilection -- Pruritus -- Lesions and pattern of distribution -- Otitis externa -- Secondary skin diseases -- Particular and rare dermatological signs -- Gastrointestinal signs in dogs with skin disease -- Other non-dermatological signs associated with skin disease -- References -- 17: Adverse reactions to food: a gastroenterologist's perspective -- Adverse food reactions -- Gluten sensitivity -- Epidemiology of adverse food reactions -- Prevalence -- Breed and age predisposition -- Clinical presentation.

Differential diagnoses [22] -- Diagnosis -- References -- 18: Diagnostic workup of food hypersensitivity -- Hypoallergenic diets -- In vivo tests: intradermal testing and gastroscopy -- In vitro tests -- References -- 19: Long-term management of food hypersensitivity in the dog -- Introduction -- Diets for food hypersensitivity -- Nutritional considerations -- Immunological considerations -- Home-prepared diets -- Hydrolysed protein diets -- Pragmatic considerations about diets for food hypersensitivity -- Hidden antigen sources -- Recipe drift -- Non-allergen aspects of the diet associated with clinical improvement -- Essential fatty acids -- Dietary influence on type 2 T-helper lymphocyte development -- Alternative non-dietary treatments of food hypersensitivity -- Sensitization to novel proteins -- Eventual restoration of tolerance to allergens -- Conclusions and recommendations -- References -- Section 3: Flea Bite Allergy -- 20: Flea biology and ecology -- Introduction -- Morphology -- Distribution -- Life cycle -- Host phase -- Environmental phase and factors affecting egg and larval development -- Veterinary importance -- Direct role -- Transmission of pathogens -- Intermediate host -- Conclusion -- References -- 21: The pathogenesis of flea bite allergy in dogs -- Introduction -- The flea allergen -- The immunopathogenesis of FAD -- Immediate and delayed hypersensitivity -- The histopathology of FAD -- Factors involved in the development of clinical FAD -- Conclusion -- References -- 22: Clinical signs of flea allergy dermatitis in dogs -- Introduction -- Is flea infestation easy to diagnose? -- Is there a season for flea allergy dermatitis? -- No epidemiological clues! -- 'Classical lesions' of flea allergy dermatitis [1-3] -- Acute lesions -- Chronic lesions -- Pyotraumatic dermatitis -- Urticaria -- Atopic dermatitis flares.

Fibropruritic nodules.