Clinical evaluation of an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant diet effect in 30 dogs affected by chronic otitis externa: preliminary results

The aim of this evaluation study was to assess the possible role of a specific diet in relieving main clinical symptoms of chronic bilateral otitis externa (occlusion of ear canal, erythema, discharge quantity, and odor) in 30 adult dogs. Thirty dogs of different breeds (mean age ± SEM; 6.03 ± 0.15 yr and mean weight ± SEM; 32.01 ± 1.17 Kg; 54.2% males, 45.8% females) with evident chronic clinical otitis symptoms were equally divided and randomly assigned to receive an antiinflammatory and antioxidant diet (treatment group) or a standard diet (control group) over a period of 90 days. In all cases a topical treatment was administered. The antiinflammatory and antioxidant diet significantly decreased the mean score intensity of all symptoms after 90 days of intervention (P < 0.0001) with the exception of Malassezia pachydermatis infection which was only slightly reduced. Our investigation is one of the few evidence-based results where a commercial antiinflammatory and antioxidant diet has been proven effective, in combination with drugs, in relieving otitis externa symptoms. This study opens new insights into otitis clinical management providing evidence of efficacy of a combined therapy with drugs and functional foods.