At Zoetis, we understand the special bond shared between people and their pets - and the importance of keeping our canine companions happy and healthy. That's why we work every day to enhance our portfolio and find new ways to support them. Did you know that canine itching is the reason that prompts one out of every six veterinary visits[i]? A number of factors can trigger an itch reaction. About half of all itchy dogs will have an underlying allergic skin condition or atopic dermatitis, which is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with allergy. Today we will focus on how we care for dogs from a dermatology perspective, just one of the many core areas of focus for Zoetis.

Supporting Our Customers

Nearly every veterinary clinic in the U.S. treats at least one dog a day suffering from skin disease[ii]. At Zoetis, we offer a broad, innovative dermatology portfolio for use in atopic and allergic dogs developed by Zoetis scientists: from APOQUEL (oclacitinib tablet) and Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic* (an injectable, anti-canine-IL-31 monoclonal antibody) to CONVENIA (cefovecin sodium) for bacterial skin infections. Our innovation also extends to Simparica™ (sarolaner) Chewables, a new product recently approved in the U.S. (approved in Europe this past November) for flea and tick control - one of the biggest parts of the companion animal market globally. Additionally, Zoetis supports our veterinary customers beyond unique product offerings. Our veterinary dermatology specialists educate veterinarians and their staff on new science about diseases, diagnoses and new therapies to help them treat their patients.

Results that Matter

Every dog has a job - whether being part of a family or as a working dog. One police dog named Keaura couldn't do his job because he was diagnosed with severe atopic dermatitis. Throughout his life, he was treated with different therapies, but none of them worked consistently over time. Relief finally came when Keaura was treated with APOQUEL during a clinical trial. His itching and inflammation decreased without many of the side effects that he experienced with other therapies. Keaura was able to go back to work as a service dog. As the clinical trial ended, Keaura's veterinarian, Dr. Tiffany Tapp of Veterinary Healing Arts, Inc. from East Greenwich, RI, wrote to Zoetis asking if APOQUEL could be continued until it was commercially available. Zoetis colleagues gave Keaura and other dogs with limited options a way to remain treated with APOQUEL. The demand for the product continues to grow more and more every day.

Coco is another dog with a success story shared by veterinarian Dr. Kimberly Coyner of Dermatology Clinic for Animals from Olympia, WA. Coco was diagnosed with chronic atopic dermatitis and had also been treated with many other therapies, with variable success. The signs of Coco's atopic dermatitis were controlled seven weeks after a single injection of Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic*. The photos tell his amazing story.

Coco Before

Coco After - 7 weeks later after a single injection; please note that individual patient results may vary

Stories such as Keaura's and Coco's inspire us to look for innovative treatments that make a difference in patients' lives. We understand that the way forward to developing better solutions is to gain better insights into the pathophysiology of canine allergic disease. This has led us to the understanding that cytokines, such as IL-31, play a key role in driving many of the clinical signs associated with the disease. It enabled us to develop novel therapies to target that pathway. At Zoetis, we are committed to developing innovative dermatology solutions that meet the needs of our customers.

Learn More

Find out more about allergic skin disease, common skin conditions, therapies and different ways to care for your dogs - pet owners in the U.S. can reference this site and those in the UK can reference the U.K. skin infections page.

Professionals may visit itchcycle.com which serves as a one-stop portal for the science of canine allergic skin conditions.

***************************

* This product license is conditional in the United States. Efficacy and potency test studies are in progress.

[i] Data on file, Pruritus Diary Study Spring 2015, Zoetis Inc.

[ii] Attitudes and Perceptions in Canine Atopic Dermatitis, The Research Partnership, 2009.

All trademarks are the property of Zoetis Services LLC or a related company or a licensor unless otherwise noted. © 2016 Zoetis Services LLC. All rights reserved.

Zoetis Inc. issued this content on 22 April 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 26 April 2016 15:22:30 UTC

Original Document: http://www.zoetis.com/news-and-media/feature-stories/posts/a-closer-look-at-the-dogs-we-help-care-for.aspx