Proactive Treatment of Canine Allergic Otitis Externa With Hydrocortisone Aceponate: A Retrospective Observational Study.
- 1Division of Clinical Dermatology, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- 2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
- 3Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Lisbon, Portugal.
Abstract
Background
Allergic otitis externa is common in dogs and recurrence may lead to repeated consultations and antimicrobial use. Long-term data on proactive topical corticosteroid maintenance are limited.Objectives
To describe 12-month relapse frequency in dogs with allergic otitis externa receiving proactive hydrocortisone aceponate maintenance therapy and compare consecutive-day and non-consecutive-day schedules.Methods
Medical records of client-owned dogs prescribed hydrocortisone aceponate ear spray were retrospectively reviewed. Maintenance started after clinical and cytological remission. Only dogs with confirmed continuation, stable concomitant allergy management and complete 12-month outcome data were included. Relapse was defined as recurrent otitis externa requiring veterinary examination, cytology and additional otic treatment. Dogs were grouped by schedule: Protocol 1, two consecutive days; and Protocol 2, two non-consecutive days weekly. Outcomes were compared using Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney U tests.Results
Seventy-one dogs were included; 36 in Protocol 1 and 35 received Protocol 2. During 12 months, 50/71 dogs (70.4%) had no relapse, 12/71 (16.9%) had one relapse and 9/71 (12.7%) had multiple relapses. At least one relapse occurred in 9/36 dogs (25.0%) in Protocol 1 and 12/35 (34.3%) receiving Protocol 2 (p = 0.443). Multiple relapses occurred in 2/36 (5.6%) and 7/35 (20.0%) dogs, respectively (p = 0.085). Relapse counts did not differ significantly between protocols (p = 0.290).Conclusions
Most dogs had no relapse or only one relapse during proactive hydrocortisone aceponate maintenance. No statistically significant difference was detected between schedules, but equivalence or non-inferiority cannot be concluded.
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BibTeX
@article{maina2026proactive,
title = {{Proactive Treatment of Canine Allergic Otitis Externa With Hydrocortisone Aceponate: A Retrospective Observational Study.}},
author = {Elisa Maina and Jasmine Chantale Rigert and Carlotta Filippini and Regula Cao and Ana Oliveira},
journal = {Veterinary medicine and science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/vms3.71276},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904785},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Proactive Treatment of Canine Allergic Otitis Externa With Hydrocortisone Aceponate: A Retrospective Observational Study.
AU - Elisa Maina
AU - Jasmine Chantale Rigert
AU - Carlotta Filippini
AU - Regula Cao
AU - Ana Oliveira
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Veterinary medicine and science
DO - 10.1002/vms3.71276
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904785
AB - Background Allergic otitis externa is common in dogs and recurrence may lead to repeated consultations and antimicrobial use. Long-term data on proactive topical corticosteroid maintenance are limited.Objectives To describe 12-month relapse frequency in dogs with allergic otitis externa receiving proactive hydrocortisone aceponate maintenance therapy and compare consecutive-day and non-consecutive-day schedules.Methods Medical records of client-owned dogs prescribed hydrocortisone aceponate ear spray were retrospectively reviewed. Maintenance started after clinical and cytological remission. Only dogs with confirmed continuation, stable concomitant allergy management and complete 12-month outcome data were included. Relapse was defined as recurrent otitis externa requiring veterinary examination, cytology and additional otic treatment. Dogs were grouped by schedule: Protocol 1, two consecutive days; and Protocol 2, two non-consecutive days weekly. Outcomes were compared using Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney U tests.Results Seventy-one dogs were included; 36 in Protocol 1 and 35 received Protocol 2. During 12 months, 50/71 dogs (70.4%) had no relapse, 12/71 (16.9%) had one relapse and 9/71 (12.7%) had multiple relapses. At least one relapse occurred in 9/36 dogs (25.0%) in Protocol 1 and 12/35 (34.3%) receiving Protocol 2 (p = 0.443). Multiple relapses occurred in 2/36 (5.6%) and 7/35 (20.0%) dogs, respectively (p = 0.085). Relapse counts did not differ significantly between protocols (p = 0.290).Conclusions Most dogs had no relapse or only one relapse during proactive hydrocortisone aceponate maintenance. No statistically significant difference was detected between schedules, but equivalence or non-inferiority cannot be concluded.
SN - 2053-1095
ER -