Topical ethyl alcohol as a novel treatment for superficial bacterial pyoderma in dogs.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess topical ethyl alcohol as a novel treatment for canine superficial pyoderma and compare its effects with chlorhexidine digluconate on the relative abundance of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi within the skin microbiome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, randomised, blinded study, 15 client-owned dogs with bilaterally symmetric bacterial skin lesions received twice-daily topical chlorhexidine digluconate 3% (Douxo™ S3 Pyo mousse, CEVA; Libourne, France) or 70% ethyl alcohol (Purell™ Gel, GOJO Industries; Wooster, OH, USA) for 28 days. Lesions were clinically and cytologically scored at days 0, 14 and 28 using a modified split-body system to generate a global score. Next-generation DNA sequencing characterised the S. pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi loads at day 0 and 28. RESULTS: Both treatments significant improved global scores from baseline (chlorhexidine 18.22 ± 3.54; ethyl alcohol 17.95 ± 3.78) at 14-days (chlorhexidine 12.80 ± 2.74, p ≤ 0.001; ethyl alcohol 12.40 ± 3.06, p ≤ 0.001) and 28-days (chlorhexidine 9.24 ± 3.57, p ≤ 0.001 and ethyl alcohol 8.40 ± 4.06, p ≤ 0.001). Global scores were not significantly different between treatment groups at any time point. Both treatments also reduced the relative abundance of S. pseudintermedius (chlorhexidine -28.73% ± 42.86%; ethyl alcohol -25.66% ± 38.74%) and S. schleiferi (chlorhexidine -65.93% ± 13.03%; ethyl alcohol -79.82% ± 8.37%). No statistically significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of either species between the topical treatments (p=0.95 S. pseudintermedius; p=0.38 S. schleiferi). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests topical 70% ethyl alcohol may be an effective treatment for canine superficial pyoderma.