An open-label pilot study on an adsorbent mousse containing adelmidrol in client-owned cats with feline atopic skin syndrome and associated seborrhoea.

Background: Besides pruritus and skin lesions, cats with feline atopic skin syndrome (FASS) may have seborrhoea.

Hypothesis/objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether an adsorbent mousse containing tapioca starch, adelmidrol and a nonpharmacological antimicrobial complex could decrease FASS-associated seborrhoea in cats.

Animals: Seven client-owned cats with FASS were included based on the presence of seborrhoea and pruritus (>4 cm on the validated feline pruritus Visual Analog Scale [VAScat]), regardless of the concomitant administration of antiallergic drugs, provided that they were used for ≥1 month before study entry and maintained unchanged.

Materials and methods: Cats were evaluated weekly by owners and every other week by veterinary surgeons for 2 (optionally 4) weeks using a four-item skin seborrhoeic index (SSI). The VAScat and the scoring feline allergic dermatitis (SCORFAD) index also were used to assess pruritus and skin lesion severity, respectively. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for pre- versus post-treatment comparisons.

Results: At the end of Week 2, the mean score value for SSI was significantly decreased (p = 0.016). At the same time point, the mean severity of pruritus and the mean SCORFAD index value had also decreased (p = 0.016). Moreover, 86% of the investigators were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the tested mousse. Four cats continued the study up to Week 4 and showed a further, albeit nonsignificant, decrease in all evaluated scores.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: These preliminary findings have promising implications for clinical practice in cats with FASS-associated seborrhoea and are worth further investigation.