Impact of canine atopic dermatitis on the health-related quality of life of affected dogs and quality of life of their owners

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic or chronically relapsing human and canine skin disease that adversely affects the quality of life of affected individuals. The impact of the disease on affected children and their parents has been extensively studied, but very little is known of its impact on affected animals and their owners. The goal of the present study was to fill this gap. Owners were asked to complete three questionnaires concerning their own quality of life, their perception of the treatment provided and their pets' quality of life. Clinical features, such as severity index, pruritus score and disease duration, were evaluated in parallel and correlated with the questionnaire answers. The study not only demonstrated that canine atopic dermatitis deeply influenced the way of life of the owners of affected dogs but also in which aspects of life the impact was most severe.