Inhalant Allergic Dermatitis in Bears

• The polar bear was found to be sensitive to "hickory, fescue, orchard grass, salt grass, ragweed, goldenrod, dandelion, red maple, red oak and white pine." (P1.1988.w3)

Clinical signs

• Diffuse alopecia and dermatitis, pruritus. (P1.1988.w3)
  • Signs started in spring each year (when there was spring grass and tree pollen in April) and resolved following the last tree pollen in November. (P1.1988.w3)

Diagnosis

• Seasonal association with the presence of grass and tree pollen. (P1.1988.w3)
• Intradermal skin testing with a range of allergens. (P1.1988.w3)
  • The polar bear was found to be sensitive to "hickory, fescue, orchard grass, salt grass, ragweed, goldenrod, dandelion, red maple, red oak and white pine." (P1.1988.w3)

Treatment

• Antihistamine therapy (1 - 1.5 gm diphenhydramine orally daily during the pollen season. This resulted in sedation and only slight reduction in pruritis. (P1.1988.w3)
• Antihistamine therapy as above, plus oral prednisolone: 80 mg on days 1,3,5,7,9 and 40 mg on days 2,4,6,8,10, then reducing to 60 mg on "odd" numbered days and 25 mg on even days, through the summer and fall pollen seasons. This gave good control of the pruritus. (P1.1988.w3)
• Hyposensitization with three increasing strengths of antigen mixtures: initially 200 PNU per mL, with increasing doses given every other day from 0.2 mL on the first day to 1.0 mL. The strength of the allergen mixture was then increased to 2,000 PNU per mL and given as 0.2 mL initially, given every day and increasing gradually to 1.0 mL as before. Finally, at a strength of 20,000 PNU per mL, also starting at 0.2 mL and increasing stepwise to 1.0 mL. After this was reached, injections of 1.0 mL the highest concentration were given every 10 days for a further three doses then every 20 days to the end of the pollen season. (P1.1988.w3)
  • Oral diphenhydramine and fatty acids were given also. (P1.1988.w3)

• History & Documentation
• Physical Examination of Mammals
• Necropsy of Mammals
• Environmental Assessment
• Treatment and Care
• Environmental and Population Management
• Chapter 2 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen Collection and Preservation
• Chapter 3 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen shipment
• Appendix A - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Sample specimen history form

• Bears (Ursidae - Bears (Family))
• Ursus maritimus - Polar bear

List does not contain all other species groups affected by this disease. [N.B. Miscellaneous / Traumatic Diseases tend to be under-reported and the majority are likely to affect all bird and mammal species, given exposure to the related disease agents/factors.]