Trial protocol
At the initial visit, dog-owners were informed about the study protocol, while the first patch was applied in their presence. For subsequent patches, owners were free to choose between home-application or application by the dermatology team at the study institution. Educational infographics were provided to all owners: a study summary and a detailed 4-step EPIT application guide to ease home-application.
Briefly, an area of skin (about 10x10 cm) from the dog’s mid-anterior chest was clipped and tape-stripped 15 times41, ensuring complete but gentle removal of the stratum corneum , which promotes skin allergen penetration and dendritic cells’ activation20,31,32,35,41. The allergen-containing device was centred on a hypoallergenic adhesive (Bastos Viegas S.A., Penafiel, Portugal) and placed on the tape-stripped skin once weekly, for 12 hours, for six months. Finally, all dogs were clothed with a protective bodysuit to support patch fixation and prevent its removal during routine activities (figure 1).