Is a cure for IMHA near?May 3, 2018The image of a straight line neatly sums up the frustration of treating dogs afflicted with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), according to Andrew Mackin, BVMS, DVSc, FANZCVSc, DACVIM, professor and head of the Department of Clinical Sciences at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
SPONSORED CONTENTThe Case for Year-Round Heartworm Prevention and Affordable OptionsVeterinarians are often more than just clinicians - they’re advisors, educators, and, increasingly, financial counselors. In today’s economy, pet owners may hesitate to invest in year-round prevention due to budget constraints; but, skipping even a few months of heartworm protection can have serious consequences. + Learn More
MAF awards Penn $775K to test osteosarcoma immunotherapy vaccine in dogsApril 20, 2018Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) has awarded a $775,000 grant to the University of Pennsylvania to test a vaccine that could improve longevity and quality of life for dogs with osteosarcoma. The research team will conduct clinical trials to evaluate a novel immunotherapy treatment that combines a molecule expressed by cancer cells with a modified live form of Listeria monocytogenes. A pilot study demonstrated this combination elicited a powerful, targeted immune response directed against osteosarcoma cells in patients suffering from this type of cancer. "This could be an incredible breakthrough in the fight against osteosarcoma, a highly aggressive and deadly cancer," said Kelly Diehl, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), senior scientific programs and communications adviser at MAF. "For the last 50 years, Morris Animal Foundation has been funding cancer studies, and this is one of the largest, single grants we have ever awarded. The results of the pilot study were so compelling, that we knew we had to support this research team and their progression to a clinical trial." The vaccine, created by removing harmful genes from the Listeria bacteria and then attaching markers of osteosarcoma cells, supplements standard osteosarcoma treatment of amputation and chemotherapy by attacking cancer cells that …
Merck announces inaugural Dog Flu Prevention WeekApril 18, 2018Merck Animal Health announced it has created Dog Flu Prevention Week, to be held during the third week of April annually (this year April 16-22), as a reminder to pet owners to protect their social dogs, either for the first time or for revaccination. Thousands of cases of dog flu have been confirmed across the country in the past year, and Dog Flu Prevention Week is being launched to recognize the anniversary of the discovery of the newest strain—H3N2—the party responsible for most cases. Dog Flu Prevention Week will kick off the discussion around vaccine-preventable diseases in conjunction with World Animal Vaccination Day, which is April 20. "All dogs that are social and interact with other dogs are at risk for dog flu, but the good news is that dog flu is vaccine preventable," said Kathryn Primm, DVM, co-author of the Pet Parent's Guide to Infectious Disease of Dogs. "Dogs can be protected against both strains of dog flu with a single vaccine, which is given as two doses, two to four weeks apart." Social dogs that are frequently in contact with other dogs at places like dog parks, dog day care and grooming facilities, and boarding kennels are at an increased …
Why annual screening for exposure to infected ticks is vitalApril 18, 2018It's important to remember that a single tick can transmit multiple infectious agents that may cause or contribute to serious illness, including kidney disease. And because dogs don't always show clinical signs, it can be challenging to understand the true harm of any given infection to a pet's health. This makes regularly screening pets—including asymptomatic or seemingly healthy ones—to identify exposure to infected ticks all the more important. Here's a quick look at why regular, comprehensive screening is critical, and what veterinarians can do to help keep dogs healthy. All dogs need to be screened annually for exposure to infected ticks It's quite possible a patient could be fighting an infection without showing any signs of disease. That is why limiting screening to symptomatic pets and those known to have had a tick on them is too restrictive—it will miss infections. All dogs need to be tested, and pet owners need to be reminded that negative results are the goal in order to verify that preventive measures against ticks are working. A new study reinforces the importance of detecting exposure The study, found at idexx.com/tickrisk, showed two key findings: 1) dogs with Ehrlichia antibodies …
Cornell vets perform tricky cardiac procedure on shepherd puppyApril 11, 2018Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA) and veterinarians from three countries joined forces to save a young German shepherd's life. At 6 months old, Rex was by far the calmest dog the Silverman family of New York had ever owned. Their other German shepherds all bounced off the walls at that age, so at first they attributed Rex's docile behavior to temperament. Nothing in his regular checkups indicated a problem, but when Rex became violently ill, the Silvermans noticed the dog's heart was racing and knew it was something far more serious. Gretchen Singletary, DVM, DACVIM, a veterinary cardiologist in New York, stabilized him and performed a series of tests, including an electrocardiogram that confirmed the presence of an arrhythmia. The culprit turned out to be a small bundle of muscle running inside the wall of his heart, a defect he was born with and likely caused his low energy. Dr. Singletary told Silverman that Rex was a candidate for radiofrequency catheter ablation, where small areas of the heart muscle are heated through the tip of a catheter to destroy abnormal tissue. It's a complicated, precise procedure, and only two places in the U.S. offer it routinely—a …
Canadian Kennel Club announces country's top breedsApril 10, 2018 The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) released its annual list of the country's most popular dog breeds and, like the American Kennel Club's (AKC) list, Labrador retrievers maintained their position as leader of the pack, having held the honor in Canada since 1995. This year, the CKC welcomed a new breed to the official rankings of the country's best-loved: the Australian shepherd made the list for the first time in more than 25 years, taking the No. 9 position and bumping the Yorkshire terrier out of the top 10. "The Aussie can do it all," said Shawna Wiebe, president of the Canadian National Australian Shepherd Association. "They are a very intelligent, athletic dog in a moderate package. They can move from the herding arena, to the agility ring, to the rally ring, to the Frisbee field, with great ease." Australian shepherds are ideal for active families who are looking for a dog to keep up with them. The breed thrives in a home that is committed to socializing and training them, Wiebe added. German Shepherds, golden retrievers, and poodles remain in the CKC's No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 spots, respectively, while Shetland sheepdogs and …
How low-stress handling changed one patient's lifeApril 6, 2018Myla, a 5-year-old pit bull, was deemed evil by her family veterinarian and his staff. Every time she came to the hospital, even for something as benign as a wellness visit, she had to be sedated at home.
Auburn Oncology Service launches melanoma drug clinical trialApril 5, 2018The Oncology Service at Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine is using the help of man's best friend in launching a clinical trial to test a new melanoma treatment drug. "This study is designed to test a new drug that may be useful in treating melanoma, which most commonly occurs in the mouth in dogs," said Bruce Smith, VMD, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Pathobiology and director of the Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer, or AURIC. "The drug, called MMX, is a peptide, which is a chain of amino acids, the basic building blocks of all proteins," Dr. Smith said. "This study seeks to measure the effect of this drug on these tumors. We are currently taking patients to participate in the clinical trial." Dog owners who are interested in enrolling their pets into this clinical trial must do so through the Oncology Service at the college's Wilford and Kate Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital. The treatment, as well as surgery to remove any tumor left at the end of the trial, will be provided at no cost to the owner. The trial initially is about a five-week …
AKC top breeds list features longtime faves, two surprisesMarch 29, 2018The American Kennel Club (AKC) released its annual breed popularity rankings Wednesday, and unsurprisingly, the nation still loves its happy-go-lucky Labrador retrievers 27 years after their first appearance as top dog. German Shepherd dogs and golden retrievers remain in the AKC's No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. What is surprising is the rise of French bulldogs to No. 4 from No. 76 in just 20 years. Bulldogs, beagles, poodles, Rottweilers, and Yorkshire terriers make up No. 5 through No. 9. The German shorthaired pointer made the No. 10 spot this year (a GSP won Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 2016). The dogs are cute, compact, and relatively quiet, making them a breed of choice for urbanites. But not everyone is excited about the French bulldog's rising popularity. However, they suffer from health issues common among brachycephalic breeds, as well as and spinal and eye problems, and are often born by cesarean section. Sometimes they require nasal or palate surgery. John de Jong, DVM, a Newton, Mass., veterinarian who is president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association said he acknowledges the breed's conditions and challenges, but added that other dogs face their own particular challenges. …
Could noise sensitivity in dogs be a cry for pain relief?March 26, 2018 A study conducted by animal behavior scientists from the U.K. and Brazil found that dogs that show fear or anxiety when faced with loud or sudden noises could actually be in pain. The researchers examined cases of dogs that had developed sensitivity to variations in noise volume, pitch, and occurrence, and found they also had associated musculoskeletal pain. The undiagnosed pain could be exacerbated when auditory stimuli makes the dogs tense or jump, placing extra stress on muscles or joints that already are inflamed, causing further pain, according to the study. That pain is then associated with a loud or startling noise, leading to sensitivity to noise and avoidance of situations where they had a previous bad experience, such as at a local park or in a loud room at home. According to the researchers, veterinarians should give any dog with a behavior issue a thorough physical exam to determine that if pain is a factor, it can be diagnosed and treated, and the behavior issue can then be addressed. In the study, all dogs that experienced pain and were treated showed improvement in behavior. Pain, behavior issues, and the onset of pain "Although the average ages of the …
