Brave New World In Veterinary MedicineNovember 30, 2011 North Carolina State University is the only university in the country to offer autologous bone marrow transplants (BMT) for dogs with lymphoma—one of the most common canine cancers. Steven Suter, VMD, MS, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM (Oncology), an assistant professor of oncology at North Carolina State University, has been performing the transplants since October 2008. He says that a 40-50 percent cure rate is reported in humans with B-cell lymphoma using the same procedure, although the canine data is still tentative. “When do you say a dog is cured?” Dr. Suter asks. “For people it is five years out [after the transplant procedure]. For dogs I estimate we can say two years after treatment is a success. In the first group of 24 dogs with B-cell lymphoma that we treated, eight are long-term survivors.” Suter started providing this service with the hope that the procedure could be perfected and performed in the specialty clinical setting. Since the inception of the project, Suter has continued to modify the protocol. Apply: The rehydrated graft is applied into a surgery site. If a surgery site is not very vascular, pre-mixing with patient blood is advised. “We …
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Nutrition And Advanced Diagnostics Can Combat Parasite Plagues, Other GI ConditionsNovember 9, 2011 Primary care veterinarians and internal medicine specialists alike say gastrointestinal (GI) disease comprises up to 25 percent of their caseloads. Diagnosing and treating the array of chronic cases can be complex. With new pet foods created to prevent or maintain certain GI conditions, new in-house testing and diagnostic tools, more patients and clients can eliminate acute disease or minimize symptom flare ups in maintaining chronic cases. “Parasites, digestive disturbances and food allergies are the most commonly seen GI issues,” says Cade Wilson, DVM, of Carter County Animal Hospital P.C. Ardmore, Okla. “But giardia, GI cancer, GDV are other conditions that require more work to treat. Giardia could be difficult to identify before the new SNAP giardia test was developed and chronic conditions require diagnostic tools or surgery to identify.” Richard E. Goldstein, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ECVIM, associate professor of small animal medicine at Cornell University, says SNAP tests such as the giardia and pancreatitis tests have brought testing in-house, minimizing missed disorders/diagnosis and expediting treatment. “It takes less than 10 minutes to get a result from SNAP tests,” Dr. Goldstein says. “The shelf life is good and they’re economical. They’ve improved patient care for …
Diabetes UpdateOctober 31, 2011 Diabetes mellitus affects 1 in 400 cats and is on the rise, possibly because of increased obesity rates, according to Morris Animal Foundation. Intervet Schering-Plough, now owned by Merck Animal Health, makers of Vetsulin (porcine insulin zinc suspension), says about 1 in 500 dogs suffer from the signs of diabetes mellitus. A Merck market study of more than 200 veterinarians showed that 70 percent had between one and 10 diabetic canine patients, while 26 percent said they treat 11 or more diabetic canine patients. With such a significant number of feline and canine patients affected by the disease, primary care veterinarians and specialists alike have voiced concern about a significant industry issue—the availability of insulin brands they have grown to rely on. “There’s always a concern that something will go off the market,” says Richard Goldstein, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ECVIM, associate professor of small animal medicine at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. “The trend in human medicine decides if an insulin brand will be available for veterinary use, considering many insulin forms vets use are actually created for the human market.” Dr. Goldstein says human medical practitioners are trending toward using combinations of short- …
The Health Benefits Of Therapeutic FastingJuly 11, 2011 Fasting and the calorie restricted diet have both shown benefits for human and animal health as well as a lengthening of lifespan.1 Fasting consists of stopping food, but there are a number of variations that allow the consumption of juice, supplements or other items. Calorie-restricted diets usually aim to reduce the caloric intake to 70 percent of what is considered “normal,” either on a daily basis or by alternate day extreme restriction. For humans, multiple nutrient-dense foods are consumed, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. For animals, calorie restriction research usually involves restricting the diet to 70 percent of whatever the control animals are eating. Even without an increase in nutrient density, these animal studies show improved health, less degenerative disease and increased lifespan. Calorie restriction induces a cellular response that results in decreased free radical production, increased resistance to free radical effects and production of other protective proteins.2 Oxidative stress resulting in clinical3 or subclinical chronic inflammation is considered to be the primary cause of aging and age-related degenerative disease.4,5 Ironically, as the benefits of fasting and a calorie-restricted diet gain increasing research support, both the human and the …
Update: Pfizer Discontinues Periodontitis VaccineApril 29, 2011UPDATE: 4/28/11 -- Pfizer Animal Health’s canine Porphyromonas vaccine has been discontinued, effective early April 2011, due to efficacy issues. The product was designed as an aid to preventing periodontitis. The Porphyromonas Denticanis-Gulae-Salivosa Bacterin vaccine was conditionally licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in September 2006. Since then, the Madison, N.J.-based company has conducted a 48-month field efficacy study intended to support the full licensure of this product. Although the study confirmed the vaccine’s safety, it “did not demonstrate a vaccine effect in vaccinates (as compared to controls) for either of the key efficacy variables assessed (attachment loss and gingival bleeding index),” according to a letter sent to veterinarians in early March by Oliver Knesl, BVSc, MRCVS, marketing manager of companion animal biologicals at Pfizer Animal Health. On the basis of these results, Pfizer Animal Health will not pursue renewal of the current conditional license for the vaccine, Sherry Podhayny, VMD, told Veterinary Practice News. Dr. Podhayny is the manager of veterinary operations of companion animal biologicals at Pfizer Animal Health. Any product still …
Assistance Dogs: Special Role Of VetsMarch 23, 2011 With the number of assistance dogs growing exponentially throughout the U.S., veterinarians can expect to see more assistance dogs in their practices. While dogs for the visually impaired predominate, dogs can learn to serve an ever-broadening list of disabilities, from hearing impairment to autism and post-traumatic stress disorder for combat veterans and other trauma victims. Service dogs are also trained to work with people who use wheelchairs, need seizure alert or response, need alerts to other medical issues such as low blood sugar, or have psychiatric disabilities. These amazing dogs can retrieve objects out of reach, pull wheelchairs, open and close doors, turn light switches off and on, bark to indicate that help is needed, find and lead another person to the handler, provide balance and counterbalance for those who need help walking and many other tasks. In short, these animals can enable people to live fuller, more independent lives. And the high personal and economic value placed on these dogs calls for extra attention to their health and well-being. For 25 years I have been on the board of directors of the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS.org), the oldest hearing-ear dog program …
Nutrigenomics Takes ‘You Are What You Eat’ To New LevelFebruary 14, 2011 Veterinary nutrigenomics combines genetics and nutrition to develop optimal diets for companion animals, a field in which researchers and pet food manufacturers are investing significant amounts of time and money. At the University of Illinois, Kelly S. Swanson, Ph.D., and his team are using DNA-based sequencing techniques to characterize the canine and feline gastrointestinal tracts. They are looking at what happens in tissue when animals are fed one diet versus another. The results may lead to a better understanding of the microbial profile and metabolic pathways of animals with varying dietary regimens and at different stages of health and life. Many questions need to be answered before the ultimate goal can be achieved: creating individual diets that make optimal use of, and even manipulate, gene expression. “The dog and cat genome sequence data is being utilized in research, taking genomic biology to gain a better understanding of dog and cat physiology and how nutrition contributes to health and disease,” says Dr. Swanson, an assistant professor of animal and nutritional sciences in the , department of animal sciences. “Genomics in pets is being used to study microbial populations and gene expression changes in blood and various tissues. …
Best ProtectionFebruary 14, 2011 There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to canine vaccinations, but the American Animal Hospital Association is about to update what one professional calls “some very good science-based recommendations.” A special AAHA council expects to release vaccine recommendations this month that will replace a set issued in 2006. AAHA President Gregg Takashima, DVM, says that despite all the changes in this area of veterinary practice over the past 10 years, much of the decision-making about what is appropriate for patients occurs just as it always has: on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the dog’s lifestyle and the region in which the veterinarian is practicing. Michael San Filippo, media relations assistant at the American Veterinary Medical Association, says current research is too inconclusive to make sweeping recommendations that will work for every dog. “Veterinarians have traditionally vaccinated annually; however, they are now learning that some vaccines induce immunity that lasts less than one year, whereas others may induce immunity that lasts well beyond one year,” he says. “The AVMA recommends that veterinarians customize vaccination programs to the needs of their patients. More than one vaccination program may be effective.” Chris Pappas, DVM, director …
Dispelling Myths About CaOx UrolithsNovember 29, 2010 Therapeutic diets for dogs with urinary disease have simplified its management. Fearing that something “nonprescription” will upset the delicate balance between urinary solutes and their saturation, veterinarians may find themselves administering stern precautions to clients against feeding any “real” or human food, including fruits and vegetables. Certainly, preventing recurrence of calcium oxalate (CaOx) urolithiasis in stone-prone dogs can prove difficult, and some caregivers welcome the simplicity of feeding one food to their dog every day for life. They have no urge to dabble in homeopathics, experiment with herbs or turn to culinary solutions through homemade diets or plant-based embellishments. Others, however, search high and low for natural remedies and may seek help elsewhere if their veterinarian insists on commercial diets, given consumers’ persistent mistrust of the pet food industry since the Chinese melamine disaster.1 In the absence of a clinically proven medication or foolproof commercial diet, the drive for plant- or food-based options for CaOx stone prevention remains strong.2-3 As medical professionals know well, a one-size-fits-all approach to urolithiasis prevention rarely holds water. Metabolic abnormalities, foods and urinary tract health all influence lithogenesis, but stone type determines the specific treatment and prevention …
Diabetes Emergency Preparedness As Important As InsulinOctober 18, 2010 Owners often are shell-shocked when they hear their pet has diabetes. But a veterinarian’s optimistic attitude can help a client successfully manage the disease. “It’s usually a traumatic piece of information for an owner when a veterinarian tells them their pet has diabetes,” says Randy Lynn, DVM, a technical service veterinarian with Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health of Summit, N.J. “If the owner is handling the news well, you can discuss the emergency situations that may occur in a diabetic animal. If you’re speaking to them and their eyes gloss over, you might want to send them home with written information, and then have the owner return in a day or two once they’ve processed everything. “It’s a delicate balance that the veterinarian has to weigh. If you tell them too much on day one, you could tip them over the edge.” Dr. Lynn says a diabetes diagnosis gives veterinarians a “chance to shine,” noting that owners will rely heavily on them for information on choosing insulin, injecting insulin and monitoring the animal. Besides hearing the diabetes news, distressed clients also have to be warned about hypoglycemia, the No. 1 emergency concern of veterinarians who …
