Soothe the itchMay 1, 2018Whether it’s from allergies, bacterial infections, or external parasites such as fleas or mites, pruritus is easily among the top 10 problems veterinarians see in dogs and cats. Atopic disease alone is the No. 1 most common condition in dogs and the eighth most common in cats.
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Ticks' increasing threatApril 25, 2018Masters of ride-sharing well before Uber and Lyft came along, ticks hitch rides with white-tailed deer, migrating birds, and other animals, making their way to locales where they didn’t exist in the past. Now, one or more tick species are found in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.
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 …
As U.S. pet obesity balloons, vets, owners talk diet, nutritionApril 20, 2018The dog and cat pet obesity epidemic in the U.S. continues to grow, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). In the organization's 2017 annual clinical survey, 56 percent of dogs and 60 percent of cats were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarian. In 2016, APOP found 54 percent of dogs and 59 percent of cats were overweight or obese. In the survey, pet owners and veterinary professionals were questioned about diet and nutrition, sources of pet food advice, the benefits of corn, dry versus canned, whether pet food has improved, the best sources of pet dietary recommendations, and more. Among the findings: 58 percent of pet owners and 54 percent of veterinary professionals reported having tried to help their own pet lose weight via low-calorie and weight loss diets combined with increased exercise. 25 percent of pet owners and 43 percent of veterinary professionals said they were "too busy" to exercise their dog; 21 percent of pet owners and 19 percent of veterinary professionals cited behavior issues as a barrier. Inadequate access to exercise areas and physical limitations of the owner and pet rounded out the reported challenges. 48 percent of …
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 …
Researchers review mesenchymal stem cell therapy potentialApril 18, 2018 In a review published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Jessica M. Quimby, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, and Dori L. Borjesson, DVM, MPVM, Ph.D., Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures at the University of California, Davis, consider both the current and potential clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats. The use of bone marrow-derived stem cells is established for the treatment of human cancer patients and, as such, veterinary applications for bone marrow- and adipose-derived stem cells are being evaluated. In their review, Drs. Quimby and Borjesson consider the emergence of this trend, as well as the current understanding of the biology/immunology of mesenchymal stem cells. Additionally, the authors analyze previous use of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of a number of inflammatory, degenerative, and immune-mediated diseases of cats. Traditionally, managing such conditions relies on a lifelong use of medication, with the potential for associated side effects. Often, cats do not respond to standard treatment strategies and, thus, the medication may not protect against the progression of the underlying disease. So far, applications of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats have produced encouraging results, including …
Allergic, parasitic, and viral skin disease treatment toolkitApril 16, 2018Most veterinarians understand the basics of preventing and controlling feline and canine skin issues, but today’s pet health professionals should strive to be aware of the multitude of recent group of product and treatment options for managing skin issues when they arise.
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 …
Nothing to sneeze atApril 10, 2018The most common cause of acquired oronasal fistulas is periodontal disease. The roots of the maxillary teeth are located close to the nasal passage. When vertical bone loss occurs due to periodontal disease, inflammation and infection can dissolve the thin shelf of bone and epithelium that separates the mouth from the nose.
