VPN Plus+ ExclusiveIs immunotherapy the key to wiping out canine cancer?June 24, 2020An intact and functional immune system is essential to protect an organism against invading pathogens and infectious disease. However, the immune system also plays a pivotal role in identifying and eliminating transformed cells that, if left unchecked, would progress to cancer. Clinical evidence of the immune system's ability to control cancer comes from a number of observations in both the veterinary and medical settings. Consider the following examples: Cats receiving chronic immunosuppression following renal transplant have a higher incidence of lymphoma compared with the general feline population1,2 Spontaneous regression of transmissible venereal tumor is associated with an increased proportion of tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells3 Canine osteosarcoma patients that develop bacterial infections after limb-sparing surgery experience significantly prolonged survival times.4 The presence of tumor-specific, cytotoxic T cells within tumors, such as ovarian carcinoma, confers a favorable prognosis,5 whereas infiltration with regulatory or suppressor T cells confers a worse prognosis6 These observations, coupled with two decades of experimentation in murine cancer models, indicate that finding ways to initiate, augment, and broaden a patient's antitumor immune response holds promise for the treatment and possible prevention of cancer. Indeed, this is the aim of cancer immunotherapy, and recent advances in this field have …
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Hookworm rampant across U.S.June 24, 2020Des Moines, Iowa, is the number one city for hookworm in May, the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) reports.
Why do some greyhounds bleed and others clot excessively?June 24, 2020Sighthounds in general, and greyhounds in particular, have evolved over the past 6,000 to 7,000 years to follow their prey by sight. Hence, they have developed numerous physiologic and hematologic adaptations specific to the breeds.
Grain-free diet not linked to DCM in dogs, research review findsJune 22, 2020Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs is largely an inherited disease and not the result of a grain-free or legume-rich diet.
Fear Free partners on telemedicineJune 22, 2020Fear Free has joined forces with TeleTails to ramp up connected care in member practices.
Canine ophthalmic emetic OKed by FDAJune 22, 2020The generic form of a dopamine agonist for inducing vomiting in canines has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Veterinary Medicine.
A veterinary meditation: Sources of hope in the midst of an outbreakJune 17, 2020In uncertain times, a fundamental human tendency is to project into the future and foresee the adversity that lies ahead. Some of us go straight to catastrophe, while others experience a more nebulous dread.
Rehabilitation therapy: A client-driven fieldJune 17, 2020Animal rehabilitation is a growing sector in veterinary medicine, considering ongoing research on its benefits and applications, as well as new product innovation.
Seven pet care tips for owners returning to workJune 16, 2020AVMA is asking veterinarians to remind pet owners to stay patient and attentive as they shift back into their pre-pandemic routines.
Preventing serotonin syndrome: Factors you need to knowJune 15, 2020The concept of “individualized medicine” needs to be emphasized when treating anxiety or behavior disorders. While one animal may tolerate a drug at a certain dose, another may show severe clinical signs or die.
