Tufts veterinarians treat canine cancer with experimental drugJanuary 18, 2018When Edward Sloan's dog, Dozer, a 7-year-old bull mastiff went blind seemingly overnight, a devastating diagnosis revealed Dozer had cancer. Desperate to save his best friend, Sloan found a clinical trial at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, where Abbey Sadowski, DVM, found that Dozer had "lost a lot of weight [and] had several weeks of history before he even saw us." Dr. Sadowski and Cheryl London, DVM, Ph.D., are testing an experimental drug—called KPT-9274—combined with just one round of chemotherapy to treat lymphoma. "We had this remarkable response … when you combine these two things together you can get a dramatic reduction in disease," Dr. London said. Early results of the small study have been promising, especially for Sloan and Dozer. "A single heroic dose … the next day he was able to see," Sloan said. Dozer is three months in remission, and his medical reversal of fortune could eventually lead to a breakthrough in human medicine. London said the outcome of a canine trial is a valuable piece of the research puzzle. "The benefits to the human side are that you get a drug into humans that's actually much …
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Let there be lightDecember 13, 2017Veterinary professionals say laser therapy can provide clinically significant benefits and expand options for delivering compassionate care with fewer drugs and less surgery.
Yunnan baiyao for patients with hemorrhage, neoplasiaDecember 11, 2017Herbal remedies are widely available to animal owners as over-the-counter products intended for both human and veterinary use. Some veterinarians prescribe these remedies, usually as part of a broader complementary and alternative medicine approach.
The importance of adopting best-practice wound management techniquesNovember 8, 2017The subject of wound care is a broad one that encompasses the most superficial of skin dermatitis cases to severe deep tissue damage.
Michigan specialty veterinary care center seeks dogs for cancer studySeptember 19, 2017 Oakland Veterinary Referral Services (OVRS) specialty veterinary care center is conducting a nationwide study on dogs with canine splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and the benefits of using traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM) as treatment to significantly extend life expectancy. Erin Bannink, DVM, DACVIM, VCHM, CVA, is leading the study, according to Lucy Henney, DVM, DACVS, owner of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based OVRS. Most dogs diagnosed with HSA are treated by removal of the spleen after the tumor has ruptured and bled, causing life-threatening blood loss; most dogs living only two months after surgery due to the spread of cancer to other organs, according to Dr. Bannink. Because of HSA's aggressive nature, chemotherapy is usually recommended after surgery in the hope of prolonging life, but it only modestly prolongs survival, and most dogs still die of cancer spread within three to four months of diagnosis, she said. "The purpose of this study is to determine if treatment with a specific herbal therapy regimen is helpful in prolonging survival time after surgery in dogs with HSA and no evidence of cancer spread," said Bannink. "We hypothesize that dogs treated with this standardized protocol after splenectomy will have …
CE explores expanded treatment options for improving mobility in geriatric petsSeptember 19, 2017Companion Animal Health has opened enrollment for an educational course that the company said is "designed specifically to give general veterinary practices access to the tools required to meet the need for expanded osteoarthritis treatment options in companion animals" and "will equip practices with the practical knowledge of the best multimodal approaches for successfully managing the geriatric, arthritic, and obese dog and/or cat." Attendees will earn 11 continuing education credits, with the option of adding a regenerative medicine wet-lab to advance their expertise (for an additional four CE credits). A panel of speakers will educate attendees on the following topics: Nutritional Management for the Geriatric Dog or Cat Photobiomodulation (Laser Therapy) for OA Nutriceutical Use for the Geriatric, Arthritic Pet Pharmacologic Management of OA Business & Marketing Strategies "We took a look at what courses were being offered in our profession currently, and there weren't really any that combined more than one or two OA treatment options," said Lisa Miller, DVM, CCRT, CVA. "This disease responds best to a multimodal approach, so we designed a course to accommodate that need." Veterinary professionals interested in attending this course can find more information on dates, …
Working with euthanasia-reluctant clientsSeptember 6, 2017When an animal begins to fail due to age or disease and its quality of life diminishes, the inevitable and unpleasant discussion about euthanasia may become necessary.
How bioinformatics research could affect veterinary practices, companion animal healthAugust 30, 2017Let’s face it; we can’t even keep up with all the email, client communications, and news flashing on our smartphones while maintaining a busy clinical load. Once-a-year continuing education barely keeps us afloat in the ocean of veterinary information, and now that information is coming at us more and more rapidly and in more forms.
Food as medicine messagingAugust 25, 2017Therapeutic diets, increasingly part of pets’ health care regimens, are good tools at veterinarians’ disposal when addressing specific ailments. A problem surrounding these diets, however, isn’t whether they work; it’s discussing their benefits with clients.
What's Wrong in the Chihuahua Rad?July 31, 2017 Presentation Lateral X-ray of an 8-year-old Chihuahua Questions 1. What's wrong with this picture? 2. What should be corrected and how?
