Owning a dog may be in your genesMay 29, 2019If you consider yourself a dog person, turns out this particular preference may come down to your DNA. A study on the heritability of dog ownership has found a person's genetic makeup strongly impacts whether they choose to get a dog. This is according to a team of Swedish and British scientists who used information from 35,035 twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Registry as the basis of their study. Researchers compared the genetic makeup of twins with dog ownership. "We were surprised to see a person's genetic makeup appears to be a significant influence in whether they own a dog," says the study's lead author, Tove Fall, professor in molecular epidemiology at the department of medical sciences and the science for life laboratory, Uppsala University. "As such, these findings have major implications in several different fields related to understanding dog-human interaction throughout history and in modern times. Although dogs and other pets are common household members across the globe, little is known how they impact our daily life and health. Perhaps some people have a higher innate propensity to care for a pet than others." Using twins is a known method to separate the influences of environment and …
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Penn Vet to study hemp-based canine supplementMay 28, 2019A trial at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) will be looking at the effectiveness of a hemp-based supplement to relieve symptoms of canine joint immobility. Approximately 60 dogs who are suffering from inflammation secondary to osteoarthritis will be split into three groups. One group will receive Mobility, which was developed by Dixie Brands' subsidiary Therabis. The second group will receive CBD, and the last group will receive a placebo. The dogs will then be studied to see which group achieves a better outcome. "We are honored to have a Therabis product selected by the world-renowned experts at Penn Vet for their first major study of the effects of natural hemp oil to reduce joint pain in dogs," says Therabis cofounder, Stephen M. Katz, DVM. "Our experience in my clinic has shown cannabidiol (CBD) is an effective treatment in reducing inflammatory response. We have a passion for improving dogs' quality of life, and we look forward to learning all we can about therapeutic methods to achieve this." Physical tests will be used to measure the effectiveness of the products, mostly focusing on the front leg joints. Results are expected in approximately 12 months.
Dogs can alert human risk to Lyme diseaseMay 27, 2019Health-care providers can now use dogs as a way to measure human risk for Lyme disease, according to a study by Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). "This research shows how man's best friend continues to safeguard humans as a sentinel to alert humans where they are at greatest risk for Lyme disease," says CAPC executive director, Christopher Carpenter, DVM. "The model established in this research breaks new ground to give residents, travelers, and health-care providers a county-level map to help them identify areas of risk across the country." Through the study, researchers quantified the relationship between canine seroprevalence for the disease-causing bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Lyme disease in humans. Seroprevalence is used to calculate the number of dogs testing positive among all tested dogs within a county. The study showed a correlation between human incidence and dog seroprevalence. According to researchers, they were able to study more than seven years of nationwide canine diagnostic data as a result of dogs being tested annually for exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi. The collected data represented more than 400 million data points, which is usually difficult to obtain when looking directly at ticks and the environment. "By combining sophisticated statistical modeling with this …
TGen, Ethos develop diagnosis test for canine lymphomaMay 24, 2019A new test may assist veterinarians in more accurately diagnosing canine lymphoma. Developed by Ethos Veterinary Health, Ethos Discovery, and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), the test is based on the results of a study that analyzed 180 dogs with cancer. The teams used their test, ePARR, to confirm first whether the dogs in the study had lymphoma and then determined what type they had. Results indicate the test was more than 90 percent accurate among a range of lymphoma sample types. "An ongoing need exists for robust validation of molecular diagnostics in veterinary medicine. This study is an example of exhaustive validation of one such molecular test," says Will Hendricks, PhD, assistant professor in TGen's Integrated Cancer Genomics Division and one of the study's senior coauthors. "Overall, ePARR is more than 90 percent accurate across sample types and diagnostic settings." The researchers say not only could molecular-level investigations into dog DNA improve the health of dogs with cancer, but it could help understand cancer in humans, too.
Purina offers supplements for dogs experiencing anxious behaviorsMay 24, 2019Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements has introduced a new management option for canines that experience anxious behaviors. Calming Care is a probiotic supplement that helps dogs cope with external stressors like separation, unfamiliar visitors or sounds, and changes in routine and location. The supplement also aids in maintaining positive cardiac activity during stressful events, promoting a positive emotional state. According to Jason Gagné, DVM, DACVN, director of veterinary technical communication for Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, a veterinarian should be sought out if a dog is displaying undesirable behaviors. "What might be perceived as just a characteristic of a particular breed or part of a dog's personality could really be an anxious behavior that needs attention." Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements surveyed 826 owners about anxious behaviors in dogs and found: • 62 percent have witnessed excessive barking, compulsive jumping and shaking, or trembling. • 35 percent believe their dog's personality is among the primary causes of one or more of its concerning behaviors. • 25 percent said these behaviors have impacted their lifestyle or caused a change in their routine. Further, with summer fast approaching, Purina notes that canine anxiety often intensifies during this period. "The summer …
Is fear driving the anti-vaccine movement?May 22, 2019Vaccines are one of the most effective means for preventing disease ever developed and one of the great triumphs of scientific medicine. Widespread vaccination of children has dramatically reduced—and in some cases eliminated—infectious diseases that have plagued humanity for thousands of years. There is less research evidence for the impact of vaccination in companion animals, but there is ample reason to believe vaccines have been equally successful in dogs and cats.3–7 Any veterinarian old enough to remember the emergence of canine parvovirus (CPV) in the U.S. in the late 1970s, for example, would probably testify to the efficacy of vaccination in reducing the incidence of this disease.5–7 There also is compelling evidence showing the reduction of both canine and human rabies cases due to vaccination programs aimed at dogs.8–12 And similar to smallpox, the veterinary disease rinderpest was eradicated largely due to the use of an effective vaccine.13 Vaccines and autism Despite the evident success of vaccination in reducing morbidity and mortality, there has always been controversy about the practice.14 The introduction of widespread vaccination in children was initially met with resistance and legal challenges. There was fear about the safety of vaccines, as well as resistance rooted in …
ASU begins clinical study for cancer-preventing vaccineMay 10, 2019An Arizona State University (ASU) professor has begun a five-year clinical study examining the effectiveness of a cancer-preventing vaccine for dogs. Stephen Johnston, PhD, a scientist, professor at the School of Life Sciences, and director of the Biodesign Center for Innovations in Medicine, developed the vaccine over a span of 12 years. He says his goal is to change the way veterinarians treat cancer by preventing it before it can start. Over the course of the five-year study, 800 dogs will either be given the vaccine or a placebo and will be monitored. The University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University (CSU) and University of California (UC), Davis are also participating in the trial. "We're testing a totally novel way of creating an anticancer immune response," says David Vail, DVM, DACVIM (oncology), professor and board-certified oncologist at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. "The holy grail would be to prevent cancer as opposed to waiting for it to start and then treating it." The vaccine is designed to target common canine cancers, including lymphoma, osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, and mastocytomas. At the beginning, two sets of vaccines will be given every two weeks and then annually. The …
Omega-3 supplements and hypothyroidism linked to decline of T-zone lymphomaApril 4, 2019A study at Colorado State University (CSU) has found dogs who receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements or have hypothyroidism may be less likely to develop T-zone lymphoma (TZL). The findings come from Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers who looked at associations of the environment and health history of TZL among golden retrievers. T-zone lymphoma is a type of cancer, which progresses slowly and is usually found in older dogs. It is predominantly found in golden retrievers; however, Anne Avery, DVM, PhD, associate professor in the department of microbiology, immunology, and pathology at CSU, believes the underlying causes of the tumor are shared across breeds. "Although controlled prospective studies would be necessary to firmly establish protection by omega-3 fatty acids, our observations raise the possibility of a simple intervention, which may help reduce the frequency of this disease," Dr. Avery says. "We were also a little surprised to discover defective genes leading to another, seemingly unrelated disorder— hypothyroidism—are more common in dogs who do not develop T-zone lymphoma." More than 350 golden retrievers were used in the study, which looked at health history questionnaires and blood or biological samples. The dogs were divided into two groups. One of the groups …
AHS releases new heartworm recommendationsApril 2, 2019The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has released its 2018 Canine Heartworm Guidelines. The guidelines recommend yearly screenings for dogs more than seven months of age, the use of heartworm preventive medications, and reduced exposure to mosquitoes. It also suggests veterinarians recommend the use of Environmental Protection Agency- (EPA-) approved mosquito repellents for heat-treating a pet patient's serum. It is especially important for pet owners in Texas to follow the guidelines as mosquitoes are extremely widespread, according to the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). The most telltale signs a dog has been infected is a persistent cough, difficulty breathing, intolerance to exercise, decreased appetite, and weight loss, while cats will suffer from lethargy, vomiting, or asthma. It is very common for the first indication of heartworm to be a sudden collapse or death. Preventing the disease in dogs is easy, safe, and affordable, whereas treatment is not. There is currently no treatment for cats. Testing and treating for heartworm can be difficult, which is why prevention is key to protecting pets. See the website to view the updated guidelines.
Stoner news: Struvite diets for cats and dogsMarch 28, 2019While struvite uroliths may in some cases require surgical intervention, the recommended standard of care by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) is medical dissolution with a therapeutic diet formulated to alter urine acidity and encourage water consumption. Dietary dissolution of struvite stones is both effective and inexpensive. Therapeutic diets limit calculogenic compounds (e.g. phosphorus and magnesium) and acidify urine. That makes the urine a less welcoming environment for stone formation and dissolves stones that are present. Concerns medical dissolution places pets at risk of urethral obstruction are not borne out by the literature, according to the ACVIM consensus statement, published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (JVIM) in 2016. Dietary management itself has changed as well. The shift from struvite-only dissolution or prevention diets to combination struvite dissolution/prevention and calcium oxalate prevention diets is the biggest change in management of these uroliths, says Cailin Heinze, VMD, Dipl. ACVN, assistant professor of nutrition at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Causes differ Struvite uroliths occur in both dogs and cats, but have different causes. In dogs, struvite stones—the most common type seen—develop almost exclusively as a result of urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by …
