Companies partner to perform trials of antimicrobial topical treatmentJanuary 9, 2019Stonehaven Incubate and antimicrobial protein specialist Lysando have agreed to jointly conduct proof-of-concept trials for new topical treatments based on Artilysin, a new antimicrobial platform technology.
SPONSORED CONTENTBringing Light Home: How Super Pulsed Laser Therapy Enhances Pet HealingOver the past two decades, laser therapy has seen tremendous growth in veterinary practices. What was once considered an alternative therapy is now an integral part of mainstream veterinary care, particularly in rehabilitation, dental, and preventative medicine. +
The race to develop immunotherapies for canine lymphoma and osteosarcomaJanuary 2, 2019There are many reasons why development of immunotherapies in dogs has been slow. Although cancer, and in particular lymphoma and osteosarcoma, is frequent in dogs, just one percent of owners have pet insurance; those who don’t are willing to spend only a limited amount of money to treat their dog, especially when initial treatment results are not as dramatic as in humans.
What causes gastric dilatation volvulus?December 19, 2018Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) is a complex, scary, life-threatening emergency. We sometimes tell pet owners that we don’t really know what causes GDV, but that is not exactly accurate.
Idiopathic osteomyelitis/osteonecrosis of the jaw in dogsDecember 13, 2018Osteomyelitis of the maxilla, mandible, or incisive bone, can occur due to severely diseased teeth in an area, but some cases don’t seem to be simply the result of an extension of periodontal or endodontic disease. These cases are often more than just osteomyelitis. Instead, they show evidence of dead bone, often in the form of a sequestrum, a necrotic piece of bone that may want to come out in one large piece during surgical exploration. In the absence of any history of radiation therapy or bisphosphonate administration, these cases are best described as idiopathic osteomyelitis/osteonecrosis. When they enter your exam room, you will smell what’s going on before you are able to see it.
FDA to study reducing use of dogs in trialsNovember 22, 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing a study to help establish a non-animal based model to potentially replace the need to use dogs in future trials with new informatics tools.
AVMA data shows pet ownership on the rise in the U.S.November 21, 2018Pet ownership is on the rise in the U.S., with dogs leading the way and large increases in the number of less traditional pets like poultry and lizards, according to recently released data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Conservative treatment options for partial and complete CCL tears in dogsNovember 1, 2018Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) insufficiency is the most common cause of hind limb lameness in dogs. In 2003 alone, dog owners in the U.S. spent $1.32 billion for the treatment of CCL injuries in their pets. As an important stabilizer of the stifle joint, the CCL’s three main functions are to prevent hyperextension of the stifle, internal rotation of the tibia, and most importantly to prevent tibial thrust in relation to the femur. Once torn, the damaged CCL leaves the stifle unstable and results in chronic, progressive lameness, predisposition to meniscal tearing, and ultimately, the formation of osteoarthritis.
Researchers explore how dogs process wordsOctober 18, 2018Scientists at Emory University have conducted one of the first studies using brain imaging to probe how canine companions process words they have been taught to associate with objects.
Companion Animal Health targets mast cell tumors with nanomedicineOctober 4, 2018Companion Animal Health (CAH) in Newark, Del., has secured an exclusive partnership with Nanospectra Biosciences Inc., a medical device company focused on the use of nanomedicine in selective thermal ablation of solid tumors. In 2017, CAH initiated clinical trials in the treatment of canine mast cell tumors using a combined laser and nanoshell therapy procedure that has the ability to destroy solid tumors without damaging adjacent healthy tissue. "Initial results are very encouraging and we anticipate publishing trial outcomes in the near future," said Brian Pryor, PhD, CEO, LiteCure LLC. "We believe this approach will deliver superior efficacy compared to commonly used cancer treatments and will extend pets' quality of life and longevity without harmful side effects." Visit companionanimalhealth.com for more information.
Penn Vet doctors receive NIH grant to target canine autoimmune diseaseOctober 4, 2018Nicola J. Mason, BVetMed, PhD, and Aimee S. Payne, MD, PhD, have received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Transformative Research Award, part of the institute's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, for their work in targeting autoimmune disease in dogs. Under the grant, Drs. Mason and Payne are looking to evaluate a genetically engineered cell-based therapy to treat dogs with naturally occurring autoimmune skin disease known as pemphigus. Dogs are one of the few other species to develop pemphigus, a condition that mirrors pemphigus in human patients. Evaluation of this approach to treat pet dogs with the disease may ultimately lead to breakthrough therapies for humans. According to the Autoimmune Disease Research Center at Johns Hopkins, at least 10 million Americans suffer from the more than 80 illnesses caused by autoimmunity. "The successful treatment of autoimmunity in the family dog using this unique approach would not only be a breakthrough in veterinary medicine, but could also change the way autoimmune disease is treated in humans," said Mason, associate professor of medicine and pathobiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Penn Vet. "We believe that this work may facilitate the translation of cellular immunotherapies for a broad range of canine …
