HEALTH - At-Home Treatment for Canine Parvovirus

(pexels.com)

Every spring veterinarians see cases of parvovirus in dogs.

In fact, the Calgary Humane Society recently closed their doors temporarily for an intense shelter cleaning when a pair of dogs came into the shelter infected with the disease.

Pet owners with sick dogs are faced with hospitalization of their pet - inpatient care that can cost thousands of dollars.

For the longest time, the only other option for those unable to afford the treatment was euthanasia.

Fortunately, a study at Colorado Springs University (CSU) tested in-home treatment for pups suffering from the disease with positive results, providing a cheaper option for dog owners.

Hospitalization will always be the gold standard of care and the Colorado study demonstrated a 90% recovery rate.

The subjects that received intensive at-home care, which cost approximately $300, had a recovery rate of 80%.

The at-home treatment relies on two drugs from Pfizer Animal Health (which funded the CSU parvovirus study): Maropitant, a strong anti-nausea medication given under the skin once a day; and Convenia, an antibiotic given under the skin once, and lasting two weeks; as well as administration of fluids under the skin three times daily.

"Rather than being hospitalized, our research shows that puppies can be successfully treated with a protocol that can be replicated at home," said Dr. Lauren Sullivan, who conducted the research in 2012.

A total of 40 dogs were admitted to the study group, randomized to one group that received traditional gold standard care and one group that received the at-home protocol.

"What we showed was that it is possible to treat dogs with parvovirus on an outpatient basis,” said Sullivan.

“If owners have the willingness to provide care at home, it’s a reasonable alternative. It’s not ideal and we still recommend inpatient care, but having this protocol as an option could help save the lives of thousands of dogs across the United States every year."

Puppies must meet criteria to be good candidates for being treated at home, such as being relatively stable cardiovascularly and able to tolerate injections.

The at-home treatment protocol is available on the CSU website.

Canine parvovirus can be prevented through vaccination and limiting puppy socialization until the vaccination cycle is completed.

HEALTH - Over 11 Million Raised for Pet Cancer Research and Treatment

Since their campaign began eight years ago, Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo Foundation have raised over $11 million for pet cancer research and treatment.

They are continuing their fundraising initiative through May - Pet Cancer Awareness Month - encouraging pet lovers to join them in the fight against pet cancer by donating in Petco stores or online, and sharing knowledge about the early warning signs of pet cancer.

This year's goal is to provide more than $2 million in additional grants to support pet cancer treatment and research initiatives.

"With approximately 6 million dogs and nearly the same number of cats impacted by cancer each year, we continue to make it a priority to invest in solutions to fight pet cancer, the number one disease-related cause of pet death," said Susanne Kogut, executive director of the Petco Foundation.

"After losing my own dog to cancer just last month, this fight against pet cancer has really hit home. One pet family battling canine or feline cancer is too many – and we are inspired by the new treatment options our funds have helped support."

Recent investments include $1 million dedicated to helping families in need cover the cost of cancer treatment, including funds at seven university oncology departments as well as $1 million for pet cancer studies like the groundbreaking research being conducted to combat osteosarcoma in dogs.

Additional funding has been put toward innovative comparative oncology work like that at Canines-N-Kids, an organization committed to finding a cure for the devastating cancers that impact kids and man's best friend.

"Blue Buffalo and the Blue Buffalo Foundation have been committed to finding a cure for pet cancer since our inception," said David Petrie, President of Blue Buffalo Foundation.

"We are excited about collaborative efforts, together with Petco and the Petco Foundation, to raise funds for research, increase awareness of cancer warning signs and help pet parents with the cost of pet cancer treatment."

Donations can be made until May 28th in any amount during checkout in a Petco store, or by donating online.

HEALTH - Canine Cancer Drug Taken Off the Market

Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB has taken a canine cancer drug, Paccal Vet, or paclitaxel for injection, off the market to study lowering the dose to reduce adverse effects.

Paccal Vet had been conditionally approved by the FDA for the treatment of:

• Non-resectable stage III, IV or V mammary carcinoma in dogs that have not received previous chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.
• Resectable and non-resectable squamous cell carcinoma in dogs that have not received previous chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.

To receive a conditional approval from the FDA, a drug company must prove, among other things, that the animal drug is safe and has a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness” when used according to the label for the proposed conditionally-approved use.

Conditional approval allows the drug company to legally market the animal drug for up to five years.

During this period, the company develops and submits to the FDA the necessary data to prove that the drug meets the “substantial evidence” standard of effectiveness for full approval.

Paccal Vet-CA1 had been available to a limited number of oncology specialists and veterinarians are now being told to stop using the drug.

Oasmia anticipates that lowering the dose to reduce side effects and improve comfort for companion animals will make the product far more attractive to veterinarians and pet owners.

Paclitaxel has been used in the treatment of people with breast, lung, prostate and other cancers.

HEALTH - Elephant Protein Destroys Cancer Cells

Utah researchers say a protein discovered in elephants appears to attack and destroy cancer cells found in humans.

(Dr. Schiffman, by August Miller)

Dr. Joshua Schiffman, Medical Director of the High Risk Pediatric Cancer Clinic at Huntsman Cancer Institute, hypothesized several years ago the reason elephants rarely get cancer is because they have more, and slightly different, p53 protein than other mammals.

Elephants have 40 copies of p53 and almost no cancer, whereas humans only have 2 copies with 50% lifetime risk for cancer.

His team began working with elephant blood, but researchers have since developed a synthetic form of p53 and are injecting that into human cancer cells in petri dishes.

"What we've found is that the cancer cells are all dying very quickly when they're exposed to this elephant cancer protein," Schiffman told KSL.com.

It is quickly destroying the cells in the seven cancers, including lung, breast and bone, they have tested it on so far.

Schiffman is now working with Avi Schroeder, an assistant chemical engineering professor at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, to manufacture the protein in nanoparticles to begin preclinical testing.

Nanoparticles will enable them to deliver the protein directly to the tumour site.

His team is already developing a test for mice and hope to test it on pet dogs with cancer as well.

Human testing will follow, something Schiffman hopes will occur within three years.

While this is not a cure for cancer, the early results are promising and researchers say it’s working better than they imagined.

Watching the p53 destroy cancer cells for the first time was "probably one of the most thrilling experiences I've ever had as my career in medicine," Schiffman said.

The Hunstman Institute will need to raise millions of dollars to complete the animal and then human trials.

HEALTH - First FDA Approved Drug for Dogs With Lymphoma

VetDC, a veterinary cancer therapeutics company, has completed the final steps towards U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA-CVM) approval for Tanovea™.

Tanovea™ (rabacfosadine for injection) is a novel small molecule drug designed to preferentially target and attack cancer cells implicated in lymphoma, one of the most common cancers seen in companion animals.

In multiple clinical studies in over 300 client-owned dogs with naturally occurring lymphoma, Tanovea has consistently demonstrated robust anti-tumor activity in both naïve and relapsed cases, with a generally well-tolerated safety profile.

Tanovea would be an every-three-week treatment (via intravenous) for up to five doses.

This represents a substantial reduction in client visits relative to non-approved, ‘human’ generic multi-agent chemotherapy regimens commonly utilized in dogs with lymphoma.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for VetDC, as we are now in the home stretch toward introducing the first FDA-approved drug for use in dogs with lymphoma, one of the most common cancers affecting pets today,” Steven Roy, VetDC’s President and CEO, said in a release.

A decision is anticipated within 60 days and upon FDA approval, VetDC intends to begin commercialization in early 2017.

HEALTH - World's Largest Study of Canine Cancer

One in four dogs will develop cancer and it is the leading cause of death in dogs over age 10, according to bark.com.

The Veterinary Pet Insurance Company says recent statistics show it was the top killer of dogs, levelling both an emotional and financial cost among owners.

Depressing statistics, for sure, but pet-owners can take comfort in knowing there are numerous treatments available from surgery to chemotherapy for their beloved canine, should it be diagnosed with the disease and many are successful.

According to WebMD, “half of all cancers are curable if caught early.”

While there is an increase in numerous types of cancers in dogs and a decrease in other kinds, it would appear any apparent increase in overall incidences might come down to better vet care and thus more cases of disease actually being diagnosed.

“I think people are taking better and better care of their animals and pets are living longer so we are seeing more animals live to an age where they develop cancer,” veterinary oncologist, Dave Ruslander, told WebMD.

“Years past, many dogs died from common illnesses or were hit by a car. Now, we have vaccines and we keep our dogs indoors, so they are just around longer.”

“Veterinary oncology has progressed amazingly in the past two decades,” Ruslander adds. “Twenty years ago, most people didn’t even know dogs got cancer. Today, it’s common to find people whose dogs have been treated for cancer. There are so many more facilities for treating canine cancer now and there are veterinarians who do nothing but treat cancer.”

While there is ongoing debate on whether cancer is more common among purebreds or mixed breeds, disturbing reports show the disease is taking a particularly deadly toll on the beloved golden retriever breed.

Californian Pat Kennedy has lost three goldens to different types of cancer, according to a KFSN report which claims more than half of all dogs of that breed will die from some form of the disease.

In a bid to determine why the disease is so deadly to the breed, the Morris Animal Foundation has launched a $32-million national study.

The Colorado-based foundation track more than 3,000 purebred golden retrievers for their entire lifespans - researchers collecting blood and fur samples and taking an exhaustive look at the dogs' lives from what they eat to the environment they live in.

Foundation CEO, Dr. John Reddington, says the study is in its early days but they have not ruled out the problem might be rooted within the dog and explained by a better examination of the genetics of the breed.

He said there may be a genetic link and, if that's the case “unlike the human population,” if identified can potentially be bred out of the population.

If there is a silver lining to breed-specific cancers, with golden retrievers for instance, it might be that it “provides an ideal model to identify phenotype/genotype relationships relevant to human disease.”

While several purebreds have proven to be pre-disposed to higher cancer risks, (speaking to a genetic component) mixed breeds originating from a much bigger gene pool are less apt to have genetic-based cancers.

They are not, according to WebMD, protected against “spontaneous or environmentally based cancers.”

“It should be acknowledged that for most forms of cancer,” causes are “multifactorial ... and although genetics are important – environmental factors such as chemical exposure and hormonal/metabolic factor have been shown to increase the risk of development of certain tumours.”

There is wide consensus that the following are effective ways to try to thwart a pet's chances of developing cancer; spaying (which can reduce the chance of mammary cancer eight-fold if done prior to a dog's first heat,) good oral care, ample exercise, offering a high-quality diet, avoiding exposure to pollutants like cigarette smoke and smog and regular vet visits.

 

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

HEALTH - Research Reveals How Lyme Disease Hides From Antibiotics

(cdc.gov, tick lifecyle)

Researchers of the duplicitous Borreliaburgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) bacterium carried by black-legged (deer) ticks and known to cause Lyme disease are learning more about the evasive characteristics of the bacteria and how it reacts once transmitted from tick to human.

The hope is that continued research may lead to the development of better drugs to tackle Lyme disease.

Lyme disease has been on the rise in recent years across North America, transmitted by ticks carried by migratory birds. Once thought of as a rare disease caught in the deep woods has evolved into a rash of celebrities reporting of diagnosis and those reporting to live with chronic Lyme disease (what Lyme disease, often undetected and untreated, can becomes contracted in their urban backyards.

Common symptoms include skin rash, severe fatigue, motor skill impairment, chronic headaches/migraines, numbness or tingling, swollen lymph nodes, fever and chills, as well as weakness and spasms.

Many of the symptoms mimic those suffered by persons living with Parkinson’s disease, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and multiple sclerosis (MS) – making it even more difficult to provide an accurate diagnosis.

Lyme sufferers across North America have been highly critical of the medical communities on both sides of the border for what they feel is ‘archaic and inaccurate testing.'

Many sufferers feel they have slipped through the cracks and are fated to living with a debilitating illness due to misdiagnosis or ineffective treatment (long-term antibiotic use is a preferred method of treatment, which is controversial among medical professionals).

But research is ongoing to help science understand how the mysterious bacterium that causes Lyme disease actually works and travels throughout the human body with speed and ease, with hopes to learn how to stop it or treat it better.

According to a recent study published in Cell Reports, the bacterium uses “an adhesive protein on its surface to grab like a hook onto the endothelial cells that line blood vessels, attaching and detaching rapidly as it migrates to its destination."

Lead report author, Rhodaba Ebady from the University of Toronto said: “This mechanism is how the bacteria can overcome the fast flow of blood and avoid getting swept away.”

In an effort to better observe how the bacterium travel to hard-to-reach tissues, she and her team duplicated conditions inside blood vessels by using human endothelial cells in the lab, studying the bacteria as it carried green fluorescent protein moved across cells in real time.

These researchers discovered that the bacterium relied on a protein called BBK32 to adhere to the endothelial cells, assisting the bacteria much like a bungee cord to move out of the bloodstream and into the surrounding tissue.

This mechanism, according to the research team, works much the same way as leukocytes do (pathogen-fighting white blood cells).

Ebady and her team, through further research, hope that by studying the BBK32 protein they may better discover how bacteria target specific endothelial cells hide in tissues; this could lead to the development of drugs that target the BBK32 to prevent or slow down the spread of Lyme disease.

By Lindsay Seewalt

Lindsay is an experienced journalist and mother of three whose heart and home is always open to a four-legged friend. With her Corgi, Angie, as household editor-in-chief, Lindsay gives back to the animal planet through the written word on anything and all ado about pets. She is passionate about topics regarding animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, which she aims to instill in both her readers and children to be compassionate animal lovers who are conscious and considerate that furry friends around the globe deserve a voice.

HEALTH - One Health Initiative: Uniting Human and Animal Medicine

With outbreaks of diseases such as avian flu, swine flu, and Ebola, there has been increased awareness of the risks associated with zoonotic diseases. (Zoonotic diseases are any diseases that can spread from animals to humans.)

 

Researchers are looking into how these diseases cross species barriers, spread through populations, and are impacted by environmental factors.

New research has made it clear that effective health management requires a holistic and integrated understanding of disease development and spread.

Each of the various disciplines involved – veterinarians, physicians, molecular biologists, ecologists, environmental chemists, and others – are better able to respond to existing and emerging concerns when they collaborate with each other.

The United States Department of Agriculture has taken a “One Health” approach for some time, meaning that they view human, animal, and environmental health as connected. In a recent blog post they state that health issues must “be solved through improved communication, cooperation, and collaboration across disciplines and institutions.”

As a step towards this communication, cooperation, and collaboration, they have recently launched a centralized web portal page to allow everyone, from stakeholders to the public, to access up to date information on programs, policies, and current issues.

Some of the topics that the USDA believes require a One Health approach are antimicrobial resistance, avian influenza, and influenza in swine.

Each specific topic is addressed in detail on the new site, with overviews, resources, and even links to information about research funding options.

The USDA partners with US Fish and Wildlife, US Food and Drug Administration, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and tribal Nations, as well as working internally with each of its many branches.

The USDA’s One Health portal site is an important step for American integrative health management, and the concept of cross-discipline collaborative health management is gaining traction globally.

The One Health Initiative is a global initiative that also hopes to expand interdisciplinary collaboration for human, animal, and environmental health. Their website has been active since 2008, and although the One Health Initiative is separate from the USDA’s One Health portal, they also work with organizations such as the CDC and the USDA.

Other global initiatives include One Health Sweden, which works to integrate research about zoonotic infections from various disciplines, and the One Health Congress, which first met in February 2011 in Melbourne, Australia and has met every year since.

By Tiffany Sostar

Tiffany is a writer, editor, academic, and animal lover who came late to her appreciation of pets. At 18, a rescue pup named Tasha saved her from a depression and she hasn't looked back. She has worked as the canine behaviour program coordinator for the Calgary Humane Society, and was a dog trainer specializing in working with fearful and reactive dogs for many years. She doesn't have any pets right now, but makes up for it by giving her petsitting clients (and any dogs she comes across on her frequent coffee shop adventures) extra snuggles.

HEALTH - Canine Cancer Treatment With "Mind-blowing" Results

Imagine scientists being able to unleash a dog's own immune system to attack cancer.

Then imagine the potentially life-saving treatment, (which would allow cancer-stricken canines to avoid more conventional side-effects of chemotherapy,) being downright affordable.

It's much more than a pipe-dream for Melbourne scientists behind a free clinical trial being conducted Down Under which is already proving to have what Dr. Noam Pik calls “mind-blowing” early results.

(Dr. Noam Pik, photo: Chris Eastman)

Pik, head of the veterinary division at West Melbourne biotechnology research group Biotempus, told the Herald Sun if the trial proves effective, the plan is to offer it as treatment to ailing canines within the next two years and “then continue to humans.”

Essentially, the treatment sees dogs take a pill to thwart cancer's bid to kill.

In the year-long trial being done at 20 vet clinics in Australia, dogs are given a single dose of chemotherapy, that's one tablet, designed to decimate T-Regulatory cells within the pooch's own immune system.

These cells suppress the cancer-fighting mechanism of the immune system's T-Effector cells.

Mere months into the trial, researchers say they have already seen several dogs with early signs of remission.

“If the T-Regulatory cells can be selectively killed, the T-Effector cells can get on with the job of eliminating cancer undisturbed,” Pik told the Herald Sun.

Part of reaching that goal has been accomplished by the team's discovery that a dog's immune system, which moves in cycles, can be mapped.

With that in mind, blood samples are taken every second day allowing researchers to determine when suppressor cells are most vulnerable and then delivering chemotherapy at the optimal juncture.

Not only are there promising results, so far, but the prospect of honing in on a cancer-fighting treatment which is affordable would make any cancer-fighting coups that much more accessible to pet owners trying to get help for their dogs.

Researchers say prohibitively high canine cancer treatment costs, which can run in the tens of thousands, could be dramatically reduced and severe chemotherapy side-effects, such as nausea, would not be associated to the low-dose tablet.

“If this works ... it will save animals from having to go through a lot of nasty chemo,” says Swan Street Veterinary and Wellness Centre’s Dr Kathryn Farquharson.

Pik and his partners, although buoyed by the potential research findings which could lead to a breakthrough in human treatment, are cautiously optimistic.

“The results have been very exciting but we want to remain skeptical. We’re trialling it over the next year — compiling data, publishing in scientific journals,” Pik says.

Dr. Maureen Cooper, a Melbourne veterinary oncologist, says the field of immunotherapy – using a patient's own immune system to combat cancer – has seen much progress in recent years and she she is anxious to see if Biotempus findings add to that wealth of knowledge.

“I believe that in order to improve outcomes in cancer patients, novel treatments and treatment approaches are needed,” Cooper told the Herald Sun.

“We now believe the contribution of the tumour micro-environment is immense and has been previously largely underestimated. Thus, we believe it is important to aim treatment at both the tumour itself and the tumour environment with the aim of achieving more effective and durable cancer treatments.”

Sadly, it seems the disease has taken a stronghold on Carol Veldhoven's eight-year-old dog, Jack.

When she learned a broken leg was in fact symptomatic of aggressive bone cancer, Veldhoven invested more than $10,000 towards vet care but stopped short of having Jack endure amputation or chemotherapy.

It might be too late for Jack, but because the dog is enrolled in the Biotempus clinical cancer trial held in January, he may leave behind quite the legacy – being part of ground-breaking research which will benefit dogs facing a similar plight in future.

“We’re not expecting anything,” Veldhoven told the Herald Sun. “It’s more about helping others down the line.”

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

RESEARCH - New Treatment Stops Cat Virus (FIP)

Researchers from Kansas City University (KSU) have had great success with an antiviral treatment for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) that blocks the virus from replicating and stops the progression of the disease.

Their results, recently published in PLOS Pathogens journal, showed cats that received the protease inhibitor avoided a near-certain death sentence and returned to normal within 20 days post-treatment.

Until now it was not clear whether an antiviral by itself could reverse FIP’s deadly progress.

       

“This is the first time we showed experimental evidence of successful treatment of laboratory cats at an advanced clinical stage of FIP,” study lead Yunjeong Kim, an associate professor in KSU’s diagnostic medicine and pathobiology department, wrote.

“We found that antiviral treatment led to full recovery of cats when treatment was started at a stage of disease that would be otherwise fatal if left untreated.”

Cats in the study had FIP experimentally induced in a laboratory setting. The next step will be to test the effectiveness of the antiviral in cats that have come by their FIP naturally.

Feline infectious peritonitis is a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of a virus called the feline coronavirus. Once a cat develops clinical FIP involving one or many systems of the cat's body, the disease is progressive and almost always fatal. The way clinical FIP develops as an immune-mediated disease is unique, unlike any other viral disease of animals or humans.