Category: Veterinary Medicine

30-01-2012 03:35 The world’s first veterinary school was founded in Lyon, France, in 1761, meaning 2011 will mark the 250th world anniversary of the veterinary profession, and in order to celebrate this occasion, the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) has declared 2011 “World Veterinary Year”, and encouraged member countries to celebrate. In response to World Veterinary Year, and coinciding with the Republic of China Centennial, our society invited nationwide veterinary medical circles and related industries to join the shooting of the promotional film “Veterinary Medicine in Taiwan”. This film focuses on human life, animal health and environmental protection, and also touches on history, heritage and promotion of industrial development. We hope to let people around the world realize the contribution and importance of veterinary medicine in Taiwan for the past hundred years.

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Veterinary Medicine in Taiwan(English Version) Part2 – Video

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CARBONDALE – A scholarship endowment has been created to honor a man who practiced veterinary medicine for 40 years.

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New scholarship will benefit SIU pre-veterinary students

Public release date: 3-Feb-2012
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Contact: Prof. Christian Schl?tterer
christian.schloetterer@vetmeduni.ac.at
43-125-077-4300
University of Veterinary Medicine — Vienna

Nearly all organisms contain pieces of DNA that do not really belong to them. These “transposable elements”, so called because they are capable of moving around within and between genomes, generally represent a drain on the host's resources and in certain cases may lead directly to disease, e.g. when they insert themselves within an essential host gene. The factors that govern the spread of transposable elements within a population are broadly understood but many of the finer points remain unclear. New work at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) may pave the way to a more profound knowledge of the intracellular battle that is constantly being played out between the host and invading DNA.

Robert Kofler and Andrea Betancourt in Schl?tterer's group at the Vetmeduni Vienna's Institute of Population Genetics used new sequencing technologies to examine the variation in transposable elements within a population of fruit flies. Similar investigations had been undertaken previously but the scientists incorporated a number of refinements to ensure that their analysis considered both known and previously unknown sites of insertion. For the first time, the researchers were able to catalogue all the transposable elements in a population of flies. And importantly they were also able to determine how frequently transposable elements occur at each particular site of insertion.

The findings were dramatic. The flies contain transposable elements at a large number of sites in the genome, although many insertion sites are affected in relatively few individuals. These are presumably sites of recent insertion and only the future will tell whether the elements are maintained there. Some older insertion sites are widespread but the majority seem not to be “fixed” in the population. In other words, most transposable elements are somehow purged before they become established. Schl?tterer sums up the results by stating that “the genome is like a record of past wars between hosts and the parasitic DNA. There have been waves of attacks and the majority of them have been repelled, with only few transposable elements managing to survive and spread throughout the population.”

Even more surprisingly, the scientists found about a dozen sites of insertion that were more frequent in the population than would be expected from their age (assessed via a different method). It seems, then, that there is positive selection for transposable elements at these sites, suggesting that insertion has a beneficial effect on the host. Such an effect had previously been shown for two insertions that give increased resistance against insecticides and these cases were refound by Schl?tterer's analysis. The functions of the genes closest to the remaining insertions are highly diverse, so how the transposable elements may benefit the flies is unclear. As Schl?tterer puts it, “perhaps we shouldn't really think of transposable elements as parasites at all. They represent a way for organisms to increase their genetic repertoire, which may be advantageous in helping them meet future challenges.”

###

The paper Sequencing of Pooled DNA Samples (Pool-Seq) Uncovers Complex Dynamics of Transposable Element Insertions in Drosophila melanogaster by Robert Kofler, Andrea J. Betancourt and Christian Schl?tterer has just been published by the open access journal PLoS Genetics.

The scientific article in full text online (Open Access): http://www.plosgenetics.org/doi/pgen.1002487

About the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna is the only academic and research institution in Austria that focuses on the veterinary sciences. About 1000 employees and 2300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna, which also houses the animal hospital and various spin-off-companies. http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at

Scientific contact:
Prof. Christian Schl?tterer,
christian.schloetterer@vetmeduni.ac.at
Tel. 43-1-25077-4300

Contact:
Klaus Wassermann
klaus.wassermann@vetmeduni.ac.at
Tel. 43-1-25077-1153

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Parasites or not? Transposable elements in fruit flies

KANSAS CITY, MO– – Dr. Billie Deam of Animal Clinic of Boardwalk Square in Kansas City, MO recently introduced a new program at the clinic called the Loyalty Pays Club. The Kansas City North veterinarian …

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Kansas City North Veterinary Hospital Introduces Loyalty Pays Club

Inaugural Meeting, Facilitated by Pfizer Animal Health, Offers Collaboration on Advancement of Initiatives Pivotal to Development of the Veterinary Profession

Madison, N.J. (PRWEB) February 02, 2012

Five prominent Colleges of Veterinary Medicine located in the Western U.S. recently convened to create the Consortium of Western Regional Colleges of Veterinary Medicine. The Consortium was formed to collaborate in the advancement of initiatives critical to the future of the veterinary profession.

To ensure actions are put in place to address these priorities, representatives from each of the colleges created a regional think-tank with a commitment to action and mutual collaboration. Representatives, including the deans from Colorado State University, Oregon State University, Western University of Health Sciences, Washington State University and University of California at Davis, met in San Francisco this past October and created the Consortium to pursue set objectives.

The inaugural meeting of the Consortium was funded and facilitated by Pfizer Animal Health as part of the company’s Commitment to Veterinarians™ platform—which offers support through training and education, research and development, investing in the future of the veterinary profession, and philanthropy.

The Consortium collaborated on the following topics outlined as top priorities in veterinary medicine:

    Gaps between selected career tracks among veterinarians and societal needs     Targeted recruiting and professional readiness among graduating veterinarians     Learning and application of soft skills to keep veterinarians at the center of healthcare     Identifying and devising ways for academic institutions to share resources and create Centers of Excellence     The importance of strong and continued faculty development to promote rich and innovative learning environments

“The first meeting of the Consortium of Western Regional Colleges of Veterinary Medicine was tremendously productive; the concept behind the group and the identified areas of potential collaboration align closely with strategic priorities of the veterinary profession, as well as with short- and long-term goals of the institutions, with a focus on creating better-prepared graduates, developing faculty and modeling collaboration,” said Vanessa Mariani, Director of Academic & Professional Affairs for Pfizer Animal Health. “We are fully committed to continued engagement with the Consortium in support of securing a strong, relevant future for the profession.”

An important achievement during the inaugural meeting of the Consortium was the development of a rubric for collaboration, which will be used to develop and implement shared strategies. Unanimous agreement was reached to start working immediately on the topic of faculty development by creating a regional teaching academy. Plans are being developed for Consortium members to reconvene in the near future to work out the details of this initial collaborative project.

Pfizer Inc: Working together for a healthier world™

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to improve health and well-being at every stage of life. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacturing of medicines for people and animals. Our diversified global health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products and many of the world's best-known consumer products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as the world's leading biopharmaceutical company, we also collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. To learn more about our commitments to animal health, please visit us at http://www.pfizerAH.com.

# # #

Rebecca Cisek
Pfizer Animal Health
(973) 660-5565
Email Information

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Five Colleges of Veterinary Medicine Form Regional Consortium

02-03-2011 11:15 At Delaware, Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Animal Biosciences majors have the unique opportunity to work closely with the department’s faculty, which includes leading scholars in fields like nutrition, physiology, immunology, virology, molecular biology, and animal production and management. All major courses and laboratories are taught by faculty, ensuring that students have immediate access to these specialists. Beginning with the first semester, students work hands-on with animals, at the University’s on-site, 350-acre teaching and research farm. To find out more about majoring in Pre-Vet and Animal Biosciences at UD, check out: www.udel.edu

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Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Feb. 1, 2012

Vet college expansion looks to increase number of students

The College of Veterinary Medicine will launch a $22 million renovation that sustains its class size at 102 students and sets the stage for the college to increase its class size to about 120 students per year. Construction, expected to begin in early 2013, will conclude in the summer of 2015, in time to welcome students entering that fall.

The class-size expansion project will address long-term workforce needs in veterinary medicine.

“Expanding Cornell's class size is essential if Cornell is to maintain its academic impact on the profession,” said Michael I. Kotlikoff, the Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “Cornell's program is one of the most rigorous in the nation, but our graduates are increasingly a minority in the profession as Cornell currently has the smallest class size of schools ranked in the top tier. This initiative will increase access for New York state students, maximize the capacity of our outstanding teaching hospital, support a greater than $2 billion animal health industry in New York and enable much-needed renovation of our main teaching facility that was built in 1957.”

The expansion project, part of the college's 2009 master plan, seeks to create unified spaces, a sense of purpose and place for its students, gender-appropriate facilities, enhanced security, and demonstration space for educational and scientific meetings.

The class size expansion project has been scaled into two phases. Work is expected to continue after completion of phase one with additional renovations — anatomy and clinical skills teaching labs, locker rooms and tutorial rooms — that are necessary to support a veterinary class size of 120 students per year and will repurpose space in the middle of the veterinary college complex that was vacated in 2010.

Phase one, which was approved by the Buildings and Properties Committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees at its Jan. 19 meeting, will create two large-capacity lecture halls for medical education and an atrium to enhance interaction between students, faculty and staff; house demonstrations and public meetings; and encourage independent study, collaboration and networking.

“I am really delighted that we are able to launch this project that is so critical to sustaining New York state's top-ranked animal health program and thank Cornell's leadership, the SUNY administration, our supporters in New York state government and our many loyal stakeholders,” said Kotlikoff. “With strategic investments from the state, we can prepare tomorrow's veterinarians to meet the challenges of the 21st century, leveraging the college's innovative and highly successful curriculum to teach students who have demonstrated an interest in and exceptional aptitude for all aspects of the profession, from scientific discovery to food safety and from primary care to specialty medicine.”

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Vet college expansion looks to increase number of students

27-01-2012 04:41 New Sure Dose veterinary medicine dispensing pouches and Safe N Sure Child resistant tablet vials

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01-08-2011 03:30 Vet and staff hang-up on client while animals suffer in pain.

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02-11-2011 08:55 IFAH-Europe’s Managing Declan O’Brien explains the role of the animal health industry in ensuring responsible use of veterinary medicines and the commitment to the EPRUMA multi-stakeholder initiative.

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Animal health industry and responsible use of veterinary medicines – Video

Dr. Dana Brooks, an internist at Seattle Veterinary Specialists in Kirkland, answers this week's questions.

Question: What role does the liver play in a dog or cat's body?

Answer: The liver has many functions. The main functions are detoxification (takes drugs or toxins out) of the blood stream, regulation of blood-sugar levels, maintenance of blood protein and cholesterol levels, production of bile that helps to metabolize fats and production and maintenance of normal blood-clotting factors.

Question: What can go wrong with a liver?

Answer: The basic disease processes are divided into infection; inflammation; toxicity; cancer; metabolic disease; congenital diseases; and trauma.
Most people think hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) is a viral disease, because this is common in people. But viral hepatitis is very uncommon in dogs. Cats can develop hepatitis as part of the viral disease feline infectious peritonitis.

Infectious causes of hepatitis in dogs and cats are more commonly caused by bacteria, and less commonly by fungal, parasitic or protozoal diseases, such as fungal (blastomycosis), parasitic (roundworm migration in puppies and kittens), protozoal (toxoplasmosis).

Hepatitis can also occur when the body's immune system attacks itself. This is one of the more common causes of liver problems in dogs and cats.

The cause of the immune-system disturbance is not always apparent. In cats, it is often associated with inflammatory bowel disease (usually associated with food allergies).

Some breeds of dogs can be predisposed to developing hepatitis, such as the Doberman, Labrador and cocker spaniel.

Chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis, which is an irreversible condition in which healthy liver tissue has been replaced by nonfunctioning scar tissue.

Liver toxicities can occur from ingesting certain poisonous mushrooms (Amanita); blue green algae; xylitol (found in sugar-free items such as chewing gum); acetaminophen (Tylenol); and abnormal reactions to some therapeutic medications (arthritis medications, immunosuppressant medications, anticonvulsants, and some antibiotics).

Many different types of tumors can affect the liver, some benign, some malignant. The cancer can start in the liver or it can spread to the liver from another site (metastasis).

Some metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism and hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's) can cause elevations of liver enzymes.

The most common congenital disease to affect the liver is a portosystemic shunt. This occurs when an abnormal blood vessel allows blood to bypass the liver, which is responsible for removing toxins. There are also some rare storage diseases that can affect the liver in certain breeds (bedlington terriers, West Highland white terriers, Doberman pinschers.)

Question: When the vet orders a complete blood chemistry to determine the health of my pet, what kinds of liver-related issues might he/she be looking for?

Answer: The main tests that give us information about liver health are the enzymes ALT, ALP, GGT, AST and bilirubin. Increases in these numbers indicate that something is wrong with the liver, but not the specific disease process.

An ultrasound, aspirare or, preferably, a biopsy is usually needed to reach a definitive diagnosis. Other values such as BUN, albumin and cholesterol can be helpful as well. Decreases in these numbers indicate decreased liver function.

Another test that might be recommended when liver disease is found is bile acids, which looks at liver function more specifically. These are very elevated with shunts and liver failure.

Question: What are the physical symptoms of liver problems?

Answer: Some dogs and cats will have no symptoms of liver disease, and it is discovered on routine blood work. Symptoms in ill dogs and cats can include vomiting, decreased appetite, weight loss, seizures or disorientation (with shunts or end-stage liver failure), or a yellowish discoloration of the skin (jaundice or icterus).

Question: Is liver disease treatable or reversible? How quickly can liver cells rejuvenate?

Answer: Infectious hepatitis can be treated with antibiotics and should be reversible with the exception of viral disease. Immune-mediated hepatitis isn't cured, but it is managed with medications that suppress the immune system.

Metabolic disease is treated by treating the underlying disease process.

Toxicities are usually treated with supportive care and the damage is often reversible.

Cancer of the liver may be treated with surgery or chemotherapy based on the type.

Liver shunts are treated with surgery to close the abnormal blood vessel.

The exact amount of time for liver regeneration is not known and depends on many factors, such as how much damage occurred and how healthy the remaining liver tissue is. In general, weeks to months is most likely.

Question: Are any liver problems age-related?

Answer: Liver tumors tend to be more common in older dogs and cats, although liver cancer could potentially occur at any age.

Young animals tend to be more prone to toxicities because they tend chew inappropriate things, and shunts are usually found in puppies or kittens if they are severe enough to cause clinical signs.

Question: Are there foods or diets that can improve the health of my pet's liver? Are there some we should definitely avoid?

Answer: Dogs and cats with significant liver dysfunction usually do better on a lower protein diet. The liver is responsible for detoxifying some of the bacterial byproducts of protein digestion, and by supplying a higher quality but lesser amount of protein, the liver is delivered less of a load of substances to remove.

There are some prescription diets designed for dogs with liver disease that are limited in copper (copper tends to get deposited in the liver cells when there is chronic inflammation and it can continue the damage), and supplemented in zinc (helps to decrease copper absorption and removal of copper from the liver), and vitamin E (for it's antioxidant effects).

Other than avoiding high protein in dogs and cats with liver disease, there are no other specific foods to stay away from. A high-fat died is usually not a problem with primary liver disease.

Question: If my dog is a breed that is prone to liver problems, or I know problems have cropped up in the breeder's line of dogs, should I have tests done more frequently or be on the lookout for certain symptoms that may appear? How can I be proactive?

Answer: Hepatitis is often asymptomatic, but yearly chemistry profiles are sufficient for most dogs and cats. Anytime a dog or cat becomes lethargic, is vomiting or has a decreased appetite, blood work is usually a good idea.

Question: Are liver transplants available for pets? Can partial livers be used in transplant as they can in humans?

Answer: To date liver transplants have not been routinely successful in dogs or cats. Much of the difficulty arising from liver transplantation is ethical (taking organs from a healthy dog not able to deny consent), and the availability of a compatible donor.

Dr. Dana Brooks

Brooks is a internal-medicine specialist at Seattle Veterinary Specialists in Kirkland. She graduated from Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991 and completed her residency at Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 1995. She worked in the Northeast until 2007, when she joined SVS. Her special interests include hormonal and immune-mediated diseases as well as endoscopy. She lives with two black cats named Jasper and Logan.

•   •   •

Read our past Q&As:
Veterinary Q&A: Human meds can be toxic for pets
Veterinary Q&A: Food allergies
Veterinary Q&A: Follow-up on toxins — aloe vera
Veterinary Q&A: Common toxins for pets
Veterinary Q&A: Dogs with dry, itchy skin
Veterinary Q&A: Ways to stop stool eating
Veterinary Q&A: Holiday toxins that can hurt your pets
Veterinary Q&A: Itchy skin and hair loss in cats.
Veterinary Q&A: Pancreatitis
Veterinary Q&A: Dementia and senior dogs
Veterinary Q&A: More health issues facing aging dogs
Veterinary Q&A: Eye problems in aging dogs
Veterinary Q&A: Halloween treats and pets
Veterinary Q&A: Health issues facing aging dogs
Veterinary Q&A: Why blood work is necessary
Veterinary Q&A: Are prong collars safe for your dog?
Veterinary Q&A: Birth control for pets
Veterinary Q&A: How to find a good vet
Veterinary Q&A: Neutering your dog Part 2
Veterinary Q&A: Neutering your dog Part 1
Veterinary Q&A: Hyperthyroidism in cats
Veterinary Q&A: Incontinence in dogs
Veterinary Q&A: Hanging tongue syndrome
Veterinary Q&A: Bad breath in dogs
Veterinary Q&A: How much is too much exercise for my dog? Part 2
Veterinary Q&A: How much exercise does my dog need? Part I
Veterinary Q&A: A killer called bloat
Veterinary Q&A: Initial care for new puppies
Veterinary Q&A: Knee problems in dogs
Veterinary Q&A: Flea-control treatment
Veterinary Q&A: Bearded dragon lizards
Veterinary Q&A: Vaccinations for indoor cats
Veterinary Q&A: Lumps and bumps
Veterinary Q&A: More on aging dogs and arthritis
Veterinary Q&A: Aging dogs and arthritis
Veterinary Q&A: Puppy and geriatric exams
Veterinary QA: What dogs can safely chew
Veterinary QA: Why does it cost so much to clean a dog's teeth?
Veterinary QA follow-up: More on cleaning a dog's teeth
Veterinary QA: When to spay or neuter

•   •   •

Do you have a question about pet health? Ask now! We'll pose some of your questions to a local vet in an upcoming post.

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Veterinary Q&A: Liver disease

MRI technology brings improvements to MU College of Veterinary Medicine

MU’s College of Veterinary Medicine introduces MRI technology applied to equine athletes.

By Sean Na

Published Jan. 31, 2012

For years, doctors have used magnetic resonance imaging to help diagnose small animals. Now, the MU College of Veterinary Medicine is applying the same technology to horses.

“MRI was originally reported for use in horses about 19 years ago,” equine surgery professor David Wilson said. “The most clinically relevant reports on MRI were out of Washington State University in 1998. They were the first to have a commercial MRI unit with a table modified to accommodate the size and weight of a horse.”

Wilson said for the past five years, MU has had an MRI unit for small animals. The unit was not big enough to accommodate an adult full-sized horse.

He said MU has just started applying MRI to equine athletes and it has gradually increased the practice in its size with more improved technology, facilities and experienced faculties.

“Well, we have multiple boarded radiologists and equine surgeons,” Wilson said. “All of which have experience in assessing normal and abnormal 3-D anatomy of the horse as well as other animals.”

Wilson said after MU surgeons evaluate the horse, they send its digital image — produced by the MRequine mobile MRI unit — to Idaho for another interpretation.

According to an MU news release, the first equine athlete that received MRI treatment was Wise Guy, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood.

Wise Guy has earned top awards in elite competitions. In 2011, its performance weakened, and most of its hair fell out.

Wise Guy has been diagnosed by X-rays, ultrasounds and nerve blocks, but none of them detected the source of the problem.

Then, MU surgeons decided to perform an MRI on Wise Guy. In the MRI, they found indications of a bone bruise and fluid build-up deep within the distal cannon bone, which is a major bone in the leg of the horse that is part of the fetlock joint. According to the release, it this injury might cause trauma.

Wilson said racing animals like horses sometimes get serious injuries from such strenuous activities, which could end their athletic careers. Sometimes these injuries cannot be identified by normal radiographs such as computed-tomography, ultrasound and scintigraphy.

With the expanded MRI technology these worries are no longer a problem.

“But MR is becoming the diagnostic method of choice, it is very good looking at bone and soft tissue injuries in a 3-D presentation,” Wilson said. “Very subtle injuries can be picked up with MR that would not be seen by other imaging modalities.”

Equine surgeon Shannon Reed said the MU College of Veterinary Medicine has been working to provide MRI treatment for other exotic species such as zoo and farm animals.

She said the MRI technology has rendered multiple benefits.

“The biggest impact of MRI ability at MU is that we will see more patients as MRI for horses is not available in many locations in the Midwest,” she said. “That also will increase students' learning because they will be able to see the technology and the results of that may also be treatments for the problems diagnosed by MRI.”

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MRI technology brings improvements to MU College of Veterinary Medicine

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30-01-2012 03:35 The world’s first veterinary school was founded in Lyon, France, in 1761, meaning 2011 will mark the 250th world anniversary of the veterinary profession, and in order to celebrate this occasion, the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) has declared 2011 “World Veterinary Year”, and encouraged member countries to celebrate. In response to World Veterinary Year, and coinciding with the Republic of China Centennial, our society invited nationwide veterinary medical circles and related industries to join the shooting of the promotional film “Veterinary Medicine in Taiwan”. This film focuses on human life, animal health and environmental protection, and also touches on history, heritage and promotion of industrial development. We hope to let people around the world realize the contribution and importance of veterinary medicine in Taiwan for the past hundred years.

Original post:
Veterinary Medicine in Taiwan(English Version) Part1 – Video

Leading Texas veterinarians are mobilizing to enlist pets in the testing of experimental cancer therapies, a potential benefit to not just dogs and cats but people.

The veterinarians recently set up a registry they hope will connect pet owners and cancer researchers and show that diseased pets – dogs in particular – are better predictors of the efficacy of new cancer drugs and devices in people than mice, oncologists' favorite test subject historically.

“Dogs may be man's best friend in more ways than one,” says Dr. Theresa Fossum, a Texas A&M professor of veterinary surgery and founder of the Texas Veterinary Cancer Registry. “Because they suffer from cancers that are nearly identical to those in humans, but quicker to run their course, they can speed up and make more reliable the process of determining whether a therapy will work.”

Veterinarians are just starting to get the ear of cancer researchers, who don't reflexively think of naturally occurring disease models that go home with their owner, Fossum said. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas recently rejected a grant application because “housing the dogs would be so expensive,” says Fossum. The application will be resubmitted to specify that the treated pets would remain with their owners.

Texas veterinary oncologists are hoping the registry can help change attitudes by providing a database of dogs and cats diagnosed with cancer that could be candidates for clinical research. The registry identified its first patient in November, an 8-year-old Great Pyrenees with bone cancer.

Experimental treatment

Instead of the standard treatment, amputation, Rowdy got an experimental procedure: radiation injected into 22 tiny holes drilled directly into the bone cancer. Two months later, Rowdy's owner reports he is running around symptom-free, though Fossum stresses the six-month check-up will be the big test.

The procedure's success in a dog trial would bode well for people with the disease – particularly children. Osteosarcoma, Rowdy's cancer, is the sixth most common form of childhood cancer. One in 3 diagnosed with the disease die from it.

The idea of using animals' naturally developing cancers as models for human disease goes back a decade but has never taken off.

“It's a great concept, but the problem has always been the lack of infrastructures pairing researchers and patients,” said Dr. Peggy Tinkey, chair of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

That's where the new cancer registry comes in. Owners of dogs and cats diagnosed with the disease are being asked to register their pet at http://texasvetcancerregistry.com/, already up and running though the official launch isn't scheduled until this spring. Registry staff will contact the pet's vet for more information, then look for potential research matches.

There should be no shortage of candidates. There are 77.5 million owned dogs in the United States and a fourth will develop cancer – including those in the bone, breast, pancreas, liver, prostate, lung and skin. Veterinarians report that owners increasingly want to treat them, at around $5,000, but the options can be limited.

The technology used in Rowdy's case was pioneered at a Houston company, Valco Instruments, that makes very small, precise instruments used in laboratories. After his dog was diagnosed with bone cancer, the company's president developed a drill that can open holes the size of human hairs to deliver radioactive isotopes that pinpoint the tumor and don't damage surrounding tissue.

“It sounded perfect,” said Rowdy's owner, Kate Cordts, a librarian in San Antonio. “Rowdy's such an active, happy-go-lucky dog – I just didn't have the heart for amputation.”

Just the beginning

For all their benefits, pets won't ever replace lab mice as cancer test models. For one thing, mice are perfect specimens for engineering genetic impairments and studying precisely targeted genes or pathways suspected to be involved in a disease. For another, they're better for establishing initial safety, necessary before experimenting in pets.

Still, Fossum thinks pets can play an important role. She notes that one reason it costs $1.2 billion, probably more, to get a new drug on the market is that most fail in clinical trials. Mice simply aren't good disease predictors, she says, not like dogs and cats, which live with people, have intact immune systems and probably develop cancer for the same reasons.

The pet cancer registry is just the beginning. Fossum has plans, once she gets grant money, to launch pet registries for heart and kidney disease too.

todd.ackerman@chron.com

More:
Cancer research could help dogs, cats – and humans

Happy New Year! Wishing you and your pets a healthy 2012!

In my last column, I responded to a question about age of neutering for a male dog. It is an interesting and controversial subject in veterinary medicine, so this month I will address female dogs, and cats.

Most veterinarians recommend spaying female dogs at 6 months. This age has been selected as to prevent the onset of the first heat cycle, when female dogs can become pregnant. Dogs can come into heat anytime after 6 months depending on their breed.

After the first cycle, females generally come into heat about every 6 months. Dogs who have gone through even one cycle have a much higher incidence of developing mammary, or breast, cancer later in life.

Of these mammary cancers, about half of them are malignant, which means that they have the potential to spread to other organs, including lungs and liver and can be fatal. Spaying before the first heat cycle all but eliminates mammary cancer in dogs.

One downside of spaying a female dog before her first heat cycle is that she may develop urinary incontinence once spayed. These dogs dribble urine during rest or sleep and require lifelong medication. Most vets think that urinary incontinence is a better disease to treat than mammary cancer, and elect to spay before the first heat cycle.

Like male dogs who are neutered young, female dogs spayed early may grow taller than their unspayed littermates as the sex

hormones are responsible for closure of the growth plates of bones.

There have been some studies published linking early spay and neuter in dogs to an increase in the incidence of bone cancer and hip dysplasia, but these studies are thought by most veterinarians to be flawed and more research needs to be done.

n n

Male cats are routinely neutered at 6 months old, except in shelter situations where they may be neutered as early as 8 weeks of age. Neutering male cats prevents roaming, urine spraying, and fighting, and is generally thought to be beneficial.

The downside of early (before 6 months) neutering in male cats is a very rare condition in which one of the bones which makes up the hip joint fractures and requires surgical repair.

The thought is that these cats have growth plates that do not close properly due to the removal of sex hormones and therefore the bone is weak at the growth plate. In addition, these neutered male cats are often overweight or obese which may place additional stress on the hip joint.

Female cats are also usually spayed at 6 months of age. Cats can go into heat anytime after 6 months of age, depending on the time of year. Mammary cancer also occurs in cats spayed later than one year of age, but unlike in dogs, mammary cancer in cats is malignant in almost all cases and has a poor prognosis.

Pet owners should discuss the pros and cons of spaying and neutering at the recommended age of six months with their veterinarian so they can make an informed decision for their pet.

Ask Dr. Jill Veterinary Advice is a column written by Jill Christofferson, DVM, of the Encina Veterinary Hospital in Walnut Creek. Contact her at askthevet@encinavet.com.

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Ask Dr. Jill Veterinary Advice: Consider factors before spaying female dog

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine will hold its annual Open House on Saturday, February 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Parades of Breeds (one for dogs and another for horses) are two of our most popular exhibitions. The LSU SVM is searching for different breeds to participate in each of these parades.
 
The Canine Parade of Breeds is a short display of purebred dogs. It takes place on the front lawn of the LSU SVM. Each dog must be on a leash and will be led by its owner or a handler selected by the owner; multiple dogs by one owner may participate but they must each have their own handler. The parade will begin at 11 a.m.; owners must be ready to line up no later than 10:30 a.m. in front of the SVM. If you would like for your dog to take part in the Canine Parade of Breeds, please contact Laura LaHoste at llahoste@vetmail.lsu.edu or Michelle Candal at mcanda1@lsu.edu. They will need the dog’s name, the breed, the age, and a brief description of the dog’s characteristics (e.g., Spot is a 3-year-old beagle who loves going to dog parks).
 
The Equine Parade of Breeds takes place adjacent to the LSU SVM’s barn. Temporary stalls with shavings and water buckets will be set up next to the barn; materials can be hung on the stall to promote breeds and/or organizations. This parade consists of two shows at which the horse owners will bring their horses into the arena for a brief demonstration about their breed and/or the special talents of the horse. The horses will spend the day in the temporary stalls for viewing by the public. Horses must be calm and safe in crowds, must be able to be stalled for the day, and must be able to safely walk from the stall to the presentation. Horse owners are welcome to visit the other exhibits that make up Open House, but we do ask that they display their own horses during the two shows. If you would like your horse to participate in the Equine Parade of Breeds, please contact Amanda Perkins at aperkins@vetmail.lsu.edu.
 
Open House is an opportunity for everyone in the family to explore the fantastic world of veterinary medicine and the latest developments in animal health care, welfare, and research. A self-guided tour will take visitors through the Veterinary Medicine Building where students, faculty, and staff will provide information and exhibits on various facets of the veterinary medicine curriculum.  In addition, the gross anatomy laboratory, intensive care units, surgery suites, and radiology suites will be featured on the tour, along with other areas of the veterinary hospital.  There will also be a teddy bear repair station where children can get their stuffed animals “sutured,” a petting zoo, an endoscopy station where children can “fish” for prizes, and animal demonstrations, such as the parade of breeds of both dogs and horses. This event is free and open to the public, but your donation of any amount will help us continue to save lives, find cures, and change lives.

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LSU Vet School seeking dogs and horses for Parades of Breeds

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The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine will hold its annual Open House on Saturday, February 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Parades of Breeds (one for dogs and another for horses) are two of our most popular exhibitions. The LSU SVM is searching for different breeds to participate in each of these parades. The Canine Parade of Breeds is a short display of purebred dogs. It takes place on the front …

Read more here:
LSU Veterinary School seeks dogs and horses for Parades of Breeds