An experimental drug being tested by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences — may help dogs with spinal cord injuries.

The U.S. Department of Defense,funded the study to test . . . → Read More: Spinal cord injury in dogs]]> Department of Defense Funds UCSF and Texas A&M Collaboration to Test Therapy that May Help People

An experimental drug being tested by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences — may help dogs with spinal cord injuries.

The U.S. Department of Defense,funded the study to test a drug to mitigate damage and it has already proven effective in mice at UCSF. Now the Texas team will test how it works in previously injured short-legged, long torso breeds of dog like dachshunds, beagles and corgis, who often suffer injuries when a disk in their back spontaneously ruptures.

The Small Animal Hospital of Texas A&M University, sees about 120 dogs a year for hind limb paralysis. They receive surgical and medical treatment similar to that for human spinal cord injury. Now, researchers will test whether the new treatment works on some of these dogs, with their owners’ consent.

“It would be phenomenal if it works,” said Linda J. Noble-Haeusslein, PhD, a professor in the UCSF departments of Neurological Surgery and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science who designed the intervention. “We are in a unique position of being able to treat a dog population where there are simply no current therapies that could effectively improve their hind limb function.”

The new treatment is not trying to regrow pathways in the spine, but to prevent the secondary damage to the spinal cord that frequently causes hind limb paralysis.

Up until now there has been no treatment to reduce paralysis aafter the injury, but researchers have shown that movement can be preserved if as little as 18 percent to 20 percent of the nerve fiber tracts in the spinal cord remain intact.

If successful, the trials in injured dogs may lead to the development of similar treatments for people who suffer spinal cord injuries, Noble said. .

As of this year, some 265,000 people in the United States are living with such injuries, according to the national center. This includes many wounded soldiers who have returned home from war zones.

UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.

Cauda equina syndrome (degenerative lumbosacral stenosis) is caused by compression of the nerve roots (cauda equina) coursing through the lumbosacral spinal canal in the lower back. Nerve root entrapment and pressure can result from an arthritic process, infection, a degenerative disc rupture, or tumors. Most dogs affected by lumbosacral degeneration are middle aged or . . . → Read More: Cauda Equina Syndrome]]> (Degenerative Lumbosacral Stenosis)

Cauda equina syndrome (degenerative lumbosacral stenosis) is caused by compression of the nerve roots (cauda equina) coursing through the lumbosacral spinal canal in the lower back. Nerve root entrapment and pressure can result from an arthritic process, infection, a degenerative disc rupture, or tumors. Most dogs affected by lumbosacral degeneration are middle aged or older large, athletic breeds.

The most common symptom is progressive sharp pain. However, this syndrome can manifest itself in a number of ways. Intermittent lameness in one or both pelvic (rear) limbs or a stilted gait is a common initial sign. The patient may progressively have more difficulty rising from a prone position or may be unusually reluctant to leap. The dog may act suddenly painful or lame immediately after getting up or jumping. Strenuous activity may exacerbate the signs. Vocal expression of pain may vary from moans or whimpers when the dog tries to rise to sharp cries or howls when touched over the rear quarters or when making a wrong move during exercise. Eventually even the most pain tolerant individuals will react to the burning pain of the nerve root entrapment caused by this syndrome. Chewing at the tail or rear feet as well as bowel and bladder incontinence may be seen in advanced cases where severe pressure on the nerve roots causes a burning sensation. The most devastating cases can evolve to full paralysis.

Diagnosis

The neurologic examination begins by observing the gait. Specific tests for pain and neurologic dysfunction are then performed to confirm the site of the lesion.

Individuals with hip dysplasia will often show a mild response to hip extension whereas dogs with lumbosacral disease will object more acutely to hip extension and cry when pressure is added to the lumbosacral junction (see Fig.1). Manipulation and hyperextension of the tail causes an exquisite pain response. The spinal reflexes are tested, including the perineal reflex and anal tone, to assess the early signs of nerve root entrapment.

[8K GIF] – Cauda Equina Syndrome Figure 1

Nerve root entrapment and pressure can result from an arthritic process, infection, a degenerative disc rupture, or tumors. Therefore, it is essential to accurately diagnose the animal’s problem before considering treatment (see Figs. 2 and 3). This requires radiography (x-rays).

[8K GIF] – Cauda Equina Syndrome Figure 2, 3

Plain radiographs may not be useful in diagnosing such things as infection. A definitive diagnosis may require a myelogram or epidurogram (contrast dye studies of the spine) to confirm not only the location of the lesion but also the position of any ruptured discs in relation to entrapped nerve roots as the spine is flexed and extended. The myelogram and epidurogram are common and safe diagnostic procedures when performed under the proper conditions. In difficult cases, MRI or CT scans are of exceptional diagnostic value. Electromyography (EMG) may be of value in substantiating the diagnosis and the severity and symmetry of nerve root entrapment.

Treatment

Medical therapy consisting of rest and antiinflammatory/analgesic medications should be attempted in patients experiencing an initial episode with only mild pain.

Indications for surgical intervention include neurologic deficits, pain unresponsive to conservative treatment, and frequent recurrences of pain (even if the episodes respond well to medical treatment). To relieve pressure on the entrapped nerve roots, a dorsal laminectomy is performed. This involves removing portions of the bony spinal canal surrounding the entrapped nerve roots. The nerve roots (cauda equina) are then gently retracted to one side with blunt nerve hooks exposing any herniated discs as a large dome on the floor of the spinal canal. Any herniated discs are excised, compressive osteophytes are removed, and foramenotomies (opening the nerve root canals) are performed to relieve root entrapment. Once the pressure is relieved, neurologic function gradually returns.

Postoperative Care

A course of rest is the most important component of postoperative care. All strenuous activity should be curtailed for at least six weeks. At that time the exercise level is gradually increased. If the dog is obese, weight should be reduced.

The prognosis depends on the severity and chronicity of clinical signs before surgery. Dogs with pain, reluctance to jump, or tenderness upon getting up as their only symptoms will usually improve rapidly and dramatically. Some patients may have an occasional, transient, painful episode. Dogs with chronic neurologic dysfunction will take much longer to improve, and they may never return to completely normal function. However, at the very least they will return to a pain free lifestyle.

Veterinarians have a new, innovative vaccine choice available for protection from the primary pathogen of canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD). The vaccine, Bronchi-Shield® ORAL from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), recently has been approved by the USDA for use in dogs. This . . . → Read More: Oral Bordetella Vaccine Approved]]> April 02, 2012
Bronchi-Shield ORAL – First Oral Bordetella bronchiseptica Vaccine Approved for Use in Dogs

Veterinarians have a new, innovative vaccine choice available for protection from the primary pathogen of canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD). The vaccine, Bronchi-Shield® ORAL from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), recently has been approved by the USDA for use in dogs. This vaccine is unique because it is the first live, avirulent Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine licensed to be administered orally to dogs .

Lorie R. North, associate director, pet vaccine marketing states, “BRONCHI-SHIELD ORAL offers the convenience of oral administration for mucosal absorption, making it one of the most innovative CIRD vaccines on the market. You simply squirt 1.0 mL of vaccine in the dog’s buccal cavity.

”According to Arne Zislin, VMD, technical manager veterinarian with BIVI, “BRONCHI-SHIELD ORAL has been proven in a challenge study to provide protection against the primary pathogen causing CIRD – B. bronchiseptica.

“Doctors have told us they like intranasal vaccines because they provide optimal immune responses, but doctors and their patients dislike having these vaccines given in the nose,” Zislin says. “So we’ve developed an easy-to-administer oral vaccine that is mucosally absorbed.”…

”Although vaccines that protect against CIRD are considered non-core by the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Guidelines, many dogs are at risk. “When dogs come into contact, even casually on a walk, they may be at risk,” Zislin says. Veterinary practitioners should consider their at-risk patient populations and implement effective strategies to protect their patients.

BRONCHI-SHIELD ORAL is labeled as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica and is administered orally. Easy administration requires veterinarians to instill a 1.0 mL dose into the buccal cavity of healthy dogs eight weeks of age or older. Annual revaccination is recommended.

For more information about BRONCHI-SHIELD ORAL and how it can be used to provide effective, safe protection against the most common disease agent of CIRD complex, or about other innovative products produced by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, visit www.bronchi-shieldoral.com.

How to get stem cells from your dog and then bank them: The StemInsure service provides banked stem cells that can be grown to supply a lifetime of stem cell therapy for . . . → Read More: Stem cell banking for dogs]]> Cultured stem cells from your dog can be used for arthritis or cancer treatment in the future. Other diseases are being researched for this treatment.

How to get stem cells from your dog and then bank them:
The StemInsure service provides banked stem cells that can be grown to supply a lifetime of stem cell therapy for dogs.

The process is
Collect only 5 grams of fat (about the size of a grape).
Collect fat at spay, neuter, or any procedure where your vet uses anesthesia.
Vet-Stem processes and banks stem cells for future culturing (growing) and use.

Affordability
Reasonable up front processing cost (see your veterinarian for specific pricing).
Only $50 per year banking (storage) fee for the StemInsure sample after the first year.
Costs are spread out over time.
Avoid a separate surgical fat collection in the future.
Provide treatment options for current applications as well as future applications of stem cells.
One fat collection per patient can provide a lifetime of stem cell therapy.

Important Facts for Dog Owners:
Cells will need to be cultured prior to use for treatment.
There will be additional future charges for Cell Culturing and Banked Doses before the cells can be used to treat your dog.

What You Should Do:
Contact your veterinarian and ask about StemInsure for your dog.
Contact Vet-Stem by email at customerservice@Vet-Stem.com or call them at 858-748-2004.

Consider preventative collection of fat and storage of stem cells whenever your dog is undergoing an anesthetized procedure.

Autologous stem-cell based treatments for tendon injury, ligament injury, and osteoarthritis in dogs have been available to veterinarians in the United States since 2005. Over 3000 privately-owned horses and dogs have been treated with autologous adipose-derived stem cells. The efficacy of these treatments has been shown in double-blind clinical trials for dogs with osteoarthritis of the hip and elbow and horses with tendon damage. The efficacy of using stem cells, whether adipose-derived or bone-marrow derived, for treating tendon and ligament injuries in horses has support in the veterinary literature…

Currently, research is being conducted to develop stem cell treatments for: 1) horses suffering from COPD, neurologic disease, and laminitis; and 2) dogs and cats suffering from heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, neurologic disease, and immune-mediated disorder.

Black LL, Gaynor J, Adams C, et al. (2008). “Effect of intraarticular injection of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem and regenerative cells on clinical signs of chronic osteoarthritis of the elbow joint in dogs”. Vet. Ther. 9 (3): 192–200. PMID 19003780.

Nixon AJ, Dahlgren LA, Haupt JL, Yeager AE, Ward DL (July 2008). “Effect of adipose-derived nucleated cell fractions on tendon repair in horses with collagenase-induced tendinitis”. Am. J. Vet. Res. 69 (7): 928–37. doi:10.2460/ajvr.69.7.928. PMID 18593247

HOUSTON – A new immunotherapy for companion dogs with advanced-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been shown to improve survival while maintaining quality of life, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study resulted from a collaboration between The University of Texas . . . → Read More: Canine Lymphoma treatment]]> 02.23.12
Texas A&M , UT MD Anderson Team Up to Treat Canine Lymphoma

HOUSTON – A new immunotherapy for companion dogs with advanced-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been shown to improve survival while maintaining quality of life, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study resulted from a collaboration between The University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital in Houston and Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in College Station.

Using a T-cell therapy developed at MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, veterinarians from Texas A&M saw a nearly four-fold improvement in tumor-free survival compared to dogs who received only chemotherapy. The median tumor-free survival for the Texas-based dogs increased by close to nine months, which is roughly equivalent to seven years in a human life span.

NHL is one of the most common cancers in dogs, according to Texas A&M veterinarians. Although standard chemotherapy can achieve remission, it is rarely a curative treatment, with the two-year survival rate remaining less than 20 percent. When investigators from MD Anderson and Texas A&M met, they explored the feasibility of administering T cells to improve survival.

“We followed the same rigid standards that we practice for human clinical trials at MD Anderson to ensure the safety of each dog,” said Laurence Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., professor and section chief of cell therapy at the children’s hospital and senior investigator on the study. “While these pets are benefiting from the T-cell infusions, this collaboration with Texas A&M is a driving force for undertaking similar clinical trials in humans.”

To accomplish the T-cell therapy, researchers took a sample of peripheral blood from each dog entering the study. Then the T cells were separated and expanded in Cooper’s laboratory over several weeks. As the T cells grew at MD Anderson, the canines received a chemotherapy regimen at Texas A&M similar to what humans with NHL receive, a combination of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and prednisone. The T cells were then given back intravenously after the chemotherapy to improve the anti-tumor effects.

“The therapy was well tolerated in all dogs who received the infusions. We saw fewer side effects than with traditional chemotherapy, and the pet owners were please with how their dogs tolerated the protocol,” said Heather Wilson-Robles, DVM, DACVIM(Oncology), assistant professor at Texas A&M. “The owners were also very pleased to be supporting research that may further enhance cancer therapy in humans and pets with cancer.”

“Treating dogs with cancer provides us with a great comparative oncology model for humans,” said Colleen O’Connor, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow at MD Anderson and one of the primary investigators on the study. “We learned important details about the interaction between chemotherapy and tumor cells that can be harnessed to improve the body’s immune response. This is something we hadn’t appreciated thus far from our clinical research in humans.”

From the trial, investigators found that:

Chemotherapy, while damaging the canine tumor, also makes the tumor cells susceptible to recognition by the infused T cells
Infusing back the patient’s T cells after chemotherapy can work to improve the survival of canines with NHL, since these T cells were held outside the body preventing damage from the chemotherapy
Biomarkers were identified that can potentially play a role in determining prognosis

Overall the study further affirmed the ability to use the body’s own immune cells, such as T cells, to fight cancer. As a result, MD Anderson and Texas A&M collaborators are creating a program focusing on harvesting and expanding T cells at a large scale for broad clinical use.

Investigators at both institutions are working to open a new trial that will infuse genetically modified T cells that are tumor specific and potentially even more effective against the canine cancer cells.

Other contributors to the Scientific Reports study include Sabina Sheppard and Mark Johnson from Texas A&M and Cassie Hartline, Helen Huls, Shana Palla, Sourindra Maiti, Wencai Ma, Eric Davis, Suzanne Craig, Dean Lee and Richard Champlin from MD Anderson.