WebCanine.com » Health

Progressive blindness (XLRP) treatment

mom — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:05:27 +0000

Gene defects in dogs and people cause a progressive, inherited blindness called Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP). Gene therapy treatment developed at the University of Pennsylvania was able to treat this disease in dogs.

“While the exact disease mechanism of the RPGR form of XLRP is still unknown, the researchers were able to successfully treat dogs with two different RPGR mutations. The mutations disrupt photoreceptors in different ways, but both ultimately cause them to become useless for vision. While this form of blindness is rare in dogs, it is common in humans. Patients with XLRP usually begin to lose night vision as children and become almost totally blind by middle age. “

This is the first proof that this condition is treatable in an animal model; a single subretinal injection administered to the diseased dogs led to functional and structural recovery. The disease is much more common in people than in dogs.Treatment was able to repair the diseased part of the eye.

Researchers hope that in a few years this may be a viable treatment to prevent patients from losing their site due to this disease.

Abstract:

Gene therapy rescues photoreceptor blindness in dogs and paves the way for treating human X-linked retinitis pigmentosa

Hereditary retinal blindness is caused by mutations in genes expressed in photoreceptors or retinal pigment epithelium. Gene therapy in mouse and dog models of a primary retinal pigment epithelium disease has already been translated to human clinical trials with encouraging results. Treatment for common primary photoreceptor blindness, however, has not yet moved from proof of concept to the clinic. We evaluated gene augmentation therapy in two blinding canine photoreceptor diseases that model the common X-linked form of retinitis pigmentosa caused by mutations in the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) gene, which encodes a photoreceptor ciliary protein, and provide evidence that the therapy is effective. After subretinal injections of adeno-associated virus-2/5–vectored human RPGR with human IRBP or GRK1 promoters, in vivo imaging showed preserved photoreceptor nuclei and inner/outer segments that were limited to treated areas. Both rod and cone photoreceptor function were greater in treated (three of four) than in control eyes. Histopathology indicated normal photoreceptor structure and reversal of opsin mislocalization in treated areas expressing human RPGR protein in rods and cones. Postreceptoral remodeling was also corrected: there was reversal of bipolar cell dendrite retraction evident with bipolar cell markers and preservation of outer plexiform layer thickness. Efficacy of gene therapy in these large animal models of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa provides a path for translation to human treatment.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 2012 ; published ahead of print January 23, 2012, doi:10.1073/pnas.1118847109

Canine flu outbreak at Farmingdale PetSmart

mom — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:42:30 +0000

Updated: Nov 22, 2011 03:31 PM

By ELLEN YAN

from Newsday

A canine flu outbreak has been confirmed at PetSmart’s Farmingdale dog day-camp and boarding, the pet supplies chain said Monday.

Eight dogs have been diagnosed with the latest strain of the highly contagious disease, and they are recovering, with PetSmart paying for treatment, said corporate spokeswoman Michelle Friedman.

In the past month or two, veterinarians have reported outbreaks in the New York metro area, including a Rockland County kennel and an animal shelter in Teterboro, N.J.

The flu, spread by contact and cough, is usually not fatal but can be serious for dogs with breathing and respiratory issues. The symptoms are similar to the human flu — cough, runny nose, fever and lethargy — but experts said life threatening symptoms can develop, including pneumonia. Dogs more likely to catch the virus are those exposed to other canines gathered in close quarters, such as dog parks and boarding facilities.

PetSmart’s Farmingdale dog camp has been closed since Nov. 14 and the PetsHotel shut down Friday as workers disinfected the area, Friedman said. They are to reopen Wednesday, she said, but dogs who have been there recently won’t be allowed back until two weeks after their last visits.

“The safety and well-being of all pets that have been under our care is our priority,” Friedman said. “We haven’t seen any new incidents beyond these eight cases.

Canine flu outbreak at Farmingdale PetSmartUpdated: Nov 22, 2011 03:31 PM By ELLEN YANMultiple Page ViewA canine flu outbreak has been confirmed at PetSmart’s Farmingdale dog day-camp and boarding, the pet supplies chain said Monday.
Eight dogs have been diagnosed with the latest strain of the highly contagious disease, and they are recovering, with PetSmart paying for treatment, said corporate spokeswoman Michelle Friedman.
In the past month or two, veterinarians have reported outbreaks in the New York metro area, including a Rockland County kennel and an animal shelter in Teterboro, N.J.
The flu, spread by contact and cough, is usually not fatal but can be serious for dogs with breathing and respiratory issues. The symptoms are similar to the human flu — cough, runny nose, fever and lethargy — but experts said life threatening symptoms can develop, including pneumonia. Dogs more likely to catch the virus are those exposed to other canines gathered in close quarters, such as dog parks and boarding facilities.
PetSmart’s Farmingdale dog camp has been closed since Nov. 14 and the PetsHotel shut down Friday as workers disinfected the area, Friedman said. They are to reopen Wednesday, she said, but dogs who have been there recently won’t be allowed back until two weeks after their last visits.
“The safety and well-being of all pets that have been under our care is our priority,” Friedman said. “We haven’t seen any new incidents beyond these eight cases.

Nutri-Scan saliva test patented by Dr. Jean Dodds

mom — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:42:15 +0000

NutriScan is our novel patented diagnostic test based on saliva, which can reveal the latent or pre-clinical form of food sensitivity or food intolerance. Our first test panel for six of the most common allergens has been available since May 2011. Additional allergen panels will be offered in 2012.

Dr. Jean Dodds has introduced NutriScan, a novel, patented food intolerance and canine food sensitivity testing system. This assay system utilizes an important new approach in nutrition – that salivary diagnostics can more accurately identify the foods to be avoided rather than focus on those less like to be reactive.[Dr Dodds is well-known in canine medicine for pioneering work in canine blood banking, thyroid testing and immunology].

Dr. Dodds’ revolutionary concept is the first food intolerance and sensitivity testing program to match pets with their individual nutritional needs and genetic makeup, i.e. functional nutrition or nutrigenomics. This provides owners with accurate information to select the optimal pet foods and treats based on high level nutritional principles.

The new Nutriscan saliva screening diagnostics should be used annually by dog owners. This canine food sensitivity and intolerance diagnostic system tests saliva for food reactant antibodies in healthy dogs and those with known or suspected food intolerance. Dog owners can obtain the test kit from Hemopet or through their veterinarians. After following directions, adding saliva, the kit is sealed and sent to Hemopet for analysis.

Testing protocols are for gluten and other food ingredient intolerance and sensitivity. The primary dietary antigens to be tested are corn, wheat, soy, beef, eggs, and milk.

Saliva test for Food allergy in Dogs

mom — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:32:47 +0000

Using Saliva to Detect Food Sensitivity and Intolerance in Dogs to Gluten And Other Food Ingredients

Summary: Surveys of purebred dog clubs have identified food sensitivity or intolerance as a common health concern. Other than time-consuming feeding trials, which eliminate potential reactive ingredients every several weeks, testing for this condition has used expensive and unsightly skin patch testing or screening of serum samples that often lacks specificity. An accurate and efficient canine food sensitivity and intolerance test can help owners recognize the symptoms and take the right steps to treat and alleviate this problem by using individualized case-specific nutrition.

Body: Delayed food sensitivities are common and can be manifested by gastrointestinal, neurological, pulmonary, dermatologic, ear, nose and throat, musculoskeletal, genitourinary, cardiovascular and endocrine problems. Although people are often unaware of the distinction, sensitivity and intolerance to foods is not synonymous with a food allergy.

Previous clinical experience with identifying delayed food sensitivity depended upon measuring the offending antibodies in serum. These tests were mostly based on IgG or IgE antibody measurements. However, although these serum-based assays had high sensitivity, they demonstrated relatively poor specificity for an individual patient.

Today, new studies have revealed that delayed food sensitivity is more accurately identified by measuring food associated IgA or IgM antibodies in saliva. In fact, antibodies to food ingredients can appear in the saliva before the clinical or gastrointestinal biopsy diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease or “leaky gut syndrome” is made. Saliva testing can thus reveal the latent or pre-clinical form of food sensitivity. A similar elaboration of IgA or IgM antibodies in saliva rather than serum pertains to animals with latent or pre-clinical gastrointestinal and/or dermatological diseases.

Delayed food sensitivities are usually revealed as soon as 2 hours or as long as 72 hours after eating, which explains why it can be difficult to connect the symptoms with a food or foods eaten as long as several days previously. A practical and rapid screening or saliva for food sensitivity and intolerance provides an opportunity to enhance the health of animals. Food antigens in the gut have been shown to lead to the early production of IgA or IgM antibodies in saliva. In some cases, IgA or IgM antibodies to food ingredients appear in saliva that are not even present in serum.

In contrast to food allergies, food sensitivity and intolerance is a response to a particular food, or compound found in a range of foods. Intolerance can result from the absence of specific chemicals or enzymes needed to digest a food substance. It may also result from an abnormality in the ability to absorb nutrients, and gastrointestinal reactions can be due to malabsorption or other abnormalities.

Symptoms of food intolerance can include skin rashes, dermatitis, eczema, mouth ulcers, abdominal cramp, nausea, gas, intermittent diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Food sensitivity or intolerance is more chronic, and less obvious in its presentation. An assay to determine whether your dog has a sensitivity or intolerance to a food ingredient is revolutionary, not only because it has never been done before in animals, but the technology is based on testing your dog’s saliva. It is easy to get a saliva sample and obtain the assay results, so that the diet can be modified promptly, if necessary. The first six ingredients being tested are gluten containing products such as corn, wheat, soy, and also beef, eggs or dairy ingredients. Another 14 ingredients will make up the expanded test panel in future.

Until now, time-consuming dietary elimination trials were performed where one ingredient at a time is removed and the remaining diet is fed for six to eight weeks to determine if the patient’s food-related symptoms subside. With the new saliva based diagnostic test for identifying these

reactant foods, such elimination trials may become a thing of the past.

Resource Box:

Hemopet offers the most advanced canine food intolerance testing, patented technology. This service offered by the company benefits dogs with canine food intolerance such as food sensitivity
To learn more about the company’s Nutriscan testing services and obtain the test kit, visit Hemopet.org or call 714-891-2022

Texas sees rise in canine flu cases

mom — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:51:04 +0000

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/179263/288/Tex-sees-rise-in-canine-flu-cases
Austin, TX (CBS) – Vets are seeing a spike in cases of the canine flu.

Since September, there have been 30 confirmed cases of canine influenza “A” in San Antonio and another 70 cases are suspected. This flu is also known as H3N8.

Veterinarians say they don’t want dog owners to panic, but they want them to be aware that (it)can strike quickly.

According the Center for Disease Control the canine influenza virus can be spread by direct contact with infected dogs and by contact with contaminated objects. The canines with an increased risk are those who frequent dog daycares, parks and boarding facilities.

Susan Wagi, who’s been a vet for more almost 20 years, says the influenza is an upper respiratory infection and parks, doggy daycares and boarding facilities can expose your pet to dogs that have the infection. She says, “Just like daycare centers for children were kids get upper respiratory infections frequently.”

The symptoms of illness in dogs are cough, runny nose and fever, though some dogs may not show any signs at all. Severe illness can cause pneumonia which may lead to death. There is no cure for the h3n8 virus, but a vaccine has been approved to treat the virus.

The best way to prevent the virus is through vaccination.

The virus cannot infect humans and cannot jump to cats or other species. There are tests your vet can do to make sure that if you dog is infected, they can be treated properly.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 38 states including Texas, have reported cases of the dog flu. The first case was recorded back in 2004 in Florida.

Penn Researchers : Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Vaccine

mom — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:36:08 +0000

October 18, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — An experimental vaccine developed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine is the first veterinary cancer vaccine of its kind that shows an increase in survival time for dogs with spontaneous non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The work shows for the first time the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of this alternative cell-based vaccine, which could be employed in the treatment of a number of different cancer types.

The research was conducted by Nicola Mason, assistant professor of medicine at Penn Vet; Robert H. Vonderheide, associate professor of hematology and oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine; and Karin U. Sorenmo, associate professor of oncology at Penn Vet. Erika Krick, Beth Overley and Thomas P. Gregor of Penn Vet and Christina M. Coughlin of the School of Medicine also contributed to the research.

Their work was published in the open access journal PLOS ONE.

The team recruited dogs that were brought to Penn’s Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital with newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma to receive the experimental vaccine following standard induction chemotherapy and confirmation of clinical remission. The goal of the study was to determine whether the vaccine would prevent or prolong time to a relapse, a common scenario in both humans and dogs with NHL.

“We vaccinated dogs, which were in clinical remission following chemotherapy, three times,” Mason said. “We then tracked them over several years to see if the vaccine would prevent relapse and would prolong overall survival.

“We found that, although the vaccinated dogs still relapsed with clinical disease when they were treated with rescue chemotherapy, they had significantly increased overall survival times when compared to an unvaccinated control group. Some of these dogs are still alive and cancer free more than three years later.

“The results with these dogs indicate that our immunotherapy and rescue chemotherapy appear to act synergistically to prevent a second relapse – a phenomenon that has been previously recognized in human patients treated with other types of immunotherapy,” she said.

Previous cell based vaccines have utilized genetically engineering dendritic cells — which are part of the immune system — to stimulate immune responses against cancers. Similar to using weakened viruses in traditional vaccines, scientists load these cells with tumor proteins and inject the cells back into the patient’s body. Such cell-based vaccines are already being used to treat prostate cancer in humans, but engineering these cells is expensive and time consuming. Furthermore, patients must also endure long, leukapheresis sessions in which the necessary dendritic cells are harvested from their blood.

The Penn team hypothesized that another kind of immune cell, B-cells, could work just as well under the right conditions. Unlike dendritic cells, many B-cells can be grown from a small blood sample, removing the requirement for leukapheresis.

Mason’s team made the vaccine by culturing B-cells from the blood taken from the dogs with NHL. These cells were then loaded with RNA that had been isolated from the patient’s own tumor.

The results were impressive.

“Though vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs relapsed with clinical disease at the same time, 40 percent of vaccinated dogs that relapsed experienced long-term survival after a second round of chemotherapy; only 7 percent of unvaccinated dogs that relapsed and were treated with the same rescue chemotherapy protocol survived long term,” Mason said. “Furthermore, when the vaccinated long-term survivors did eventually die, they showed no evidence of lymphoma on full necropsy.”

While the molecular mechanisms responsible for these observed synergistic effects are currently unknown, Mason believes that the vaccine-primed immune system may be boosted by the effects of rescue chemotherapy leading to long term second remissions.

Though the increases in long-term survival are already unprecedented and the proof-of-concept for B-cell-based cancer vaccines represents a step forward in cell-based vaccine development, future research could have even more exciting results.

“These dogs just received three doses of vaccine, three weeks apart. If we kept boosting the immune system in this way by vaccination, perhaps the dogs would not relapse in the first place,” Mason said.

Work is now underway to streamline B-cell vaccine generation and initiate further clinical trials aimed at optimizing this novel cell-based approach.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, Onyx and Breezy Foundation, Barry and Savannah Poodle Memorial Fund, Mari Lowe Comparative Oncology Center, Immunobiology Program of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania and Oncology Research Fund at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Leptospirosis outbreak in Detroit, MI

mom — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:22:39 +0000

Bacterial disease outbreak threatens metro Detroit animals

Published: Oct. 27, 2011

EAST LANSING, Mich. — More than 20 cases of the life-threatening bacterial infection leptospirosis have been reported in Detroit-area dogs in the past three weeks, according to Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health.

Experts at the MSU center, a service unit of the College of Veterinary Medicine, diagnosed the specific strain of the disease, which can cause fatal damage to dogs and can be transmitted to humans.

In most cases, the dogs were not vaccinated against leptospirosis, or they had an uncertain vaccination history. Because this particular type of leptospirosis is associated with contact with rats, stray dogs are typically thought to be at highest risk.

“What is particularly unusual about this outbreak is that the dogs affected are not stray animals, but people’s pets,” said Carole Bolin, director of the Diagnostic Center. “Unfortunately, we expect to see more cases, and this is a very dangerous type of leptospirosis. Many veterinarians have never seen this type in dogs because it was markedly reduced by vaccination.”

Bolin and her team performed diagnostic testing and identified the particular strain of infection as icterohaemorrhagiae, which can cause severe disease in humans and animals. It is commonly carried by rats but also can be transmitted dog-to-dog or dog-to-human. Bolin is aware of nine dogs that died or were euthanized as a result of the disease, but there may be others.

“The Diagnostic Center became involved because of our experience, expertise and our desire to help the public,” Bolin said. “Our diagnosis helped identify this relatively rare strain, and the samples we tested will provide teaching tools for our students and residents so they will recognize this disease in the future.”

Leptospirosis spreads by infected wild and domestic animals. The bacteria (leptospira) that infects these animals can reside in their kidneys, and the host animal may or may not appear ill. They contaminate their environment with living leptospira when they urinate. Pets can become infected by sniffing this urine or by contacting standing water that becomes contaminated by rain and water runoff.

The bacteria spread rapidly through an animal’s blood stream, usually causing fever, depression and vomiting. The bacteria also attack the liver and kidneys, which can lead to organ failure.

“This is a very serious, rapidly progressing type of leptospirosis in dogs,” Bolin said. “Dogs can appear normal one day and be severely ill the next day. People can become infected, so this also is a threat to animal owners, caretakers and veterinarians.”

In the 1980s, Bolin’s mentor Alex Thiermann conducted studies on the high leptospirosis prevalence in the rat and dog population in Detroit. Leptospirosis caused by icterohaemorrhagiae was identified as a cause of human cases and as a common infection in rats and stray dogs. The prevalence of leptospirosis dropped significantly after the conditions predisposing to large rat populations were corrected.

Also, a leptospirosis vaccine was routinely administered to dogs, greatly diminishing the number of cases. As cases of disease in dogs decreased and because of the vaccine’s potential for adverse reactions, vaccine use diminished and it no is longer given to all dogs. However, Bolin said this outbreak demonstrates that leptospirosis remains a significant risk for dogs.

“There is something we can do now to prevent this disease and that is to vaccinate,” she said. “Dog owners need to contact their veterinarian to get more information regarding vaccination.”

MSU’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health has become one of the country’s premier veterinary diagnostic laboratories, handling more than 220,000 cases involving approximately 1.5 million tests annually.

Contact: Kristen Flory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Office: (517) 355-5165, florykri@cvm.msu.edu; Jason Cody, University Relations, Office: (517) 432-0924, Cell: (734) 755-0210, Jason.Cody@ur.msu.edu

###

Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

Bacterial disease outbreak threatens metro Detroit animals
Published: Oct. 27, 2011 EAST LANSING, Mich. — More than 20 cases of the life-threatening bacterial infection leptospirosis have been reported in Detroit-area dogs in the past three weeks, according to Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health.
Experts at the MSU center, a service unit of the College of Veterinary Medicine, diagnosed the specific strain of the disease, which can cause fatal damage to dogs and can be transmitted to humans.
In most cases, the dogs were not vaccinated against leptospirosis, or they had an uncertain vaccination history. Because this particular type of leptospirosis is associated with contact with rats, stray dogs are typically thought to be at highest risk.
“What is particularly unusual about this outbreak is that the dogs affected are not stray animals, but people’s pets,” said Carole Bolin, director of the Diagnostic Center. “Unfortunately, we expect to see more cases, and this is a very dangerous type of leptospirosis. Many veterinarians have never seen this type in dogs because it was markedly reduced by vaccination.”
Bolin and her team performed diagnostic testing and identified the particular strain of infection as icterohaemorrhagiae, which can cause severe disease in humans and animals. It is commonly carried by rats but also can be transmitted dog-to-dog or dog-to-human. Bolin is aware of nine dogs that died or were euthanized as a result of the disease, but there may be others.
“The Diagnostic Center became involved because of our experience, expertise and our desire to help the public,” Bolin said. “Our diagnosis helped identify this relatively rare strain, and the samples we tested will provide teaching tools for our students and residents so they will recognize this disease in the future.”
Leptospirosis spreads by infected wild and domestic animals. The bacteria (leptospira) that infects these animals can reside in their kidneys, and the host animal may or may not appear ill. They contaminate their environment with living leptospira when they urinate. Pets can become infected by sniffing this urine or by contacting standing water that becomes contaminated by rain and water runoff.
The bacteria spread rapidly through an animal’s blood stream, usually causing fever, depression and vomiting. The bacteria also attack the liver and kidneys, which can lead to organ failure.
“This is a very serious, rapidly progressing type of leptospirosis in dogs,” Bolin said. “Dogs can appear normal one day and be severely ill the next day. People can become infected, so this also is a threat to animal owners, caretakers and veterinarians.”
In the 1980s, Bolin’s mentor Alex Thiermann conducted studies on the high leptospirosis prevalence in the rat and dog population in Detroit. Leptospirosis caused by icterohaemorrhagiae was identified as a cause of human cases and as a common infection in rats and stray dogs. The prevalence of leptospirosis dropped significantly after the conditions predisposing to large rat populations were corrected.
Also, a leptospirosis vaccine was routinely administered to dogs, greatly diminishing the number of cases. As cases of disease in dogs decreased and because of the vaccine’s potential for adverse reactions, vaccine use diminished and it no is longer given to all dogs. However, Bolin said this outbreak demonstrates that leptospirosis remains a significant risk for dogs.
“There is something we can do now to prevent this disease and that is to vaccinate,” she said. “Dog owners need to contact their veterinarian to get more information regarding vaccination.”
MSU’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health has become one of the country’s premier veterinary diagnostic laboratories, handling more than 220,000 cases involving approximately 1.5 million tests annually.Contact: Kristen Flory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Office: (517) 355-5165, florykri@cvm.msu.edu; Jason Cody, University Relations, Office: (517) 432-0924, Cell: (734) 755-0210, Jason.Cody@ur.msu.edu
###
Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

Flaxseed, soy and low thyroid

mom — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:12:40 +0000

From the American Thyroid Assn (an association of professional
endocrinologists).

http://www.thyroid.org/patients/ct/volume4/issue6/ct_patients_v46_12_13.html

“This is the first study to show that dietary supplementation with very high
doses of soy phytoestrogen (at levels typical of a vegetarian diet), may
result in a 3-fold increase in the risk of progression from subclinical to
overt hypothyroidism, suggesting that vegetarian patients with mild
subclinical hypothyroidism may need more careful monitoring of thyroid
function. The mechanism for this effect is not well understood.
On the other hand, high dose phytoestrogen also resulted in improvement in
cardiovascular risk factors despite worsening of thyroid function and may be
beneficial to patients with increased cardiovascular risk.”

[It should be noted that flaxseed contains 3x the phytoestrogen of soy, and
it is probably better absorbed from the gut (more digestible). With the
proliferation of flaxseed in both pet and human food, one has to wonder
about the increased numbers of hypothyroid animals and humans.]

Doxycycline suspected side effects

mom — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 21:32:34 +0000

Suspected side effects of doxycycline use in dogs – a retrospective study of 386 cases

1. B. S. Schulz, DrMedVet, DiplECVIM-CA1, 2. S. Hupfauer, DrMedVet1, 3. H. Ammer, DrMedVet, DrMedVetHabil2, 4. C. Sauter-Louis, DrMedVet, PhD3 and 5. K. Hartmann, DrMedVet, DrMedVetHabil, DiplECVIM-CA1

-
This study investigated doxycycline-related side effects in a large population of dogs. Data from 386 dogs that had received doxycycline for the treatment of various infectious diseases were analysed retrospectively. Potential side effects that developed during treatment were documented, and correlations with signalment, dose, duration of treatment, frequency of application, doxycycline preparation and use of additional drugs were investigated. Vomiting was reported in 18.3 per cent of dogs, 7.0 per cent developed diarrhoea and 2.5 per cent developed anorexia. While being treated with doxycycline, 39.4 per cent of dogs showed an increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and 36.4 per cent showed an increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. There was a dose-related risk of an increase in ALP activity (P=0.011, odds ratio [OR]=1.27, 95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 1.06 to 1.53), and older dogs treated with doxycycline were more likely to develop an increase in ALT activity (P=0.038, OR=1.23, 95 per cent CI 1.01 to 1.50) and vomiting (P=0.017, OR=1.11, 95 per cent CI 1.02 to 1.21).

Veterinary Recordveterinaryrecord.bmj.com
Veterinary Record 2011;169:229 doi:10.1136/vr.d4344
Author Affiliations

1.      Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Veterinaerstrasse 13, 80539 Munich, Germany
2.      Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Koeniginstrasse 16, 80539 Munich, Germany
3.      Clinic for Ruminants, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Sonnenstrasse 16, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany

1. E-mail for correspondence b.schulz@medizinische-kleintierklinik.de

Oral Rabies Vaccination Program in the East

mom — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:53:15 +0000

Rabies is a virus that affects the central nervous system in mammals and is almost always transmitted through saliva when an infected animal bites an uninfected animal or person. Rabies is invariably fatal if left untreated.
Effective vaccines are available to protect people and pets. Wildlife accounted for more than 90 percent of all reported rabies cases each year in the United States. Several different variants of the rabies virus exist in this country, and all variants are capable of infecting mammals, including humans. Raccoons, bats, and skunks are
responsible for most reported cases, but foxes and coyotes also commonly transmit the disease.

USDA Wildlife Services (WS) helps alleviate or minimize wildlife damage to agricultural, urban, and natural resources. An important part of WS’ mission includes assisting in wildlife disease-management to protect public health and safety and animal health.
Map of States with an oral rabies vaccination program. Since 1997, WS has been working cooperatively with local, State, and Federal governments; universities; and other partners to manage rabies in wild carnivores through education, surveillance, and oral rabies vaccination (ORV). A vaccination zone has been established from Maine to Alabama to prevent the westward and northward spread of raccoon rabies. Geographic features such as large lakes and rivers as well as the Appalachian Mountains act as natural barriers that help define the vaccination zone. Annually from 2005 to 2010, 6.5 to 9.5 million oral rabies vaccine-laden baits have been distributed targeting raccoon rabies
in 15 eastern states.

In addition to working toward eliminating rabies where it already exists, WS also works with States to monitor uninfected areas near the vaccination zones. If a positive case was found, a contingency action
plan may be implemented. Contingency actions often include WS personnel and cooperators’ conducting
enhanced rabies surveillance. WS may also trap raccoons and skunks to vaccinate them against the
disease and then return them to the wild. Oral rabies baits containing vaccine also may be distributed
where the first case or cases originated to create immunity and prevent rabies from spreading.

Distributing the Vaccine The baits manufactured by Merial Inc., consist of either a coated sachet (a catsup-sized plastic packet coated with fishmeal attractant) or an uncoated sachet encased within a fishmeal bait about the size of a matchbox. The sachet contains the Raboral V-RG® oral rabies vaccine.

Oral rabies vaccine is distributed mostly by air, but some residential or other populated areas may be baited by hand. Fixed-wing aircraft are the most effective means for dispersing large numbers of the ORV baits over rural areas. Hand baiting is used in urban and suburban areas to increase the likelihood of raccoons finding the baits while reducing the chance of people or domestic animals coming into contact with the vaccine.
If you discover a bait, the best action is to leave it where you found it. Do not attempt to remove a bait from the mouth of your pet; doing so may cause you to be bitten. This vaccine cannot cause rabies and is safe if eaten by domestic dogs and cats. It has been tested on more than 60 animal species with no adverse effects. If you come into contact with the pink-liquid vaccine contained within the bait, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and call USDA’s WS office toll free at 1–866–4USDA–WS (1–866–487–3297) for further instructions and referral.

ORV baits are a sachet—or plastic packet—that contains the rabies vaccine. When a raccoon bites into a bait, the sachet ruptures, allowing the vaccine to make contact in the animal’s mouth and throat. Animals that have contact with an adequate dose of the vaccine develop antibodies against rabies. As the number of vaccinated animals in the population increases, the ability to transmit the disease decreases.

Determining the Effectiveness of the Program
After baits have been distributed and raccoons have had a chance to ingest them, WS works with its cooperators to measure the success of the ORV campaign. Live-traps are set and checked daily. These traps
are affixed with labels in case individuals discover a trapped animal and wish to contact WS. All captured
raccoons are temporarily anesthetized so that blood samples can be taken and a small, single-rooted
premolar tooth may be removed. Once the anesthesia has worn off, the raccoons are released back into the
wild at their capture sites.
All samples are sent to cooperating laboratories such as the rabies laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, where the rabies antibody level for each raccoon sample is determined. Tooth samples are sent to laboratories for examination to determine the animal’s age and if their tooth contains a tetracycline biomarker indicating whether one or more baits were ingested. The biomarker causes the formation of a tissue layer in tooth and bone visible under a fluorescent microscope.

The Future
Expertise from a variety of sources, including public health, wildlife, and agricultural agencies, is integral to
the team-centered approach for rabies prevention and control. WS provides a variety of technical and operational services for rabies management, including assistance with effective disease and wildlife population
surveillance, a continuing commitment to the development of additional species-specific oral vaccines, and improved strategies to prevent human exposure to rabies.

Protect Yourself from Rabies
As the cost of living with rabies in the United States exceeds $300 million a year, it is important to educate
the public about how to keep from contracting this disease.
Listed below are helpful hints on how to reduce the possibility of contracting the rabies virus.
• Do not touch or pick up wild animals or stray domestic animals.
• Properly vaccinate all family pets against rabies.
• Report unknown or strangely acting animals to your local animal control officer or, if the animal is wild, to wildlife officials.
• Do not make your yard inviting to wild animals. Remove trash and secure garbage cans. Do not leave pet food outside.
• Keep family pets indoors at night. During the day, do not let them roam.

If You Are Bitten
• Immediately wash the bite with soap and water for five minutes
• Try to capture the animal only if you can do so without receiving additional bites or other injuries.
• Immediately report the bite to your doctor and your local health officer.

Additional Information
For more information, please visit the National Rabies
Management Program’s Web site at www.aphis.usda.
gov/wildlife_damage/rabies/index.html or call 1-8664USDA-WS (1-866-487-3297) to contact your WS State office.

United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
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