Posts Tagged ‘cancer’
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Last Week: HOW TO Prevent Flea and Tick Bites Naturally
Cushing’s disease, or hyperadrenocorticism, occurs when the two small adrenal glands located near the kidneys produce too much cortisol (or glucocorticoid hormones). This process usually stems originally from the pituitary gland, located near the base of the brain, which produces adrenocorticotrpic hormone, also known as ACTH. “This hormone is released into the bloodstream and stimulates the body’s two adrenal glands, located near the kidneys, to secrete glucocorticoid (cortisone-like or cortisol) hormones into the bloodstream,” reports the KateConnick.com website.
Overexposure to the hormone, however, has a negative effect on the body. (more…)
Tags: ACTH, ACTH stimulation test, Adrenal glands, Aging, cancer, Cortisol, Cortisone, Cushing's Disease, Cushing's syndrome, Glucocorticoid hormones, Hair loss, Hyperadrenocorticism, Incontinence, Increased appetite, Increased water intake, Infections, Kidneys, lethargy, Metastasis, MRI, Muscle atrophy, Panting, Pituitary glands, senior dogs, Skin Ailments, Steroids, Thin skin, Ultrasound, Weight gain
Posted in How To | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Not only can dogs sniff out cancer in its early stages, but the DNA in their saliva may contain the key to cancer treatments for both humans and canines.
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) recently created the Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium, a program that will study DNA and RNA samples in saliva, blood and tumor samples from many breeds of dogs. The samples, voluntarily donated by dog owners and consenting veterinarians, will be analyzed for genetic patterns associated with cancer. In addition to helping determine if a dog is a carrier of a defective gene, these genetic patterns will also provide information about human cancer. (more…)
Tags: cancer, Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium, Clumber Spaniel, dog cancer, dog DNA, dog saliva, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, hemangiosarcoma, NCI, sarcoma, TGen, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Van Andel Research Institute, VARI
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Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Last Week: HOW TO Manage Your Dog’s Diabetes
Buddy doesn’t get up as quickly as he once did. It takes him a little bit longer and he seems stiff. He limps for the first few steps before he gets going. He doesn’t run after the ball with as much energy as he used to and after a long walk he likes to lay down.
You begin to notice other details about Buddy’s physical appearance, too. His muzzle has slowly been turning gray, his skin is beginning to sag a little and it looks like he is losing muscle mass.
Buddy’s getting older and the symptoms he’s experiencing aren’t all that different from the ones people go through as they age. The changes he’s going through are natural and, in and of themselves, nothing to worry about. But when dogs reach this stage in their lives, pet parents do need to take note of what’s happening and how they can accommodate their dogs’ new bodies. (more…)
Tags: American Veterinary Medical Association, arthritis, bladder stones, cancer, cataracts, dental disease, diabetes, epilepsy, gastrointestinal disease, hearing loss, heart disease, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, liver disease, mitral valve insufficiency, periodontal disease, senior dogs, urinary incontinence
Posted in How To | 1 Comment »
Monday, February 8th, 2010
Last month the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Oncept, a new canine melanoma vaccine that will help extend the lives of dogs with oral melanoma.
“The approval of Oncept is a milestone in the cancer vaccine field and a significant advancement for our DNA delivery technology platform,” said Vijay B. Samant in a press release. Samant is president and chief executive officer of Vical Inc., the company that developed the vaccine. “Oncept is to our knowledge the only therapeutic vaccine approved, and we believe this achievement is a major step toward the initial approvals of therapeutic vaccines for humans.” (more…)
Tags: cancer, cancer vaccine, canine cancer, canine melanoma, dog cancer, Oncept, oral cancer, oral melanoma
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Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Last Week: HOW TO Help Your Dog Give Birth
Max seems a little lethargic lately. He doesn’t want to play ball like he normally does. He lays down right away after his walk. Come to think of it, he seems a little weak in general. Poor thing—he didn’t finish his dinner. His gums aren’t as pink as they used to be, either. After watching him a little while, you decide to take him to the veterinarian for a checkup, just to be safe. After an examination with his veterinarian, you learn that Max has anemia.
But what is anemia?
Simply stated, anemia means the body has experienced a loss of red blood cells or hemoglobin or both. (In ancient Greek anemia means “lack of blood.”) The causes of anemia in dogs are numerous and the condition signifies an underlying, usually larger, problem. In fact, anemia isn’t a disease in and of itself, but rather a symptom of something else going on in the body.
(more…)
Tags: anemia, blood in feces, blood in urine, blood loss, blood transfusion, cancer, chemo therapy, decreased appetite, diet, drug reactions, external bleeding, fleas, genetic defects, hematocrit, hemoglobin, hemolytic anemia, hookworms, immune-mediated diseases, infectious diseases, internal bleeding, iron deficiency, kidney failure, lethargy, malnutrition, nutrition, pale gums, parasites, poisoning, red blood cells, supplements, toxin removal, trauma, ulcers, vitamin K, worms, wounds, yellow skin, zinc
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Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
Last Week: HOW TO Protect Your Dog from Swine Flu
The effects of arthritis couldn’t stop Baxter the therapy dog from comforting hospice patients.
The 19-year-old Chow/Labrador mix couldn’t walk because of the pain, so his human Melissa Joseph towed him in a wagon from hospital bed to hospital bed. Joseph heaved Baxter onto a patient’s bed and Baxter dispensed cuddles and kisses.
Baxter “eased peacefully from this life” in October, according to Joseph.
Like in Baxter’s case, arthritis can be severe. In some cases pet parents make the difficult decision to euthanize their pets because it is difficult to manage the disease, according to The Dog Daily.
Animals with arthritis are suffering from inflammation of the joints, according to Healthypet.com. There are different types of arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis, where the cartilage that cushions joints wears down and bones rub against each other. The friction can damage the bones themselves. (more…)
Tags: Baxter, bones, cancer, cartilage, chondroitin, Chow, cognitive dysfunction, glucosamine, hip dysplasia, James Cook, joints, Labrador, osteoarthritis, therapy dog, veterinarian
Posted in How To | 1 Comment »
Monday, November 16th, 2009
November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Are you aware that in addition to cancer, our dogs (and cats) can suffer from other human health issues such as diabetes and laryngitis?
According to Veterinary Pet Insurance, the company that started Pet Cancer Awareness Month in 2005, these are the top 10 human health conditions that also affect our pooches: (more…)
Tags: acne, allergies, arthritis, bladder infection, cancer, cataracts, diabetes, gum disease, laryngitis, Pet Cancer Awareness Month, skin cancer, stomach ulcers
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Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Not only is October national Adopt-A-Dog Month, it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although these two subjects aren’t typically associated with each other, dogs can get breast cancer – referred to as “mammary cancer” in the canine world – just as humans do.
Fortunately, mammary cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer in dogs since it rarely occurs in female dogs that were spayed before their first heat. Gerald Post, a veterinary oncologist, told ABC News, “It’s important for owners to spay female animals before the animal first goes into heat, because each following heat cycle increases the risk of developing the cancer.”
Mammary cancer is more common in five- to 10-year-old female dogs that have not been spayed, because with every heat cycle, their bodies endure a 60-day hormonal pregnancy regardless of whether or not they breed. Veterinarian Michael Watts writes, “This hormonal cycle continuously stimulates the mammary tissue for at least four months of each year. The constant stimulation leads to very high rates of cancer. Fortunately, 99% of canine breast cancer can be prevented by spaying young dogs.” (more…)
Tags: AVMA, biopsy, cancer, early detection, female dogs, mammary cancer, oncology, prevention, spay, tumor, veterinarian
Posted in Blog | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
by Suzan Gridley, i Love Dogs
The first cancer treatment drug specifically designed for dogs has been approved by the FDA. The drug has been named Palladia, a word which has roots to classical Mythology and the goddess Pallas, who is associated with protection. Palladia, manufactured by Pfizer Animal Health Inc, has been found to successfully treat mast cell tumors by cutting off the blood supply to them, thus preventing metastasis to other parts of the body, including the lymph system, which can occur with this form of canine skin cancer. The drug can be used effectively with or without lymph node involvement.
Mast cell tumors account for about 20% of canine skin cancer. They are usually seen as solitary lumps or masses in or under the skin, but can occur in a wide range of sizes and appearances. Currently, surgical removal has been the primary method of treatment. However, because of their locally invasive behavior, wide margins of what appears to be normal tissue around the tumor need to be removed to increase the likelihood that the tumor has been completely removed.
The Boxer is at an especially high risk for mast cell tumors, as are related breeds like the English Bulldog and Boston Terrier. Also at higher than average risk are the Shar pei, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Schnauzer, and Cocker Spaniel.
Palladia, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, works on individual tumor cells to kill these abnormal cells. It also acts on the blood vessels which supply the mast cell tumor(s). It is meant to be used for dogs with recurrent tumors and those who are staged as grade II or III. Possible side effects include: depressed appetite or refusal to eat, vomiting, diarrhea, fresh blood in vomit or feces, dark, tarry feces, or abnormal or unexplained bruising or bleeding.
Pfizer is scheduled to begin selling Palladia in early 2010, but the price has not yet been announced. If your dog is covered by pet health insurance, you can expect the terms of coverage to be similar to existing treatments. Jennifer Neal, spokesperson for Pets Best Insurance, advises that their policies pay for 80% of the cost after the deductible, up to the per incident limit. Per incident limits vary per policy; Ms. Neal indicated that the cost for existing cancer treatments seldom exceeds $6,000. She also suggested that pet owners purchase insurance when their pets are young since pre-existing conditions are not covered.
Tags: boxer, cancer, canine cancer, canine skin cancer, FDA, health, mast cell tumors, Palladia, pet insurance, Pfizer
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Monday, April 6th, 2009
Source: The Exponent Online
Purdue professors are working on reducing or eliminating a deadly form of cancer found in dogs.
With the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation funding the work, Deborah Knapp, a professor of veterinary medicine and veterinary medical oncologist, and her group have teamed up with Larry Glickman, a professor of epidemiology and environmental medicine, and Dr. Elaine Ostrander at the National Institutes of Health to research dogs at risk for developing urinary bladder cancer or transitional cell carcinoma. (more…)
Tags: cancer, dogs, research, TCC
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