Strange but true: we are killing our pets.
Slowly, without noticing it.
It’s not even big news in the newspapers, but it’s something everyone would be horrified to realize.
Pets are getting “humanized” and adapting to the modern society’s lifestyle.
And with this, they are getting all the consequences of it, starting from the epidemics and diseases that plague humans, from overweight to cancer.
In our work we get to collaborate with many veterinarians from different geographies, and it’s evident that in the most polluted areas, pets are suffering from tumor and immunological disorders more than in others.
This raises a question:
Are medicaments the only solution or should we approach animal health from a completely different perspective?
Enjoy this week’s edition!
Interleukin-6 promotes metastasis in canine oral squamous cell carcinoma cells
In this study by Noguchi et al. from the Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology at Osaka Metropolitan University , Japan, it was found that the involvement of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cancer progression in canine oral squamous cell carcinoma (CoSCC) is not well understood. The researchers aimed to determine the role of IL-6 in CoSCC metastasis by analyzing mRNA and protein expression, as well as cell migration and invasion.
Their findings showed that IL-6 levels were elevated in CoSCC tissues and were associated with shorter survival time in dogs. Treatment with recombinant canine IL-6 (rcIL-6) promoted cell migration and invasion, as well as increased expression of certain proteins associated with cancer progression. This study suggests that IL-6 may play a role in the metastasis of CoSCC through specific signaling pathways.
Noguchi, S., et al. (2024). Interleukin-6 promotes the epithelial mesenchymal transition in canine tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma cells. Research in veterinary science, 2024(12), 105487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105487
Do Pre-Treatment Biopsy Characteristics Predict Early Tumour Progression in Feline Diffuse Large B Cell Nasal Lymphoma Treated With RT?
In this study from Poirier et al, from the Department of Clinical Studies at Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph , Canada, it is shown that pre-treatment biopsy characteristics are not able to predict early tumour progression in feline diffuse large B cell nasal lymphoma treated with radiation therapy. The study evaluated various histologic parameters and found no significant associations with progression-free survival at one year. This suggests that in a uniformly treated population, pre-RT biopsy characteristics may not be reliable predictors of treatment failure.
VJ Poirier et al. (2024). Do Pre-Treatment Biopsy Characteristics Predict Early Tumour Progression in Feline Diffuse Large B Cell Nasal Lymphoma Treated With Radiotherapy?. Veterinary and comparative oncology, 2024(12), Unknown Pages. https://doi.org/10.1111/vco.13032
High Prevalence of Overweight and Obese Condition in Dogs and Cats Across Different Life Stages in the USA
In this study from Montoya a et al, from Royal Canin anin in France, it is shown that adult dogs and cats are commonly affected by overweight and obese conditions, but there is limited data on prevalence in different life stages, particularly during growth. Using electronic medical records from Banfield Pet Hospital in the USA, the team found that overweight and obese conditions were prevalent in ∼4.9 million dogs and ∼1.3 million cats between 2020 and 2023.
These conditions were most prevalent during the mature life stage, and in cases where an animal was overweight or obese during growth, it often persisted into adulthood. The team recommends preventative measures, such as the use of growth standard charts, from an early age to combat this high prevalence of overweight and obese conditions in adult dogs and cats.
M Montoya et al. (2024). Overweight and obese body condition in ∼4.9 million dogs and ∼1.3 million cats seen at primary practices across the USA: Prevalences by life stage from early growth to senior.. Preventive veterinary medicine, 2024(12), 106398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106398
Multiplexed Immunoassay for Canine Mammary Tumors
In this study by Wu et al. from the Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, 長庚大學 , Taiwan, a multiplexed immunoassay is developed for a serum autoantibody biomarker panel to aid in the diagnostic and prognostic prediction of canine mammary tumors. The results of this study were published in The Veterinary Quarterly in 2024.
CC Wu et al. (2024). Multiplexed immunoassay for a serum autoantibody biomarker panel in diagnostic and prognostic prediction of canine mammary tumors. The veterinary quarterly, 2024(12), 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.2024.2435978
