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The Complicated Pet Food Industry
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In general, the pet food industry operates in a fairly veiled manner – particularly the larger manufacturers in the kibble segment. Current primary concerns have focused microbial contamination and the presence of ingredients undeclared on the label. Indeed, a 2013 study of dry pet foods used for food elimination trials stated that 80% of selected pet food diets were contaminated with unidentified ingredients.
More recently in 2018, a study critically assessed published discrepancies between ingredients and labeling in commercial pet foods, including those with “novel” or “limited” ingredients and containing micronized hydrolysates. Unexpected added ingredients were more frequently detected than those missing from the label.
The authors searched 2 article databases on July 7, 2017, and January 12, 2018, for relevant studies, and screened abstracts from the leading international veterinary dermatology congresses for reports on pet food labeling and ingredients. The resulting data were extracted from 17 articles and 1 abstract. The studies varied both in the number of pet foods tested (median: 15; range: 1- 210) and that of ingredients specifically evaluated (median: 4; range: 1-11). Studies most often employed either PCR to detect DNA or ELISA to identify proteins from 1 or more vegetable or animal species. Two studies used mass spectrometry to increase the number of detectable proteins.
The various methods found ingredients that were not on the label in 0-83% (median: 45%) of tested diets; this percentage varied between 33-83% in pet foods with novel or limited ingredients that are typically proposed for elimination diets. Similarly, ingredients were found to be missing from the label in 0-38% (median: 1%) of tested foods. Finally, 6 studies included evaluations of several hydrolysate-containing pet foods: mislabeling with unlabeled or missing ingredients was found only in 1 of them.
These statements should give everyone pause, since food elimination trial diets literally are used to figure out which food ingredient is causing a medical condition. This would be like a product’s packaging saying a product was “nut free”, when it in fact contains nuts.
As this is apparently happening with pre-packaged pet food elimination diets, it is not surprising that it can also apply generally to commercial pet diets. Think about the number of steps from “farm to bowl” meat ingredients must go through: farm to slaughterhouse to processing plant to possibly another processing plant and another plant to the packaging plant. Then, you need to factor in the grains, fruits, vegetables, and the vitamin and mineral packs that are added. This scenario barely scratches the surface.
To highlight the huge marketing impact this issue has had on the multibillion dollar pet food industry since May 2014, litigation between two very large pet food manufacturers and their suppliers about the listed and actual ingredients in their diets is ongoing through the federal courts. The back-and-forth litigation and its attendant publicity has given the public and world a mere glimpse into the pet industry.
The federal government has been involved and the accusations and findings have lead to criminal indictments and verdicts, with more possibly yet to come.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Ricci, R., Granato, A., Vascellari, M., Boscarato, M., Palagiano, C., Andrighetto, I., Diez, M. and Mutinelli, F. (2013), Identification of undeclared sources of animal origin in canine dry foods used in dietary elimination trials. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 97: 32–38. doi: 10.1111/jpn.12045.
Olivry T, Mueller RS. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (5): discrepancies between ingredients and labeling in commercial pet foods. BMC Vet Res 2018: 14:24-28.
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Can Inflammation Ever Be Good for the Body?
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Oftentimes when we discuss inflammation on Dr. Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog, we focus on the bad chronic inflammation that could result in long-term diseases. Flipping the conversation on its head: can inflammation ever be good for the body? Yes; it can.
Acute inflammation (short-term) is the body’s defense system protecting itself from an injury or infection. Think about a cut on your skin. You may put a bandage on it or maybe some antibacterial cream. No matter what, you will more than likely have short term inflammation signaled by redness and slight swelling. This is the body rushing blood, fluid and proteins to the cut, which generates swelling and heat to protect and repair damaged tissue. This reaction is called the “Triple Response of Lewis” that occurs from an injury to the skin, which produces an initial red area, followed by a flare around that area, and then a wheal. It is due to the release of histamine. The outcome is setting the stage for healing. If the cut does not heal or gets worse, you should consult a doctor for yourself or veterinarian for your companion pets.
If you or your companion pet twist a joint like an ankle, the body surrounds the area with inflammatory swelling to prevent further injury. It should eventually heal over a few days. You should definitely take it easy on the injured area to speed up the healing process and make the pain go away. The opposite of acute joint injury is chronic tissue inflammation, which predisposes to infection and eventually, if not addressed, can lead to obesity and even cancer. These injuries need prompt medical attention.
With pets, it would be best to go straight to your veterinarian since they could have bruised or broken a bone.  
Fever is another inflammatory example of the body’s natural defense mechanism against any foreign invaders. In this instance, white blood cells spit out interleukins (a group of cytokine molecules that regulate the body’s cellular immune response to help fight bacteria. If a fever spikes to a dangerous level that may compromise the brain, we clearly need to consult a doctor or veterinarian. However, a short-term low-level fever is the body working to help set the stage for healing.
We have known that exercising is good for the body, brain and emotional state for centuries. The Greeks coveted muscular bodies. Colloquialisms we use these days include “ripped” or “cut” to describe a muscular body. Those words are definitely apropos – as we rip it apart to cause it to regenerate.
Think about it, a new workout routine or a particular exercise is first general soreness, which then signals progress. This soreness comes from natural muscle cell inflammation and damage. Inflammation rushes immune cells to the location to those sore areas to repair the muscle damage. In fact, lack of an adequate inflammatory response contributes to poor muscle regeneration.
We know that exercise helps combat obesity, which results from the chronic cellular oxidative stress of inflammation that results in disease. So, exercise – which produces good inflammation – then has an anti-inflammatory effect by helping to control weight.
Flipping the Inflammation Protocol
For years, the typical health care protocol was to suppress inflammation. The arsenal of treatment options that are available and still used include acetaminophen such as Tylenol to reduce fevers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like ibuprofen/Advil, or steroids. The biggest conundrum has been the side effects with each of these therapies. Acetaminophen could damage the liver, ibuprofen could cause gastrointestinal bleeding, and steroids could create a number of issues like weight gain, and adrenal or kidney damage. Researchers are actively studying how to suppress inflammation without generating these deleterious problems.
Indeed, it has been known for a long time that excess anti-inflammatory medication actually slows the wound healing of acute tissue inflammation. So now the question becomes: how can we utilize the positive effects and control the negative effects of tissue inflammation?  
Scientists are also thinking “outside of the box” of suppression: perhaps by inflaming another part of the body so that it can combat chronic or bad inflammation. This approach could be risky and so they are proceeding cautiously.
For instance, a group of researchers in 2011 noted that activating two proteins via inflammation helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels in obese and diabetic mice. Essentially, if we increase the levels of these inflammatory signals, they could actually be therapeutic in diabetes and obesity. Problem is though, inflaming them might worsen other inflammatory diseases like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Clearly, while inflammation can be good tissue response , we need to be able to harness, tame, and calm it down when it becomes overactive and bad.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
 References
Anft, Michael. “Understanding Inflammation.” Johns Hopkins Health Review, 2016, http://www.johnshopkinshealthreview.com/issues/spring-summer-2016/articles/understanding-inflammation.
Lee, Jaemin et al. “p38 MAPK-mediated regulation of Xbp1s is crucial for glucose homeostasis”, Nature Medicine, vol. 17,10 1251-60. 4 Sep. 2011, doi:10.1038/nm.2449, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4397266/.
Lu, Haiyan et al. “Macrophages recruited via CCR2 produce insulin-like growth factor-1 to repair acute skeletal muscle injury”, FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, vol. 25,1 (2011): 358-69, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3005436/.
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The Interaction between the Gut and the Immune System
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For centuries, humans have known about the delicate interaction between food consumed and the bodily reactions of the immune system. Dating back to antiquity, Hippocrates documented reactions after food intake similar to a food allergy or sensitivity.
Another example is the vitamin C deficiency known as scurvy, which has been recognized since the late 15th century. It took until the 1930’s when Albert Szent-Györgyi discovered vitamin C, and then worked with J.L. Svirbely in Hungary to make the connection between scurvy symptoms and lack of this vitamin.  Think about it, people said for over four centuries, “For some reason, if you eat citrus fruits, your gums won’t bleed.”
Even though scientists found these important and landmark discoveries about nutrition and health, we have mostly thought about the gut and the immune system as two separate entities or the two having very little to do with each other except in more extreme instances. Nowadays, researchers are looking closely into the highly complex interaction between the gut and the immune system, or the gut’s impact on the immune system. They are factoring in not only food, but also the environment and genetics. Their findings are leading to cures or preventative measures against cancer, immunodeficiencies, and the opposite immune response of autoimmune diseases.
This line of research is something researchers have appeared to dance around. They have pinpointed some diseases and the causes, mostly by other testing such as for presence of antibodies or simply trial and error. Celiac Disease is a good example. When people with Celiac Disease eat glutens, their bodies have an immune reaction, which damages the gastrointestinal (GI) lining, causing malabsorption. Celiac Disease was figured out after many years of observation as well as trial and error. While the conclusion baffled medical professionals for years, the cause was simple: a person with celiac disease eats whole wheat bread (or other glutens) and subsequently has bloating, diarrhea, gas formation or some other reaction like blurred memory and poor cognition.  
Researchers are still actively studying GI diseases, by applying how disruptions to the gut from a combination or food, environment, aging and genetics can lead to whole or other body diseases like multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroiditis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The Ultimate Goal of the Gut and Immune System
The ultimate goal of the gut and immune system is to be balanced on an even-keeled. Researchers call this gut homeostasis: letting beneficial nutrients in and keeping harmful foods, microbes and toxins out. Any major disruptions to any part of the system upset the delicate balance here, if the body cannot mount a proper response.
The Basics of the Intestinal Tract System
As you read more about the intestinal tract and new disease findings, it is good to have a basic idea of the various parts and their functions.
Microbiota – Consist of the 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and eukaryotes (cells containing DNA and a nucleus) that live in the gut. Beneficial microbiota are called “commensal” and vie for their place and space in the body, thus stopping pathogenic microbes from prevailing. The microbiota regulate the body’s innate (native) and adaptive (acquired) immune systems.
Host – Refers to the body where the microbiota live.
Microbiome – Consists of the genes the microbiota harbor. The microbiome is the name given to all of the genes inside these microbial cells.
Innate Immune System – Already present in the body, provides a first line of defense against many common microorganisms, and is essential for the control of common infections. However, it cannot always eliminate infectious organisms, and there are some pathogens that aren’t recognized.
Adaptive Immune System – Evolved to provide a more versatile means of defense, which provides increased protection against subsequent reinfection with the same pathogen. The cells of the innate immune system, however, play a crucial part in the initiation and subsequent direction of adaptive immune responses, as well as participating in the removal of pathogens that have been targeted by an adaptive immune response.
Mucosal Immune System – A specific immune system which basically protects the whole inner surface of the body such as the mouth, pharynx, saliva, tears, sweat and the respiratory, GI and urogenital tracts. Regardless of location in the body, the mucosal immune system shares similar anatomical organization and features. It is composed of three layers: the epithelial layer, lamina propria (LP) and the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). In the GI tract, MALT is referred to as gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The mucosal immune system is sometimes referred to as the mucosa.
Mucus Layer – Covers epithelial surfaces and lubricates the intestinal tract. Mucus can be regarded as the first line of intestinal physical defense against pathogens. It is sticky, just like the mucus you may cough up if you have a cold.
Intestinal Epithelium – A single cell layer of the mucosal immune system that forms the interface between the intestinal tract and internal environment of the body.
Microvilli – Microvilli are tiny, peak-like projections that are attached to the epithelium and face the inside of the small intestines. They increase the area of the free surface of the epithelium available for absorption.
Intestinal Epithelial Cells (IEC) – Consist of two types of mucosal barriers: physical barriers and chemical barriers. These barriers spatially segregate gut microbiota in the intestines and immune cells in the lamina propria to help prevent these systems from working at crossed purposes, which could result in intestinal inflammation.
Difficulties Encountered
Each individual’s gut microbiota is unique. For instance, identical twins share less than 50% of the same species-level bacterial groups. In fact, the researchers used type of birth – vaginal or caesarean – as a factor, too. Infants born vaginally harbor bacterial communities resembling those found in the vaginal microbiota of their mothers. Those delivered by caesarean section have bacterial characteristics of the skin and dominated by microbes such as Staphylococcus. Fetal delivery mode has also been hypothesized to influence immunological functions during the first year of life via the development of gut microbiota.
The specifics and even generalizations here are often debated. For instance, many studies determined that one population compared to another based on geographic region had more of one type of bacteria in their guts than another and vice versa. Then, a survey of all of these studies refuted this claim by analyzing the data differently.
Prevotella
Instead of evaluating several diseases, we thought we would look at one bacterial member of the microbiota, Prevotella, and their implications for health. The preliminary and complex results are fascinating.
A little background on Prevotella. They are genera of the Bacteroidetes phylum, which also includes the clinically important genera Bacteroides and Porphyromonas. Prevotella strains are classically considered commensal bacteria due to their extensive presence in the healthy body and their rare involvement in infections.
New research is not only demonstrating the benefits of Prevotella, but also the problems the organism may create if amounts are imbalanced. Remember, the gut equilibrium is a balancing act that is affected not only by food, but also age, environment and genes. Additionally, these are more generalizations at this point in time than definitive conclusions. We have a lot more research to do!
Rheumatoid Arthritis –  Prevotella copri is strongly correlated with rheumatoid arthritis in people who are untreated and the disease is newly onset. Increases in Prevotella abundance correlated with a reduction in Bacteroides and a loss of reportedly beneficial microbes in these patients. The researchers also identified unique Prevotella genes that correlated with disease. [Note that human parvovirus strain B22 is also associated with rheumatoid arthritis.]
Dietary Fiber-Induced Improvement – Studies compared the gut microbiota composition of healthy subjects who showed improved glucose metabolism following 3-day consumption of barley kernel-based bread with those who responded least to this dietary intervention. The Prevotella-to-Bacteroides (P/B)ratio was higher in responders than non-responders after having this bread (a gluten) . Analysis showed that the gut microbiota of responders were enriched in Prevotella copri and had increased potential to ferment complex polysaccharides after eating the bread. These findings also show that Prevotella protects against Bacteroides-induced glucose intolerance.
Weight Loss – Individuals with a high Prevotella-to-Bacteroides ratio lost more body weight and body fat compared to individuals with low P/B. This confirms that individuals with a high P/B are more susceptible to weight loss on a diet rich in fiber.
Hypertension – Compared to the healthy controls, researchers found dramatically decreased microbial richness and diversity, and the Prevotella-dominated gut enterotype. Interestingly, after fecal transplantation from hypertensive human donors to germ-free mice, the mice had elevated blood pressure. This demonstrates the direct influence of gut microbiota on blood pressure.
HIV – Studies have demonstrated that human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with intestinal dysbiosis characterized by increased Prevotella and reduction in Bacteroides. Recent studies suggest that increased Prevotella in HIV is a driver for persistent inflammation in the gut leading to mucosal dysfunction and systemic inflammation.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Bergmann K-C, Ring J (eds): History of Allergy. Chem Immunol Allergy. Basel, Karger, 2014, vol 100, pp 109-119. doi: 10.1159/000358616.
Chassaing, Benoit et al. “Mammalian Gut Immunity” Biomedical Journal, vol. 37,5 (2014): 246-58. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4714863/.
Guandalini, Stefano. “A Brief History of Celiac Disease.” Cure Celiac Disease, 2007, http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/wp-content/uploads/SU07CeliacCtr.News_.pdf.
Hjorth, Mads, et al. “Prevotella-to-Bacteroides Ratio Predicts Body Weight and Fat Loss Success on 24-Week Diets Varying in Macronutrient Composition and Dietary Fiber: Results from a Post-Hoc Analysis”. International Journal of Obesity, 2018, doi:10.1038/s41366-018-0093-2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-018-0093-2/
Kovatcheva-Datchary, Petia, et al. “Dietary Fiber-Induced Improvement in Glucose Metabolism Is Associated with Increased Abundance of Prevotella”. Cell Metabolism, vol. 22, no. 6, 5 Nov. 2015, pp. 971–982., doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.10.001.
Larsen, Jeppe. “The immune response to Prevotella bacteria in chronic inflammatory disease”. Immunology, vol. 151,4 (2017): 363-374. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imm.12760.
Li, Jing et al. “Gut microbiota dysbiosis contributes to the development of hypertension”. Microbiome, vol. 5,1 14. 1 Feb. 2017, doi:10.1186/s40168-016-0222-x. https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-016-0222-x#Abs1.
Okumura, Ryu and Kiyoshi Takeda. “Roles of intestinal epithelial cells in the maintenance of gut homeostasis”. Experimental & Molecular Medicine, vol. 49,5 e338. 26 May. 2017, doi:10.1038/emm.2017.20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454438/.
Scher, Jose U et al. “Expansion of intestinal Prevotella copri correlates with enhanced susceptibility to arthritis”. eLife, vol. 2 e01202. 5 Nov. 2013, doi:10.7554/eLife.01202. https://elifesciences.org/articles/01202.
Svirbely, J L and A Szent-Györgyi. “The chemical nature of vitamin C”. Biochemical journal, vol. 26,3 (1932): 865-70. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1260981/.
Turnbaugh, Peter J et al. “Organismal, genetic, and transcriptional variation in the deeply sequenced gut microbiomes of identical twins”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 107,16 (2010): 7503-8. http://www.pnas.org/content/107/16/7503.long.
Ursell, Luke K et al. “Defining the human microbiome”. Nutrition Reviews, vol. 70 Suppl 1,Suppl 1 (2012): S38-44. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3426293/.
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The Numerous Scientific Applications of the Word Chimera
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Chimera. The word’s unusual origin stems from Greek mythology and refers to a fire-breathing she-monster that has a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. Nowadays, scientists and medical professionals apply the word chimera more broadly. The research around chimeric therapies is exploding, complicated, vast and controversial. 
Individuals Who Are Chimeras
By definition, a chimera is a single organism that contains at least two distinct sets of DNA. Each DNA code could create separate organisms. Oftentimes, one set of DNA is found in the blood and the other set in the tissues.
One form of chimerism, fraternal twin absorption in the womb, is considered rare. One could actually rebuke this assertion. Chimeras are usually not visibly different, unless there is a developmental anomaly in one of cell lines. Heterochromia, the condition of having two distinct eye colors, quite common in certain dog breeds, could be a result of chimerism, melanin concentration in the eye or another genetic condition called mosaicism. Essentially, you could be a chimera and not even know it until thorough genetic testing is done.
The same applies to dogs and cats. If you search the internet for “chimera dog” or “chimera cat”, you may be surprised by the headlines stating, “Mixed Breed Dog with Unusual Coat Might Be a Chimera.” This may be true, but it may lead one to assume that all mixed breed dogs and cats are chimeras. Remember, a dog or cat would have had to absorb a twin in utero in this instance. So, a mixed breed dog or cat could or could not be a chimera – the same applies with a full-bred dog or cat.
Two other known forms of chimerism can occur and are recognized at this time: bone marrow transplant recipients and fetal microchimerism.
Bone marrow transplants are commonly used to treat leukemia, one type of blood cell cancer. A recipient’s bone marrow – that is destroyed through radiation or chemotherapy – is replaced with healthier bone marrow from a species-matched donor. Red blood cells are then produced by the bone marrow’s “mother” stem cells. So, a recipient will have all blood cells that are genetically identical to those of the donor for life or a mix of his blood cells and that of the donor.
Fetal microchimerism is another condition whereby cells from a fetus travel into a woman’s bloodstream and to her other organs. It is unknown how long the cells will last in the body and the situation is likely case-specific. One research study involved analyzing the brains of women who had passed away between the ages of 32 and 101 -- 63 percent had traces of male DNA from fetal cells in their brains; the oldest of these microchimeric women was 94 years of age.  
A 2013 study banked whole blood from female Golden Retrievers who had had at least one male in their litters from three months to eight years before the whole blood collection. It turned out, that 36% of the mothers had positive Y-chromosome bands. Further, there was no correlation between the time of blood analysis after the litter and Y-chromosome band intensity.
Chimeric Vaccines
Chimeric protein are created by joining together several proteins to form a single hybrid protein. To make a chimeric protein, the DNA sequences that encode the desired segments to be included are “recombined” into a piece of DNA referred to as a “recombinant”.
One example is a Lyme Disease vaccine for dogs. It is currently marketed as a chimeric protein vaccine to protect dogs from a broader spectrum of the outer surface proteins that the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, may produce in the body. Prior to this vaccine, many of the Lyme Disease vaccines only protected against outer surface protein A (OspA) and possibly one outer surface protein C (OspC). So, this vaccine contains not only protection against OspA, but also a chimera of OspC. The chimeric OspC component consists of seven OspC types that have been demonstrated to stimulate antibody production in mammals.  
Chimeric DNA vaccines are the next generation of DNA vaccine advances to help protect or fight infectious diseases, cancer, and autoimmune conditions. Researchers were finding that naked DNA (meaning no proteins attached) induced humoral as well as cellular immune responses with high efficiency, such that their potency in human clinical trials was shown to be insufficient for protective immunity.
So, chimeric DNA vaccines are now being actively explored. The research is exploding, the combinations are endless, and findings can be difficult to explain in simple terms. At the most basic level, one study created a chimeric gene by putting Dengue virus on a Japanese encephalitis gene backbone. The results showed high neutralizing antibody titers with less Dengue virus infection-enhancing activity. In essence, by combining the DNAs from these two diseases, the researchers were able to produce a more effective vaccine against Dengue virus.
Another study took two copies of a DNA found on a tuberculosis protein and inserted them into another tuberculosis gene of another protein. Mice were given this vaccine after either a tuberculosis infection or a clinical multi-drug resistant tuberculosis isolate. Unfortunately, both groups of mice treated with this chimeric vaccine actually had accelerated mortality. According to the researchers of this study: “These findings are in contrast with previous results, which indicated that DNA vaccines expressing the individual antigens were either beneficial or at least not harmful. The results of the present study suggested that the ESAT-6 antigen is not suitable for inclusion in therapeutic vaccines.”
Other researchers are more cautious and argue the introduction of a foreign DNA actually disrupts a cell’s natural DNA sequence. Additionally, we do know what type of adverse reactions, if any, can occur with DNA vaccines. Regardless, research continues and science should prevail on this debate.
Chimeric Treatment for Cancer
In addition to bone marrow transplants and the ongoing research into DNA cancer vaccines, Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy is an exciting and recently approved type of cancer immunotherapy. CAR refers to genetically engineered molecules manufactured in a laboratory, hence the reason why the word chimeric is applicable here. The process uses the T- cells of the individual who has cancer.
White blood cells and T-cells are separated from the rest of a patient's blood via a process called leukapheresis. The blood is then returned to the patient's body.
The T-cells are sent to a laboratory.
The laboratory engineers and increases the amount of active T-cells that can then find and kill cancer cells.
After approximately one to two weeks and a round of chemotherapy, the T-cells are reintroduced to the patient's bloodstream.
Once inside the body, the CAR T-cells identify the cancer cells with the target antigens and kill them. CAR T-cells also may remain in the blood for some time to help prevent the cancer cells from returning.
Does this turn someone into a chimera like bone marrow transplants? Technically, no, because the genetic DNA of another person is not taking over that of the patient. However, researchers may use the word “chimerism” to refer to the presence of cells from a third-party source to indicate the persistence of the CAR T-cells and absence of rejection.  
Chimeric Species
On January 26, 2017, the scientific journal, Cell, published a study on human-pig embryos – reigniting the ethical debate on interspecies chimeras. The ethical concerns are a heated topic that could potentially never be resolved. Nevertheless, the study was conducted and the results were fascinating. In this study, the researchers wanted to see about growing transplantable human tissues and organs to address the worldwide shortage of organs. So, they injected human stem cells into pig embryos to create a chimera. The embryo was then implanted into a sow for up to one month. Of the 2,075 implanted embryos, only 186 continued to develop up to the 28-day stage. Interestingly, signs indicated that the human cells were functioning – albeit as a tiny fraction of the total tissue – within the human-pig chimera.
It should be noted that scientists do distinguish the biological differences between hybrids and chimeras. A cell from a chimera contains the genetic material of either one parent species or the other. While each cell from a hybrid animal, such as a mule, contains genetic material from both parent species (donkey and mare).
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Axiak-Bechtel, Sandra, et al. “Y-Chromosome DNA Is Present in the Blood of Female Dogs Suggesting the Presence of Fetal Microchimerism.” PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 7, 8 July 2013, doi: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0068114.
Bolhassani, Azam, and Sima Rafati Yazdi. “DNA Immunization as an Efficient Strategy for Vaccination.” Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology, vol. 1., no. 2, 2009, pp.71–88. Print. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3558129/.
Boklage, Charles. “Embryogenesis of Chimeras, Twins and Anterior Midline Asymmetries.” Human Reproduction, vol. 21, no. 3, 1 Mar. 2006, pp. 579–591., doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dei370.
“Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy.” Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 10 Sept. 2015, http://www.lls.org/treatment/types-of-treatment/immunotherapy/chimeric-antigen-receptor-car-t-cell-therapy.
Kenderian, Saad, et al. “Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: How Not to Put the CART Before the Horse.” Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, vol. 23, no. 2, Feb. 2017, pp. 235–246., doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbmt.2016.09.002.
Liang, Yan et al. “Ag85A/ESAT-6 Chimeric DNA Vaccine Induces an Adverse Response in Tuberculosis-Infected Mice.” Molecular Medicine Reports vol. 14, no.2, 2016, pp. 1146–1152., PMC. doi: http://10.3892/mmr.2016.5364.
Rettner, Rachael. “3 Human Chimeras That Already Exist.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 8 Aug. 2016, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/3-human-chimeras-that-already-exist/.
Sjatha, Fithriyah, et al. “Evaluation of Chimeric DNA Vaccines Consisting of Premembrane and Envelope Genes of Japanese Encephalitis and Dengue Viruses as a Strategy for Reducing Induction of Dengue Virus Infection-Enhancing Antibody Response.” Microbiology and Immunology, vol. 58, 2014, pp. 126–134., doi: http://10.1111/1348-0421.12125.
“VANGUARD CrLyme.” Zoetis US, www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/vanguard-crlyme/index.aspx.
Wu, Jun, et al. “Interspecies Chimerism with Mammalian Pluripotent Stem Cells.” Cell, vol. 168, no. 3, 26 Jan. 2017, pp. 473–486., doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.12.036.
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Articles Circulating about Heart Disease in Dogs
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Articles currently circulating state that grain-free dog foods cause the heart disease condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs due to a taurine deficiency. These articles fail to paint a clear picture, and are biased and misleading because they largely ignore prior scientific research studies into taurine deficiency and DCM.
Our Unequivocal Statement: No independent survey or scientific research has been finished or published yet to conclude whether or not grain-free dog foods cause taurine deficiency that leads to DCM in dogs.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unwittingly prompted these articles to be written when it recently gave a warning about a possible connection. Since then, the FDA has elucidated its initial warning and stated, “At this time, we are not advising dietary changes based solely on the information we have gathered so far. If you have questions or concerns about your dog’s health or its diet, we suggest that you consult your veterinarian for individualized advice that takes into account your dog’s specific needs and medical history.”
In this article, we will discuss:
Taurine
Industry pushback
Prior research
Active survey research and how you can help
Suggestions before you switch foods
What’s next
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid.
Amino acids are found in animal-based protein sources and plant sources like soy at varying amounts, depending on the type of meat or plant.
Taurine deficiency can lead to heart disease, specifically DCM, in humans, cats and dogs.
All breeds and sizes of dogs can develop DCM. However, DCM is more common in larger and giant breeds such as Great Danes, Boxers, Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, Saint Bernards and Doberman Pinschers. American and English Cocker Spaniels also have a higher incidence.
At this time, taurine is not considered an essential, food-sourced amino acid for dogs. Taurine is synthesized in the liver from the amino acids cysteine and methionine, which should provide sufficient quantities to meet dogs’ metabolic needs.
Industry Pushback
Granted, the pet product industry has a vested interest in continuing to produce grain-free foods. We wholly agree with much of this reporting that rebuts the bold assertions about grain-free diets and taurine deficiency.
Pet Business Excerpts
However, when you look more closely, it becomes clear that there is very little hard evidence about any general connection the ingredients might have to DCM. 
While the FDA points out that four of the reports involved dogs that had a deficiency of the amino acid taurine in their blood, which is well-documented as potentially leading to DCM in certain breeds, four other dogs involved in these reports had normal blood taurine levels. What’s more, the FDA does not mention any evidence specifically connecting taurine deficiencies with grain-free diets.
Pet Food Industry Excerpts
When I asked several well-regarded and experienced companion animal nutritionists about it, they all had the same response: if diet is a cause or contributor to these cases of DCM (and that’s still a big “if”), it’s likely due to the formulation matrix, not the individual ingredients. In other words, the balance and proportion of the ingredients in relation to each other, how they are processed and — most importantly — whether the diets are delivering essential nutrients to the dogs.
This investigation is still in very early days, and there truly is no information or data, at least not yet, showing a definite connection between the ingredients indicated and the atypical cases of DCM.
And that points to the true, underlying problem: we just don’t know enough about dog and cat nutrition, due to an ongoing lack of published research and data available.
Prior Research
Several research studies have been conducted into taurine deficiency in dogs. We summarize three.
Delaney et al., June 2003: Mean whole blood taurine concentrations were lower in dogs fed diets containing whole grain rice, rice bran or barley. The lowest whole blood concentrations were seen in dogs fed lamb or lamb meal and rice diets. Plasma methionine and cysteine concentrations were lower in dogs fed diets with animal meals or turkey, and whole grain rice, rice bran or barley.
Backus et al., 2006: All dogs were fed the same kibble that consisted of lamb meal and rice. Beet pulp was not listed as an ingredient. These findings support the theory that taurine deficiency in dogs may be related to the consumption of certain dietary ingredients. Taurine deficiency in dogs is suggested to result from reduced sulfur amino acid bioavailability in dietary ingredients that are heat processed, such as rendered meat meals.
Ko and Fascetti, 2016: Rather than rice, dietary beet pulp showed the most significant effect in lowering plasma and whole taurine concentrations, in part, by decreasing the protein digestibility (sulfur amino acid bioavailability), by enhancing fecal excretion of bile acids and possibly, by enhancing degradation of taurine by the gut microflora in dogs. These findings may result from the greater effect of beet pulp fiber than rice bran or cellulose on intestinal bacterial fermentation that cleaves taurocholic acid and destroys the taurine released. Cellulose was the control fiber in this study – and rice bran caused similar responses as cellulose – the study authors concluded that rice bran is unlikely the cause of the increased risk of taurine deficiency in dogs fed lamb and rice diets.
Active Research
The FDA is actively taking reports from pet parents whose companion dogs are diagnosed with DCM, so long as diet is suspected as the cause. We encourage everyone to report at the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal.
Suggestions
We should remember that DCM is heart disease. Overall, heart disease is a slow, progressive disease that is impacted by a number of factors such as genetics, environment and diet.
In the instance of diet-related taurine deficiency potentially causing or contributing to DCM, we need to think of two types of diagnostic plans: preventative and disease. Preventative plans would be to stave off the disease progression. So, if your dog is not showing signs of any type of cardiac-related disease, think about choosing the preventative method first.
Preventative Diagnosis
You can have a sample of your companion dog’s blood sent to one of two laboratories that measure taurine and other amino acids. Your veterinarian will know what sample to draw based on the particular laboratory’s requirements.  
University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine – Run by Dr. Andrea Fascetti who coauthored the beet pulp study mentioned above.
Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin
Most importantly, please do not make radical changes to your companion dog’s diet until you have had proper preventative testing done. Before you make dietary changes, if any, you should remember your dog’s food sensitivities and intolerances, as well as consult with your veterinarian or a companion animal nutritionist.  
Disease Diagnosis
The signs of DCM vary depending on the breed of dog and stage of the disease. Loss of appetite, pale gums, increased heart rate, coughing, difficulty breathing, periods of weakness, and fainting are signs commonly seen.
Testing for DCM diagnosis includes: listening to the chest with a stethoscope, blood and urine tests, electrocardiogram, and ultrasound (echocardiogram). We would also suggest that you add the whole blood taurine amino acid test to find out if your dog’s particular case of DCM could be diet-related. Plasma taurine level can also be measured.  
What’s Next?
The FDA is working on its survey research study. Other private studies are currently underway as well. However, even results of these studies will not lead to any needed widespread dietary change overnight.
Research studies will be pushed to the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) to update the minimum amino acid recommendations, or the formulations between meat and other ingredients, for a dog diet to be considered “complete and balanced.” We would anticipate actual AAFCO changes in approximately five years or so.  
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Backus, R.C., et al. “Low Plasma Taurine Concentration in Newfoundland Dogs Is Associated with Low Plasma Methionine and Cyst(e)Ine Concentrations and Low Taurine Synthesis.” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 136, no. 10, 1 Oct. 2006, pp. 2525–2533., http://academic.oup.com/jn/article/136/10/2525/4746691.
Delaney, S.J., et al. “Plasma and Whole Blood Taurine in Normal Dogs of Varying Size Fed Commercially Prepared Food.” Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, vol. 87, no. 5-6, June 2003, pp. 236–244., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12752830.
Dodds, W. Jean. “Dodds Responds to FDA Statement on Canine Heart Disease, Taurine Deficiency and Potential Dietary Causes.” Dr. Jean Dodds Pet Health Resource, Tumblr, 29 July 2018, http://www.drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/176405475391/fda-dog-heart-disease#.W8N7GGhKjIW.  
“FDA Investigating Potential Connection Between Diet and Cases of Canine Heart Disease.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, 12 July 2018, http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm613305.htm.
Ko, Kwang Suk, and Andrea Fascetti. “Dietary Beet Pulp Decreases Taurine Status in Dogs Fed Low Protein Diet.” Journal of Animal Science and Technology, vol. 58, Aug. 2016, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4971673/.
“Questions & Answers: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine’s Investigation into a Possible Connection Between Diet and Canine Heart Disease.” Animal Health Literacy, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10 Aug. 2018, www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm616279.htm.
Phillips-Donaldson, Debbie. “FDA Dog Food Warning Hasty, Too Focused on Ingredients.” Pet Food Industry, 23 July 2018, www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/7-adventures-in-pet-food/post/7361-fda-dog-food-warning-hasty-too-focused-on-ingredients.
“The Truth About the FDA’s Grain-Free Dog Food Warning.” Pet Business, 7 July 2018, www.petbusiness.com/The-Truth-About-the-FDAs-Grain-Free-Dog-Food-Warning/.
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FDA Issues Warning about Flea and Tick Products
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on September 20, 2018 about the isoxazoline flea and tick products fluralaner for dogs and cats (Bravecto®), afoxalaner for dogs (Nexgard®), and saroloner for dogs (Simparica®). The recently introduced isoxazoline, lotilaner (Credelio®) for dogs falls into this same class.
Dogs and cats with no known prior medical history of muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures have experienced those adverse reactions to this class of flea and tick preventive pesticides. While the FDA is not pulling the four flea and tick preventatives off the market at this time, they will all have to carry an FDA warning on their packaging.
Clinical, evidenced-based reports have been coming forward for the past several years and many studies are currently percolating about the reported adverse reactions to isoxazolines, synthetic pesticides. Dr. Jean Dodds is currently on a privately convened expert committee researching this topic and their report should be issued soon.
Oftentimes when information such as this is brought to light, veterinarians and researchers can point to certain breed characteristics, age, drug interactions, or genetic mutations. For instance, dogs that are epileptic or prone to seizures should not have spinosads – a natural substance made by a soil bacterium that can be toxic to insects – that is also for treatment or prevention of fleas. Two of the most well-known spinosad products are Trifexis® and Comfortis®.
Another example is the MDR1 gene mutation. This gene undergoes one or more mutations that allow a higher absorption of drugs and toxic substances to enter the central nervous system and then can breach the blood-brain barrier and create adverse reactions. Plus, we know that this gene mutation is most commonly found in dog breeds of herding breed ancestry. According to the Washington State Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology Lab, nearly three of every four Collies in the US have the mutant MDR1 gene. The frequency is about the same in France and Australia, so it is likely that most Collies worldwide have the mutation. The MDR1 mutation has also been found in Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties), Australian Shepherds, Old English Sheepdogs, English Shepherds, German Shepherds, Long-haired Whippets, Silken Windhounds, and a variety of mixed breed dogs.
This is where this can get tricky with the MDR1 gene mutation. FDA-approved antiparasitic drugs such as ivermectin (Heartgard), selamectin (Revolution), milbemycin oxime (Interceptor) and moxidectin (Advantage Multi; Proheart 6) have been tested and found safe for MDR1-affected dogs when given at the prophylactic heartworm preventative dosage level. Despite this commentary, the present author does not recommend several of these products, especially for toy and small breeds and puppies or those with or at familial risk for autoimmune disorders, including vaccinosis.
Further, if a heartworm preventative is given with a spinosad, isoxazoline, ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole or related antifungals, then serious drug-drug interactions can occur in dogs that have the MDR1 mutation.
While we have known about the MDR1 mutation situation before, the scary part now about the isoxazoline class of drugs is that researchers and veterinarians thus far cannot point to breed characteristics, age group, drug interactions or genetic mutations as contributing factors to the latest findings that prompted the FDA warning. These adverse reactions to the isoxazoline class appear to be affecting pets randomly.
As of May 4, 2018, 420 reports of worldwide adverse reactions to these pesticides in humans have been given to the European Medical Agencies (EMA). These reactions include breathing problems, skin conditions, and even seizures and the onset occurred after handling the chewable or spot-on treatment of fluralaner. Causality assessment at that time was placed at: 37 as probable, 13 as possible, 4 unclassifiable, 3 inconclusive, and the rest have not been assessed.
What is possibly most concerning is the introduction of Exzolt®, which curbs red poultry mites. Red poultry mites can cause anemia, disease susceptibility and higher mortality rates in chickens. Exzolt® is made of the same isoxazoline (fluralaner), which is sold as Bravecto® for dogs and cats. The EMA recommended to the European Union to approve Exzolt® use through water treated with the product. As of September 2017, the product was being marketed in Europe. The withdrawal period for meat from chickens treated with Exzolt® is 14 days. The withdrawal period for eggs from chickens treated with Exzolt® is zero days, which means there is no mandatory waiting time.
We have written extensively about the use of medications in livestock and how many of them can be passed up the food chain. We do not know definitively whether Exzolt® is passed up the food chain. Clearly, we believe that the EMA needs to reconsider its use.
After a search on the FDA’s website for fluralaner, afoxolaner, sarolaner and lotilaner, the use of these isoxazoline drugs is not approved for use in livestock or food producing animals.
If your companion dog or cat is not prone to fleas or you do not live in a tick-infested area, there is no reason to give flea and tick medications as preventatives. If these bugs attach themselves, you can use flea shampoos and combs, or specially designed tick removers. It is a little bit more work, but your companion pet’s health is worth it.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
“Animal Drug Safety Communication: FDA Alerts Pet Owners and Veterinarians About Potential for Neurologic Adverse Events Associated with Certain Flea and Tick Products.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 20 Sept. 2018, http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm620934.htm.
Dodds, Jean. “Heartworm: A Real and Present Danger.” Dr. Jean Dodds' Pet Health Resource, 3 May 2015, http://www.drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/118052606336/heartworm-dogs-danger#.W7OlAWhKjIV.
Dodds, Jean. “MDR1 Gene Mutation in Dogs.” MDR1 Gene Mutation in Dogs, 26 May 2017, http://www.drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/158855646346/mdr1-gene-mutation-in-dogs-and-cats#.W7OmzWhKjIV.
“Exzolt.” European Medicines Agency, 20 Oct. 2017, http://www.ema.europa.eu/medicines/veterinary/EPAR/exzolt.
“MSD Animal Health Launches First Systemic Treatment for Poultry Red Mites; EXZOLT® Eliminates Infestations in European Poultry Houses.” Merck Animal Health, 5 Sept. 2017, http://www.merck-animal-health.com/news/2017-09-05.aspx.
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Fall Fruits and Vegetables for Dogs
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If you visit farmers’ markets regularly, you will notice a turnover of local fruits and vegetables due to seasonal changes. Indeed, food items from farmers’ markets are usually fresher and often more nutritious for you and your pets. With autumn upon us, what is available these days? It really depends on the temperature where you live. However, many gardeners agree that the fruits and vegetables listed below are commonly harvested in the fall. Some of them may be harvested in early summer depending on when they were planted and the temperatures.
Are you asking yourself, “Fruits and vegetables for companion dogs?” Yes indeed ! We definitely support homemade and balanced meals for dogs that follow formulations/recipes from veterinary and animal nutritionists. Once you become adept, you can start switching out fruits and vegetables to add variety for taste and nutrient density. Even if you do not cook for your companion dog, you can think about giving these foods as treats.
Interestingly, many so-called “functional nutritionists” advocate for eating only the seasonal fruits and vegetables applicable to where you live. [The same applies to honey.] Put simply, one expert says that during the summer months we generally crave cooler and moisture-rich foods like watermelon or cucumber. As autumn and winter set in, we tend to seek out warmer foods like soups and broths that could be made with pumpkins, other squashes, or carrots.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables found at farmers’ markets usually have reduced amounts of pesticides and herbicides. Local is also better for the environment since fruits and vegetables are not hauled thousands of miles to a local grocery store.
Fall Fruit and Vegetables
Apples
Beets
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbages
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celeriac (Celery Root)
Collard Greens
Green Beans
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Parsnips
Pears
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Turnips 
Winter Squash – Acorn, Spaghetti, Butternut, etc.
 Tips
Many fruits and vegetables should be lightly steamed to enhance bioavailability (digestibility) and reduce their goitrogenic (antithyroid) effects.
Winter squash and pumpkin can be roasted in the oven.
Tiny pieces or shredded apples, pears, carrots and green beans can be given raw.
 Phytochemicals/Phytonutrients
We all know about the important vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables. However, phytonutrients (phytochemicals) are also found in fruits and vegetables. Phytonutrients have potent antioxidant properties (antioxidants are substances that help protect cells from the oxidative damage and even cancers caused by free radicals) and research shows that they also protect against heart disease and cancer and block tumor activity.
Carotenoids, which include alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, are probably the most widely known class of phytonutrients. Foods rich in carotenoids include carrots, collard greens, turnip greens, squashes, pumpkin, yams, sweet potatoes and kale.
Flavonoids, another class of phytonutrients, include the anthocyanin pigments that give berries and other dark-colored fruits and vegetables their blue, purple and red tints.
Isothiocyanates are phytochemicals that exert an anti-cancer effect on the epigenome (the chemicals that regulate the genome) by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis (cell death). Isothiocyanates are found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, radishes, and turnips
 Fall Fruits and Vegetables High in Soluble Fiber
Apples
Beet pulp
Carrots
Green beans
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Winter squash
 Thyroid Concerns
If your companion dog suffers from a thyroid problem, please avoid feeding him the following vegetables, unless they have been lightly cooked or steamed:
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
Kohlrabi
Radishes
Rutabagas
Turnips
We hope that your companion dog will share your enjoyment of the taste of this fall bounty! Bon Appetit!
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Dodds WJ, Laverdure, DR. Canine Nutrigenomics. DogWise Publ., 2015.
“Planting Fall Vegetables.” Better Homes & Gardens, www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/fall-vegetable-gardening/.
Seidenberg, Casey. “The Health Benefits of Eating Seasonal - and 10 Ways to Start.” Chicago Tribune, 5 Oct. 2017, www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-benefits-eating-seasonal-20171005-story.html.
van Wyk, Katrine.“10 Reasons To Eat What's In Season.” Mind Body Green, 14 May 2012, www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4807/10-Reasons-To-Eat-Whats-In-Season.html
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Outbreak of Antibiotic Resistant Campylobacter Bacteria Linked to Pet Store Puppies
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The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) issued a report recently concerning the spread of antibiotic resistant Campylobacter jejuni bacteria from pet store puppies to humans. We have summarized the findings and provide analysis.
CDC Report Summary
118 persons, including 29 pet store employees, in 18 states were identified with campylobacteriosis illness onset during January 5, 2016 – February 4, 2018.
In total, six pet store companies were linked to the Campylobacter jejuni outbreak.
Outbreak isolates were resistant by antibiotic susceptibility testing to all antibiotics commonly used to treat Campylobacter infections.
Puppies became infected with Campylobacter before reaching the pet stores.
Epidemiologic Investigation
Among 149 puppies with available information, 142 (95%) received one or more antibiotic courses before arriving or while at the pet store.
Among 142 puppies that received antibiotics, treatment information was available for 134 (94%).
78 (55%) treated puppies received antibiotics for prophylaxis only.
54 treated puppies (38%) received therapy for prophylaxis and treatment.
Two puppies (1%) were given treatment only.
Median antibiotic treatment duration was 15 days (range = 2–67 days).
Four antibiotics (metronidazole, sulfadimethoxine, doxycycline, and azithromycin) accounted for 81% of all antibiotics administered.
Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics also was noted, including tetracyclines, quinolones, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicol.
Laboratory Investigation
Campylobacter jejuni isolates were obtained in 51 persons and 23 puppies. Outbreak isolates from 45 persons and 11 puppies grouped into three distinct clades (isolates with a common ancestry) by whole genome multi-locus sequence typing (wgMLST).
Eighteen outbreak isolates (10 human and eight puppy) representing all three clades were selected for antibiotic susceptibility testing, and all were resistant to azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, nalidixic acid, telithromycin, and tetracycline.
In addition, 16 of 18 isolates were resistant to gentamicin, and four of 18 were resistant to florfenicol.
Importantly, none of the cultures of 12 dog food samples yielded Campylobacter spp.
Traceback Investigations
Distributors of pet animals are companies that purchase puppies wholesale from breeders and sell them to pet stores and other locations.
Practices identified during review of the records indicated that pet store puppies travel from breeders to distributors to pet stores by third-party transport companies.
Information collected for eight puppies owned by infected persons and 20 puppies with fecal samples that were positive for Campylobacter jejuni traced back to 25 breeders and eight distributors.
No single breeder, distributor, or transporter was identified as the infection source. However, potential for Campylobacter transmission among puppies exists because puppies from different breeders were commingled at distributors, during transport, and in the pet stores.
Public Health Response
CDC has developed educational materials on prevention of campylobacteriosis. CDC and the individual states have shared these with pet industry partners, including retail pet stores.
Educational messages focused on handwashing, separating human eating areas from animal areas, and using personal protective equipment correctly, such as wearing gloves when cleaning cages in pet stores.
CDC has posted an outbreak advisory online, which included information for clinicians and veterinarians recommending culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing to guide antibiotic treatment decisions.
Discussion
Dog-associated Campylobacter outbreaks have been reported previously, but those outbreaks involved fewer illnesses, and the isolates were not multidrug-resistant.
The investigation of this outbreak revealed widespread administration of multiple antibiotic classes, including all classes to which the outbreak Campylobacter strains were resistant.
Response
This report clearly shines a light on how problematic and far-reaching antibiotic resistance is and focuses upon conditions at puppy mills or in other places where animals are crowded and congregate (fairs, petting zoos, pet adoption events etc).
First, some background.
Antibiotic resistance is not the fault of an individual’s body. To survive, the bacteria itself needs to mutate to bypass an antibiotic.
Antibiotic resistance is commonly spread by overly prescribed antibiotics and food such as meat. The CDC emphasizes public education initiatives to curb antibiotic prescriptions, whereas the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focuses on the amount of antibiotics given to livestock. Currently, antimicrobials – including antibiotics – important to human medicine cannot be given to livestock for growth promotion through feed and drinking water, but can be used sub-therapeutically (for prophylaxis).  
This latest CDC report illustrates that antibiotic resistance is more pervasive than previously thought and can easily pass zoologically from dogs to humans.
What is lost in all of this is that the practice of giving antibiotics prophylactically (preventatively) to puppy mill-based pet store puppies clearly has been going on well before the outbreaks started in 2016. Now, the bacteria circulating in the supply chain of these puppy mill puppies have outwitted the antibiotics.
The question becomes, “Why are those who supply puppy mill puppies giving a broad range of antibiotics prophylactically?” We believe that the less than acceptable hygienic conditions and nutrition often found on these breeding farms provide the most likely explanation.
Unfortunately, the CDC report abruptly stopped short at directly implicating these conditions. The educational materials the agency created only addressed veterinarians, healthcare providers and pet store owners on curbing antibiotic use and providing proper sanitation. The singular mention of the behind-the-scenes, supply chain operators was, “Educate breeders, brokers, and transporters who supply animals to pet stores about responsible use of antibiotics and the benefit of veterinary supervision of antibiotic use.”
While we wish the CDC would have been more forthright, the agency’s primary role is human public health, education and societal public health. So, what governmental agency oversees the conditions of puppy mills and should be able to enforce them? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which follows the regulations set forth in the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
We have read several well-intentioned and informative websites that advocate for the humane treatment of dogs and cats regarding puppy mills. We believe that the Puppy Mill Project provided the most factual information.
The Puppy Mill Project states:
Any breeder who wishes to sell to a pet store or to consumers over the internet with five or more breeding females must be licensed with the USDA. There are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills in the United States – this includes both licensed and unlicensed facilities.
The AWA’s standards are too minimal to ensure humane care and treatment. For instance, dogs may be kept in stacked cages, may be forced to relieve themselves in their cages, confined for 24 hours per day, mesh or wire flooring is allowed, no exercise requirement if dogs are housed with other dogs and certain minimal size requirements are met for the dog’s enclosure, and human interaction is not required. (To be fair to the USDA, the agency does provide educational materials about socialization, health and exercise.)
The USDA is overburdened. The Puppy Mill Project submitted a Freedom of Information Act request in 2014. The organization found out that the USDA had an estimated 110 inspectors on staff to inspect all the facilities under its supervision, not just commercial dog breeders and brokers. In 2010, these inspectors were responsible for 8,782 facilities. The division of the USDA that is responsible for inspecting commercial dog breeding facilities is also responsible for animal exhibitors (circuses, zoos, petting farms, wildlife parks), research facilities (hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical firms), and animal transporters (airlines and trucking companies).
We took this one step further and specifically reviewed the AWA’s regulations for the terms: medication, drugs, antibiotics, antimicrobials, and vaccinations.
The words “antibiotics” and “antimicrobials” were not specifically addressed.
“Drugs, such as tranquilizers, shall not be used to facilitate, allow, or provide for public handling of the animals.”
Vaccination requirements only apply to the importation of dogs to the United States.
The only mention of medications in regards to dogs and cats is, “Accompanying documents and records. Shipping documents that must accompany shipments of dogs and cats may be held by the operator of the primary conveyance, for surface transportation only, or must be securely attached in a readily accessible manner to the outside of any primary enclosure that is part of the shipment, in a manner that allows them to be detached for examination and securely reattached, such as in a pocket or sleeve. Instructions for administration of drugs, medication, and other special care must be attached to each primary enclosure in a manner that makes them easy to notice, to detach for examination, and to reattach securely. Food and water instructions must be attached in accordance with § 3.13(c).”
In essence, prophylactic use of antibiotics is not specifically addressed, so it is not regulated and is currently considered allowable by law. Clearly, though, if the conditions were hygienic, prophylactic antibiotic use would not have even been considered necessary.
It must be noted that some states and municipalities have additional laws about the treatment of puppy mill puppies. However, we could not find anything pertaining to antibiotic use.
If you would like a full-bred or mixed breed designer dog, please consider adoption. The second best option is to do your own research and seek out responsible breeders. They typically operate out of their homes so you can see how the dogs are cared for and raised. They also provide lineage documentation. Additionally, they are usually members of dog clubs that prohibit the sale of dogs to puppy stores.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
 References
Barnes, Kimberly. “Detailed Discussion of Commercial Breeders and Puppy Mills.” Animal Law Legal Center, Michigan State University College of Law, 2017, http://www.animallaw.info/article/detailed-discussion-commercial-breeders-and-puppy-mills-0.
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 9 - Animals and Animal Products, Chaper I - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture, Subchapter A - Animal Welfare. U.S. Government Publishing Office, 1 Jan. 2016, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2016-title9-vol1/xml/CFR-2016-title9-vol1-chapI-subchapA.xml.
Montgomery, Martha, et al. “Multidrug-Resistant Campylobacter Jejuni Outbreak Linked to Puppy Exposure — United States, 2016–2018.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 67, no. 37, 21 Sept. 2018, pp. 1032–1035. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6737a3.htm?s_cid=mm6737a3_w
Puppy Mills and the Law. The Puppy Mill Project, http://www.thepuppymillproject.org/relevant-laws.
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Different Vaccine Types and Advancements
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Vaccine innovations are rapidly expanding to develop new, more effective, alternative or safer vaccines against a wide variety of diseases in people and animals. While vaccines carry both health benefits and some health risks, we decided to step back and provide you with a basic glossary of the types of vaccines currently available, vaccination variables, words commonly associated with vaccines, and what vaccines are on the horizon.
Vaccines for Diseases – Available and in Development
Vaccine development for many different diseases is ongoing.
Most vaccines used today are to protect against viral and bacterial infections.
Autoimmune and cancer vaccines for humans are in development and a few are in early phase clinical trials. A vaccine for canine melanoma cancer is on the market, but this vaccine is given after a dog is diagnosed with the disease and is refractory to routine therapies.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy – commonly referred to as “allergy shots”, is a form of vaccination against specific allergies.
Vaccines against fungal infections are not on the market, but are in development, although a ringworm vaccine for dogs was marketed and withdrawn some years ago.
Administration Methods
How a vaccine is administered is very important to make sure it is “taken up” by the body and causes minimal side effects or injection site reactions.
Injection
Orally
Aerosol (intranasal)
Skin patch application (in development)
Gene gun (biolistic particle delivery system)
Age and Timing of Vaccinations
The age of the human or animal is critical to successful and safe immunization when a vaccine is administered. For instance, the majority of dogs should receive distemper and parvovirus vaccines between nine and ten weeks of age. If these vaccines are given too young, they will conflict with (be partially neutralized by) the residual maternal antibodies conveyed against these diseases through colostrum, which is found in breast milk during the first 36 hours of life. Eventually, colostrum–derived antibodies gradually wane from birth over about three months and most are gone by the age of 14-16 weeks. Conversely, the period of highest vulnerability to infectious diseases is between 10-14 weeks of age. So, puppies should receive at least one dose of the distemper and parvovirus bivalent (preferred) or a multivalent vaccine between 9 and 10 weeks of age, even though it will only partially immunize them. Then, boosters between 14 and 15 weeks and a third parvovirus only vaccination at 18 weeks of age, to add extra protection against the current highly virulent canine parvovirus strains.  
Terms to Know When Reading This Article
Adjuvants – substances added to certain vaccines to enhance and prolong their effectiveness.
Antigen – foreign substance or toxin that induces an immune response in the body.
Epitopes – the specific parts of the antigen to which antibodies or T-cells bind themselves.
Immunogenicity – the ability to induce the desired humoral (B-cell) and/or cell-mediated (T-cell) response to generate immunity.
Peptide – a compound consisting of two or more amino acids linked in a chain.
Plasmids – small DNA molecules within cells that are physically separated from chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently.
Live, Attenuated/Modified Live Vaccines
Attempts at vaccination have been around for centuries, but the type of vaccine that has been around the longest is a live, attenuated product that is also known as a modified live vaccine (MLV). They use a modified (attenuated), but weakened, form of the live microorganism. When the virus is given, it multiplies many-fold and stimulates the immune system’s production of antibodies, creating an immune response that protects the body against future exposure to the disease. When given appropriately, these vaccines are important and essential to protect the health and longevity of people and animals. However, side effects can occur such as an autoimmune diseases, inflammation, tissue damage, seizures, cancers, reactions to vaccine excipients, and even tumors at the injection site.
Examples of the common so-called “core” modified live vaccines for dogs are for the viruses canine distemper, adenovirus-2 (hepatitis), parvovirus and parainfluenza; also commonly given are vaccines for the bacterium Bordetella (oral, intranasal, or injectable). [Note: This author prefers the oral vaccine which releases interferon of the vaccinated dog which then cross-protects against the other canine upper respiratory viruses.  Intranasal Bordetella can spray vaccine virus around the face and those nearby and he injectable vaccines does not induce release of interferon and its cross-protection.]
Killed Vaccines
Killed vaccines use an inactivated or “dead” form of the virus (previously live microorganisms that have been killed with chemicals or heat), along with an adjuvant. Note that adjuvants are implicated in the ASIA -syndrome (autoimmune inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants) in people and animals. Mercury and aluminum, other metals as well as the many excipients used in vaccines have been implicated.
Killed adjuvanted vaccines for dogs include all rabies vaccines, canine leptospirosis, Lyme, canine influenza, and the injectable Bordetella.
What about cats? Cats have a wider variety of options for vaccines in comparison to dogs. For example, a non-adjuvanted feline rabies vaccine is available. Most vaccines for cats come in MLV (not recommended for pregnant queens or very young kittens), combination killed and intranasal versions.
Toxoid
Toxoid vaccines are best explained using an example: tetanus. A tetanus vaccine does not protect you from the bacteria Clostridium tetani, but protects you from the toxic substance (poison) the bacteria can cause. In essence, the vaccine creates immunity to the parts of the bacteria that cause lockjaw instead of the bacteria itself.
Recombinant Vaccines
It is best to think of “recombinant” as simply a descriptor of how a vaccine is manufactured. It is the complex process of recombining. So, while you might read “recombinant vaccines”, the phrase refers more to the vaccine technology rather than the vaccine.
Recombinant vaccines rely on the capacity of one or more antigens to induce immunity against a pathogen, when administered with adjuvants or when expressed by harmless bacterial/viral vectors or plasmids.
One type of recombinant vaccine is recombinant protein vaccines (also known as recombinant subunit vaccines), which rely on recombinant DNA technology. However, these are not considered DNA vaccines. This technique involves inserting the DNA encoding antigen – such as a bacterial or viral surface protein – that will then stimulate an immune response when inserted into bacterial or mammalian cells. The best known vaccines that use this recombinant DNA technology are against human hepatitis B. However, it is not considered a DNA vaccine.
Recombinant vector vaccines (platform-based vaccines) use an attenuated virus or bacterium to introduce microbial DNA to the cells of the body. “Vector” refers to the virus or bacterium used as the carrier. Again, these are not DNA vaccines.
Recombinant vector and subunit veterinary vaccines have recently been available for pets for use against canine distemper and Lyme disease, respectively.  
An oral rabies virus vaccine exists for raccoons and coyotes. It is only sold to government agencies that are conducting rabies control programs.
Subunit
Oftentimes when researchers write “subunit vaccine”, they are referring to protein-based subunit vaccines, as mentioned above. To be clear, other subunit vaccines also exist: polysaccharides (sugars), conjugates, and detoxified toxins.
Also to clarify, only recombinant protein-based vaccines have been developed, but not all protein-based vaccines are recombinant. However, research suggests that recombinant conjugate vaccines using recombinant DNA technology may soon be available.
So, what are subunit vaccines? Instead of the entire microbe used like in MLV or killed vaccines, subunit vaccines only have the antigens that best stimulate the immune system against disease. In some cases, these vaccines use epitopes. Because subunit vaccines contain only the essential antigens and not all the other molecules that make up the microbe, the chances of adverse reactions to the vaccine are generally lower.
Of course, this precision to develop a subunit vaccine comes at a cost and can be tricky. Antigenic properties of the various potential subunits of a pathogen must be examined in detail to determine which particular combinations will produce an effective immune response within the correct pathway.
Regarding the various categories of subunit vaccines, polysaccharides protect some bacteria when they invade the body. So, the logical conclusion would be a polysaccharide subunit vaccine. Unfortunately, polysaccharide vaccines against these bacteria tend not to be effective in infants and young children, and induce only short-term immunity. To circumvent this issue, conjugate subunit vaccines were developed, which bind the polysaccharide to a carrier protein that can induce longer term protection.
Synthetic Vaccines
The protein-based subunit recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccines, mentioned earlier in this article, are synthetically prepared so they do not contain blood products. It is impossible to get hepatitis B from the vaccine. But… While subunit vaccines are considered safer than MLV vaccines, they are still not perfectly safe. They can cause side effects and experience production difficulties.
As an alternative, researchers these days are making the case for more experimentation into peptide-based synthetic vaccines. They state that peptide-based vaccines will allow focusing solely on relevant epitopes, avoiding those that lead to nonprotective responses, immune evasion, or unwanted side effects like autoimmunity. Additionally, these vaccines are typically water-soluble, stable under simple storage conditions, and can be freeze-dried.
Why haven’t peptide-based synthetic vaccines been developed already? Because, technologies did not exist before to overcome the numerous difficulties associated with these vaccines. A couple of significant recent developments are solid-phase peptide synthesis and microwave techniques. These would allow peptide production to become simple, easily reproducible, fast and cost-effective.
Peptide-based vaccines also have low immunogenicity. To produce the desired immune response, scientists would have to add a relatively toxic adjuvant. However, improved and safer experimental adjuvants with proven efficacy in the induction of immune responses against peptides are being explored.
DNA Vaccines
Research into DNA vaccines is exploding. In fact, defining “DNA vaccine” is next to impossible. At this point, the simplest way to explain a DNA vaccine is one in which the DNA containing the genetic information to produce the antigen is introduced to the body. Then, the DNA provides the instructions to the body to produce the antigen.
We have read several research papers on the topic. We noticed that some DNA vaccines work and some do not. Overall, no one should be discouraged. Researchers definitely have a vision of what DNA vaccines could do to protect against infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancers.
Advantages of DNA Vaccines:
Inexpensive
Long-term persistence of immunogenicity
Ease of development and production allow rapid response to epidemics and pandemics
Immune response focused only on antigen of interest
Stability of vaccine for storage and shipping
More stable and easy to handle
Induce protective humoral and cellular immune responses          
Heat stable        
Disadvantages of DNA Vaccines:
Limited to protein immunogens (not useful for non-protein based antigens such as polysaccharides). Certain vaccines, such as those for pneumococcal and meningococcal infections, use protective polysaccharide antigens
Inducing antibody production against DNA
May induce immunologic tolerance by antigens expressed inside the host body  
May have a relatively poor immunogenicity        
Atypical processing of bacterial and parasite proteins
Insertion of foreign DNA into the host genome may cause the cell to undergo oxidative stress and free-radical production which becomes cancerous
RNA Vaccines    
RNA vaccines are similar to DNA vaccines in that they tell the body to produce the antigen itself. RNA might not seem as exciting as DNA, but we have to remember the function of RNA. DNA produces RNA; and RNA then creates proteins.
One of the issues with DNA is that it has to first go through a transcription process. This process of transcribing DNA into RNA changes the information from a double-stranded into a single-stranded molecule, and all the DNA thymine bases into RNA uracil bases. So, if this process needs to occur, why not cut to the chase and develop RNA vaccines?
RNA vaccines also appear to be safer than DNA vaccines since they do not disrupt an original cell’s natural DNA sequence.
Research appears to be focused on non-amplifying and self-amplifying messenger RNA (mRNA). A drawback with non-amplifying mRNA is that it only encodes the antigen of interest. So, research is also focusing on self-amplifying mRNA, which encodes both the antigen of interest and those proteins enabling RNA vaccine replication.  
Does this all sound complicated biotechnology? You bet it is, and yet it represents the wave of the future for improved, targeted and safer vaccines.  
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
 References
Bolhassani, Azam, and Sima Rafati Yazdi. “DNA Immunization as an Efficient Strategy for Vaccination.” Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology, vol. 1, no. 2, July 2009, pp. 71–88. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3558129.  
Bull, James, et al. “Transmissible Viral Vaccines.” Trends in Microbiology, vol. 26, no. 1, 12 Oct. 2017, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2017.09.007.
Dodds, WJ. “Efficacy of a half-dose canine parvovirus and distemper vaccine in small adult dogs: a pilot study”. J Amer Hol Vet Med Assoc. 2015; 41:12-21. Winter Issue.
Dodds, WJ. “Vaccine issues and the World Small Animal Veterinary Assocation (WSAVA) guidelines (2015-2017)”. Israel J Vet Med 2018; 73(2): 3-10.
Gambillara, Veronica. “The Conception and Production of Conjugate Vaccines Using Recombinant DNA Technology.” BioPharm International, vol. 25, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2012. http://www.biopharminternational.com/conception-and-production-conjugate-vaccines-using-recombinant-dna-technology
Hayat Khan, Kishwar. “DNA Vaccines: Roles against Diseases.” Germs, vol. 3, no. 1, Mar. 2013, pp. 26–35., https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3882840/.
Hubaud, Alexis. “RNA Vaccines: a Novel Technology to Prevent and Treat Disease.” Science in the News, Harvard University, 5 May 2015, http://www.sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/rna-vaccines-a-novel-technology-to-prevent-and-treat-disease.
Nascimento, IP, and LCC Leite. “Recombinant Vaccines and the Development of New Vaccine Strategies.” Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, vol. 45, no. 12, Dec. 2012, pp. 1102–1111., doi:10.1590/S0100-879X2012007500142.
Reche, Pedro, et al. “Peptide-Based Immunotherapeutics and Vaccines 2015.” Journal of Immunology Research, 2015, doi:10.1155/2015/349049.
Skwarczynski, Mariusz, and Istvan Toth. “Peptide-Based Synthetic Vaccines.” Chemical Science, vol. 7, no. 2, 1 Feb. 2016, pp. 842–854., doi:10.1039/c5sc03892h.
“Subunit Vaccines.” Vaccine Safety Basics, World Health Organization, http://www.vaccine-safety-training.org/subunit-vaccines.html.  
Vogel, Annette, et al. “Self-Amplifying RNA Vaccines Give Equivalent Protection against Influenza to MRNA Vaccines but at Much Lower Doses.” Molecular Therapy, vol. 26, no. 2, 7 Feb. 2018, pp. 446–455., doi:/10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.11.017.
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Medicinal Mushrooms for Pets
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Mushrooms are fascinating fungi. Think about it: certain mushrooms are the only straight, out of the ground fungi we and our companion pets can eat. Indeed, they are a member of only a handful of fungi like yeast that can be found in foods or are used to make foods such as cheese and bread. Mushrooms, though, are more complex than that; the kingdom of fungi, also called fungus kingdom, is filled with edible, hallucinogenic, poisonous and medicinal mushrooms.
Similar to fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, mushrooms are packed full of certain and essential vitamins, minerals, and have important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, mushrooms have been used by in folk medicines and also served as medicines prior to the development and use of pharmaceuticals for millennia. Nowadays, fungi also are used to make antibiotics, which doctors may use to treat bacterial infections. The resurgence of holistic medicine for people, pets and other species has brought the wondrous properties of mushrooms back into the spotlight as alternatives to more conventional practices.
The use of mushrooms to treat certain ailments is still a science that needs to be applied wisely. Therefore, we recommend you consult with an integrative veterinarian or physician before using them. Additionally, sourcing – regarding harvesting and processing – is always a consideration with any food or herb. Mushroom species can accumulate high concentrations of heavy metals and pesticides. Thus, contamination with toxic compounds may offset whatever potential health benefits they have to offer.
Popular Medicinal Mushrooms
Chaga – Supports the immune system and has anti-cancer properties
Cordyceps – Proven beneficial in some human and animal asthma patients
Maitake – Anti-cancer properties
Reishi – Stimulates and supports the immune system
Shiitake – Contains phytochemicals known to support the immune system and cellular functions
Turkey Tail or Yun zhi – Proven to improve survival in canine hemangiosarcoma patients
Functional Components of Mushrooms
Beta-glucans are the most medicinally-beneficial compound found in mushrooms. They make up to 50% of the cell wall structure of fungi and yeast, and are also found in the cell walls of seaweed and grains. Beta-glucans are polymers of glucose and are of varying lengths and degrees of branching that convey special properties to each fungus and yeast.
Once they are ingested, beta-glucans bind to receptors on the intestinal macrophages (a phagocytic white blood cell), which then carry them to other organs such as spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow and reticuloendothelial tissues. The macrophages metabolize the beta-glucans glucans into smaller, more immunologically active metabolites which bond to and activate the complement receptors on bone marrow granulocytes (stem cells), thus increasing immune competence.
Alpha-glucans are also present in the fungal cell wall. They provide nourishment for sporulation, and help to prolong the survival of the spores by blocking their oxygen intake which slows their metabolism. Alpha-glucans, unlike beta-glucans, are ubiquitous in the plant kingdom, and are not specific to yeast, fungi, grain and seaweed.
These molecules that make up the cell wall of fungi and yeast provide a specific factor that allows them to be recognized not only by other yeast and fungi, but also by other plants, humans and animals. This recognition of fungi and yeast is an innate immune response that exists in both plants and animals to protect them from the old and ongoing threat of fungal invasion, infection, and even death. It is the branched chain beta-glucans, mannans and glycoproteins that provide the molecular recognition factors that trigger the protective immune responses.
Other compounds found in the cytoplasm of the mushroom cell include: terpenes, alkaloids, sterols, phenolic compounds, proteins and fatty acids. The triterpenoids of Chaga and Ganoderma spp. have some potent medicinal properties, such as hepatoprotective, lipid lowering, antioxidant, inhibition of histamine release by mast cells, anti-inflammatory activity, and act synergistically in immune activation when used in combination with beta-glucans.
Sterols are also found in mushrooms. Ergosterol, found in all mushroom, is tested for in documenting fungal contamination of grain. It is a precursor in forming vitamin D2, which is catalyzed by exposure to UV light, except in dogs and cats, who lack the enzyme to allow this conversion of either the ergosterol or cholesterol that is present in the skin of most other mammals.
Functions of Medicinal Mushrooms
Ongoing basic research and clinical trials in human and veterinary medicine have established the value of certain mushrooms in maintaining and balancing a healthy immune system as well as adjuncts or sole therapy in managing and treating various types of cancers.
The so-called Powerful Five mushrooms are described in more detail here:
Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) is a traditional medicinal mushroom with a variety of health benefits  such as antitumor, antimutagenic, antiangiogenesis, antiaging, endocrine balancing, and hypoglycemic effects. Cordycepin has many pharmacological activities including immune stimulating, anticancer, antivirus, and anti-infection activities. A variety of chemical constituents, including polysaccharides and glycoproteins, are involved in these activities. Cordycepin down-regulates the immediate hypersensitivity reaction stimulated by lipopolysaccharides. It is an important quality of life enhancing mushroom.
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) means “dancing mushroom” in Japanese. This mushroom is high in β-glucans which some believe makes it more effective than the Turkey Tail mushroom in its antitumor effects that derive from enhancing the immune system response through activation of macrophages, T cells, and NK cells. Maitake is also high in phospholipids and certain lectins, thus supporting brain function, nerve function, and regeneration. It lowers blood pressure, decreases cholesterol (through mevinolin, a secondary metabolite found in many fungi), is hepatoprotective, lowers blood glucose and is anti-diabetic.
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is considered as an “elixir of life” in Japan, possessing the ability to enhance vital energy and believed to cure colds. It is high in enzymes, amino acids and minerals. It can reduce blood pressure, decrease blood cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease, and fight cancer. Other studies have shown its potential antibiotic actions by stimulating white blood counts, antibodies, and interferon, and inhibiting prostaglandins.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum; Ling zhi), known as the “Herb of Immortality” and “emperor of Mushrooms”, is used in various forms and combinations with other mushrooms, herbs, and antioxidants. It is a Qi tonic in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the activity resides in the polysaccharide, lysosomal enzyme, and triterpene constituents of the fungus. Among its many medicinal properties, it is immune and bone marrow stimulating, analgesic, anti-viral and -bacterial, antihypertensive and liver protective. This mushroom is most recognized for its help controlling cancers by activating cytokines and natural killer (NK) cells. Further, it serves as a potent antioxidant to ward of dementia; It also enhances the quality of line in elderly people and pets.
Turkey Tail (Trametes/Coriolus versicolor, Yun zhi) is a multicolored mushroom easily recognized by its colored patterns resembling the colors of a wild turkey’s tail feathers.  It is perhaps best recognized in veterinary medicine today because of the 2012 published double-blind randomized multidose pilot study showing that it significantly delayed the progression of metastases and afforded the longest survival times reported in canine hemangiosarcoma. A commercial product I’m Yunity® for dogs is available today. In addition to the antitumor properties, Turkey Tail also is antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-allergic, immuno-modulating, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective.
Mixing Mushrooms. By using Reishi, Maitake and Shiitake together, their individual positive effects become enhanced. Other mushrooms, Chinese herbs, and antioxidants maybe also added to this synergistic base. For treating lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma, the quality and length of life may be extended by adding Trametes/Coriolus to this mixture. 
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Basko IJ. “Medicinal mushrooms: cancer prevention, control, and support.” JAHVMA 2016; 42:11-17.
Bollinger, Ty. “Medicinal Mushrooms Benefits: 5 Stunning Reasons to Consume Them Regularly.” Food Revolution Network, 20 July 2018, http://www.foodrevolution.org/blog/medicinal-mushrooms-benefits/.
Brown, DC, Reetz, J. “Single agent polysaccharopeptide delays metastases and improves survival in naturally occurring hemangiosarcoma.” Evidence-Based Compl Altern Med 2012; Article ID 384301, 8 pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/384301
Isokauppila, Tero. “Medicinal Mushrooms: The Top 5 You Should Know How to Use.” Better Nutrition Magazine, 1 Sept. 2017, http://www.betternutrition.com/features-dept/5-medicinal-mushrooms.
“Medicinal Mushrooms List: The Top 7 You Need to Know About.” Chaga HQ, 28 June 2018, http://www.chagahq.com/medicinal-mushrooms-list/. 
Seo, MJ, Min JK, Hye HL et al. “Effect of Cordycepin on the expression of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-17A in C57BL/6 Mice.” J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013; 23(2), 156–160. http://dx.doi.org/10.4014/jmb.1211.11032
Silver RJ. “Medicinal mushrooms: The next greatest thing after cannabis.” JAHVMA 2017; 48:36-42, Fall.
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Foxtails Are Dangerous for Dogs and Cats
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Foxtails are not bad looking for a grass-like weed. They bring to mind prairie landscape images by Grant Wood or Thomas Hart Benton. You might be reluctant to pull them because you don’t know if an ugly weed might replace them. But, they are dangerous and can be  deadly for dogs and cats, and on occasion even injure infants and children.
Primarily located west of the Mississippi River, foxtails appear deceptively soft, but the tips are actually comprised of several very fine bristles. These bristles become even more dangerous once they die and dry up.  Remember also that grass awns can cause similar issues if they imbed in or on the body.
Foxtail bristles can find their way into a companion pet’s body through the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, paw, and skin. They can even be eaten or inhaled. Foxtail bristles do not break down and so relentlessly work their way upwards to involve other parts of the body causing abscesses and internal puncture wounds. In fact, foxtails have been found in dogs’ glands, hearts, brains, lungs, livers, and other organs upon necropsy.
If you and your companion dog go for a walk or hike in an area laden with foxtails, check your dog immediately for any imbedded plant awn or bristle as you would for fleas and ticks when you get home.  Check the eyes, ears, nose, inside the mouth, paws, tail and body. The same applies to outdoor and indoor/outdoor cats.
Carefully remove the entire bristle or grass awn with tweezers. You can also try to comb or brush the body gently. If the bristle broke off when you were trying to extract it, is deeply embedded or infected, please take your dog or cat to your veterinarian immediately.
Foxtail bristles are tricky, deceptive and skinny. So, please continue to monitor your dog or cat after you get inside.
Foxtail Injury Signs in Ears
Excessive head shaking
Pawing at the ear(s)
Whimpering and pulling away when you try to pet
Head tilt
Redness and/or discharge coming from the ear
If you cannot find it, definitely go to your veterinarian
Foxtail Injury Signs in Paws
Limping or excessive licking of paws
Swelling of the paw or a soft, swollen lump between the toes (the lump may rupture, oozing pus)
Foxtail Injury Signs in Nose or Inhaled
Sneezing
Coughing
Gagging
Difficulty breathing
Sudden onset of bad breath
Discharge from nose
Definitely go to your veterinarian
Foxtail Injury Signs in Eyes
Swollen, red, and/or irritated eye(s)
Squinting
Pawing at eye, or dragging face/eye along the carpet or furniture
Definitely go to the veterinarian
Foxtail Injury Signs in Genitals
Excessive licking of genitals
Blood in urine
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
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Cat Scratch Disease
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The colloquial name for bartonellosis, cat scratch disease (CSD) typically caused by the bacterium, Bartonella henselae, is possibly the most mischaracterized description for any disease out there. Yes; scratches from cats that carry Bartonella spp. can cause bartonellosis in humans, but the name does not identify the actual vector source, namely – cat fleas. In fact, insects are the primary vectors of many Bartonella bacteria that infect humans. For example, Bartonella quintana causes trench fever and spreads through body lice. Bartonella bacilliformis causes Carrión’s disease and is transmitted through certain sand flies in parts of South America.
It is also fascinating that each of these forms of bartonellosis can produce a skin reaction in humans. Trench fever causes a rash along with fevers and headaches. Phase two of Carrión’s disease creates lesions to appear under the skin as nodular growths, then emerge from the skin as red-to-purple vascular lesions that are prone to ulceration and bleeding. CSD can cause pustules in humans.
What about CSD symptoms in cats?
It is estimated that 40% of cats have Bartonella bacteria at some point in their lives. However, although the majority of infected cats are asymptomatic, they are subclinical carriers of CSD. If the disease progresses in cats, it is usually self-limiting (heals on its own) and transient, lasting approximately 48-72 hours. Extremely rare instances of more serious infection include symptoms such as  fever, vomiting, lethargy, red eyes, swollen lymph nodes, and/or decreased appetite.
By the way, cats and dogs can be infected with other Bartonella strains besides CSD, and dogs can also be infected with CSD. Specifically regarding CSD, dogs are more likely to present clinical symptoms as compared to cats, namely, fever, endocarditis and myocarditis, granulomatous lymphadenitis, cardiac arrhythmias, granulomatous rhinitis and epistaxis.  
How do cats transmit CSD to humans?
Always remember that cat fleas are essential to transmit CSD to humans. B. henselae multiplies in a flea’s digestive tract. When the flea defecates, B. henselae bacteria will then survive for several days. So, when cats scratch their bodies and subsequently scratch someone, the person could now be infected with CSD. If a cat grooms and then bites someone, the same result is possible. Additionally, CSD transmission can occur if a flea infested cat licks an open wound.
CSD symptoms in humans
Please bear in mind that CSD in humans is usually self-limiting and progresses slowly. In fact, doctors only test for CSD when the disease is severe, and suspect s CSD based on the patient's symptoms, medical history and immune system. Otherwise, CSD is typically not treated in healthy people.
After the skin is broken, infection can occur at the site of the scratch within 3-14 days. The site may appear swollen and red, have round lesions and be pus-filled. Fever could also be present as well as headache and poor appetite. Again, it is self-limiting the majority of the time.
If the disease progresses, a person's lymph node(s) closest to the original scratch or bite can become swollen, tender, or painful.
Only in extremely rare cases does the disease progress to affect the brain, eyes, heart, liver or other internal organs. This is more likely to happen in children or people who are severely immunocompromised or have cancer. Regarding immunocompromised patients, their bodies usually cannot keep the bacteria contained to their regional lymph nodes, thereby allowing to spread to other parts of the body.  
Incidence of CSD in humans
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a review of cases from 2005-2013.
13,273 patients with a diagnosis of CSD: 12,735 outpatients and 538 inpatients.
Highest average annual CSD incidence for outpatients and inpatients was among children 5–9 years of age.
The largest proportion of diagnoses was made during January, followed by August–November.
Incidence was highest from Texas to Florida, Maryland and Kentucky being the most northern states affected.
Incidence was lowest in the more arid Mountain states.
Clearly, the statistical evidence shows a direct correlation between climate and flea load, which indicates the number of people who might be at risk to develop CSD.
Prevention
Are you thinking you may want to have your cat declawed now? Please don’t. The CDC recommends washing the infected area after the scratching or biting incident occurred. If a child’s symptoms do develop, please go to your healthcare provider. Indeed, declawed cats are four times more likely to bite if they perceive danger. So, the chances of preventing CSD with the declawing option are really not decreased, and may create the opposite situation of increased exposure risk.
The CDC goes on to state for people who are immunocompromised:
If you’re HIV-positive, are being treated for cancer, or have any other condition that might disrupt your immune system, you can keep your cat. Just keep the following points in mind:
Keep the cat indoors.
Avoid rough play with cats and situations in which scratches are likely. Declawing is not recommended.
Promptly wash any cat scratches or bites with soap and water.
Avoid contact with fleas.
Treat the cat with a flea control product recommended by your veterinarian.
It’s not necessary to test or treat a healthy cat for Bartonella.
If you are getting a cat, make sure it’s at least a year old, in good health, and free of fleas (kittens are more likely to carry B. henselae). Avoid stray cats and cats with flea infestations.
New findings include the fact that ticks may also carry the B. henselae bacteria too. So, it really all comes down to flea and tick prevention.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Bartonella Infection (Cat Scratch Disease, Trench Fever, and Carrión's Disease). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Mar. 2016, http://www.cdc.gov/bartonella/index.html.
Chomel, Bruno, et al. “Bartonella Spp. in Pets and Effect on Human Health.” Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 12, no. 3, Mar. 2006, pp. 389–394., doi: https://10.3201/eid1203.050931.
Hofve, Jean. The Cat Lover's Anti-Declawing Handbook. Vetwise Publishing, 2017, http://www.littlebigcat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ADAH-2018.pdf.
Martell-Moran, Nicole, et al. “Pain and Adverse Behavior in Declawed Cats.” Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, vol. 20, no. 4, 1 Apr. 2018, pp. 280–288., doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X17705044.
Nelson, Christina, et al. “Cat-Scratch Disease in the United States, 2005–2013.” Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 22, no. 10, Oct. 2016, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2210.160115
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Dodds Responds to FDA Statement on Canine Heart Disease, Taurine Deficiency and Potential Dietary Causes
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement on July 12, 2018 that it is investigating a possible connection between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which is also known as canine heart disease (CHD).
We address the FDA’s statement later in this article and provide our commentary. First, we must consider the many factors that need to be accounted for in this situation:
Genetics
Diet
Scientific research thus far
Taurine requirements for dogs
The interaction between foods when passing through the body
The interaction between foods and the body itself
Researchers are only beginning to scratch the surface on the last two factors for human and animal nutrition. Yes; nutritional knowledge has been increasing dramatically over the past century, but this latest contention that grain-free foods may be associated with some adverse effects on the heart just highlights how little we actually know and understand.
Overview
Taurine is an amino acid.
Amino acids are found in animal-based protein sources and plant sources like soy at varying amounts, depending on the type of meat or plant.
Taurine deficiency can lead to heart disease in humans, cats and dogs.
All breeds and sizes of dogs can develop CHD. However, CHD is more common in larger and giant breeds such as Great Danes, Boxers, Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, Saint Bernards and Doberman Pinschers. American and English Cocker Spaniels also have a higher incidence.
The FDA reported that these new cases included Golden and Labrador Retrievers, Whippets, a Shih Tzu, a Bulldog, Miniature Schnauzers, and mixed breeds.
At this time, taurine is not considered an essential, food-sourced amino acid for dogs. Taurine is synthesized in the liver from the amino acids cysteine and methionine, which should provide sufficient quantities to meet dogs’ metabolic needs.
Taurine can still be and is present in dog food. However, a pet food label does not need to reflect this presence or meet any minimum requirement per the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
Cats, however, do have a need for food-sourced taurine to prevent heart disease; and AAFCO does have a minimum requirement amount for cat food.
Whether cooking adversely affects or significantly degrades amino acid levels in foods is debated as relatively little is proven due to the variables identified in the published research.
A study by Spitze et al. found, “The amount of taurine that remained in a feed ingredient after cooking depended upon the method of food preparation. When an ingredient was constantly surrounded by water during the cooking process, such as in boiling or basting, more taurine was lost. Food preparation methods that minimized water loss, such as baking or frying, had higher rates of taurine retention.”
Remember, cysteine is one the essential amino acids that dogs need to form taurine. A study by Weiss et al. concluded, “Eight (including cysteine) of the 20 standard amino acids decompose at well-defined, characteristic temperatures, in contrast to commonly accepted knowledge. Products of decomposition are simple. The novel quantitative results emphasize the impact of water and cyclic condensates with peptide bonds and put constraints on hypotheses of the origin, state and stability of amino acids in the range between 200 °C and 300 °C.” Put simply, high temperatures do cause the breakdown or change these amino acids, including cysteine.
Confluence of Foods
No research has been conducted yet to determine if grain-free diets could cause heart disease in dogs.
Below, we have abbreviated a few of the previous studies conducted on potential dietary causes of CHD:
Plasma and whole blood taurine in normal dogs of varying size fed commercially prepared food Delaney et al., June 2003
131 normal dogs consuming commercially prepared dog food had blood drawn 3-5 hours post-meal to be analyzed for plasma amino acids and whole blood taurine.
No effect of age, sex, body weight, body size, or diet was seen on plasma and whole blood taurine concentrations.
Mean whole blood taurine concentrations were lower in dogs fed diets containing whole grain rice, rice bran or barley.
The lowest whole blood concentrations were seen in dogs fed lamb or lamb meal and rice diets.
Plasma methionine and cysteine concentrations were lower in dogs fed diets with animal meals or turkey, and whole grain rice, rice bran or barley.
Taurine deficiency in Newfoundlands fed commercially available complete and balanced diets Backus, et al., October 2003
Objective: To determine taurine status in a large group of Newfoundlands related by environment, diet, or breeding to a dog with dilated cardiomyopathy and taurine deficiency.
Animals: 19 privately owned Newfoundlands between 5 months and 11.5 years old that had been fed commercial dry diets meeting established nutrient recommendations.
Procedure: Diet histories were obtained, and blood, plasma, and urine taurine concentrations and plasma methionine and cysteine concentrations were measured. In 8 dogs, taurine concentrations were measured before and after supplementation with methionine for 30 days. Ophthalmic examinations were performed in 16 dogs; echocardiography was performed in 6 dogs that were taurine deficient.
Results: Twelve dogs were considered taurine deficient. For dogs with these low plasma concentrations of taurine, there was a significant linear correlation between plasma and blood taurine concentrations. For dogs with greater taurine plasma concentrations, blood taurine concentrations did not vary substantially. Taurine-deficient dogs had been fed lamb meal and rice diets. Retinal degeneration, dilated cardiomyopathy, and cystinuria were not found in any dog examined for these conditions. The taurine deficiency was reversed by a change in diet or methionine supplementation.
Conclusions and clinical relevance: Results indicate a high prevalence of taurine deficiency among an environmentally and genetically related cohort of Newfoundlands fed apparently complete and balanced diets. Blood taurine concentrations indicative of taurine deficiency in Newfoundlands may be substantially less than concentrations indicative of a deficiency in cats.
Low Plasma Taurine Concentration in Newfoundland Dogs is Associated with Low Plasma Methionine and Cyst(e)ine Concentrations and Low Taurine Synthesis   Backus et al., 2006
Backus and his team of researchers expanded the 2003 prospective study.
Compared 216 privately owned Newfoundlands to Beagles.
All dogs were fed the same kibble that consisted of lamb meal & rice. The abbreviated top ingredients were lamb meal, brown rice, ground rice, rice bran, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and ascorbic acid), flax seed, dehydrated alfalfa meal, dried egg product, avocado oil, lecithin, and brewers dried yeast. Note: beet pulp was not listed as an ingredient.
Based on current knowledge (2006) of taurine metabolism, diet-induced taurine deficiency has several possible causes including: 1) insufficient synthesis of taurine; 2) extraordinary loss of taurine or its precursors in urine; 3) accelerated gastrointestinal loss of taurine in bile acid conjugates; and, 4) low dietary concentrations and poor bioavailability of sulfur amino acids.
Plasma taurine concentration was low in 8% of dogs. Dogs with low plasma taurine were older, less active, had more medical problems and treatments, and had lower plasma albumin, cyst(e)ine, tryptophan, and alpha-amino-n-butyric acid concentrations than the other dogs.
Of the nine taurine-deficient, clinically evaluated dogs, three had CHD that was reversed by taurine supplementation and one had retinal degeneration.
When given a diet apparently adequate in sulfur amino acids for three weeks, the researchers compared six Newfoundlands to six Beagles. The Newfoundlands had lower concentrations of plasma taurine and cysteine and blood glutathione, lower de novo taurine synthesis, and greater fecal bile acid excretion.
The difference in taurine status between Newfoundlands and Beagles appears explained by differences in de novo taurine synthesis. On the bases of metabolic body weight and liver weight, the Newfoundlands had less than half of the taurine synthesis rates of Beagles. Relative to Beagles, Newfoundlands consumed less food on a metabolic body weight basis to maintain their body weight. This difference agrees with previous findings on metabolic energy requirements in dogs.  As a consequence, Newfoundlands had lower total intakes of methionine and cysteine relative to the Beagles. Lower concentrations of plasma cysteine and blood glutathione in Newfoundlands, relative to Beagles, probably reflect lower intakes of methionine and cysteine by the Newfoundlands. So, Newfoundlands would appear to have a higher dietary sulfur amino acid requirement than Beagles, a model breed used in nutrient requirement determinations.
These findings support the theory that taurine deficiency in dogs may be related to the consumption of certain dietary ingredients. Scientific and clinical evidence supports the hypothesis that dilated cardiomyopathy is associated with low blood taurine concentration in dogs.
The authors noted, “Taurine deficiency in dogs is suggested to result from reduced sulfur amino acid bioavailability in dietary ingredients that are heat processed, such as rendered meat meals.”
Dietary beet pulp decreases taurine status in dogs fed low protein diet   Ko and Fascetti, 2016
18 medium/large mixed-breed dogs were split into three groups.
Each group was fed purified diets that contained either rice bran, beet pulp, or cellulose. Each of these diets included 12% protein containing 0.23% methionine and 0.12% cysteine. This prevented an excess of substrates for taurine synthesis that might overwhelm the effects of fibers on the taurine metabolism studied. 12% protein is higher than the minimum requirement of protein for maintenance of dogs described in National Research Council, and 0.35% of sulfur amino acid concentration in the diets is within the range of total sulfur amino acid requirement (0.2–0.4 % of diets) for maintenance of adult dogs.
Before feeding the three groups these diets, the researchers fed them all the same expanded diet with 29.5% protein containing 0.58% methionine and 0.46% cysteine (as-fed basis) which was prepared to maintain an excess production of taurine for the maintenance of taurine homeostasis in these dogs, as determined by short-term nitrogen balance experiments.
The beet pulp group, compared to the cellulose and rice bran groups, showed significantly lower taurine concentrations in plasma, in whole blood, and lower apparent protein digestibility, and higher bile acid excretions after twelve weeks.
In summary, rather than rice, dietary beet pulp showed the most significant effect in lowering plasma and whole taurine concentrations, in part, by decreasing the protein digestibility (sulfur amino acid bioavailability), by enhancing fecal excretion of bile acids and possibly, by enhancing degradation of taurine by the gut microflora in dogs. These findings may result from the greater effect of beet pulp fiber than rice bran or cellulose on intestinal bacterial fermentation that cleaves taurocholic acid and destroys the taurine released. In conclusion, since cellulose was the control fiber, and rice bran caused similar responses as cellulose, the study authors concluded that rice bran is unlikely the cause of the increased risk of taurine deficiency in dogs fed lamb and rice diets.
FDA Statement
This section of the FDA statement caught our eye:
Diets in cases reported to the FDA frequently list potatoes or multiple legumes such as peas, lentils, other “pulses” (seeds of legumes), and their protein, starch and fiber derivatives early in the ingredient list, indicating that they are main ingredients. Early reports from the veterinary cardiology community indicate that the dogs consistently ate these foods as their primary source of nutrition for time periods ranging from months to years. High levels of legumes or potatoes appear to be more common in diets labeled as “grain-free,” but it is not yet known how these ingredients are linked to cases of DCM. Changes in diet, especially for dogs with DCM, should be made in consultation with a licensed veterinarian.
The FDA is simply stating a trend. These types of trends lead to much needed research.  
The FDA is not dismissing the prior research as invalid. As the FDA puts it, “The underlying cause of DCM is not truly known, but is thought to have a genetic component.”
The FDA is also not saying you should stop feeding grain-free foods.
Should you stop feeding grain-free foods?
If you’ve stopped feeding grains to your companion dog, think back to the many reasons why you stopped. It could be to prevent leaky gut syndrome, to help curb food sensitivities or intolerances to a particular grain, to maintain optimal weight in your dog, etc.
What we suggest you do, if you are concerned, is to have your veterinarian take a blood sample to measure the methionine, cysteine and taurine levels in both whole blood and plasma, and send it to a diagnostic laboratory experienced with the appropriate reference ranges for circulating taurine. If the levels are lower than normal for dogs, please discuss the appropriate next steps with your veterinarian. As well, please send the information on your dog, including the food you are feeding, breed, health regarding CHD and retinal degradation, age and weight to the FDA no matter what the results are. You and your dog would potentially be helping millions of other dogs.
Finally, we noted that a veterinary nutritionist has made some nuanced statements on this issue, but they could be dismissed because a direct correlation was not stated. However, if one just skimmed the article, the impression being made is that boutique, grain-free, unbalanced home-prepared and raw diets are to blame for the current presumed uptick in cases of CHD.
For the boutique and raw segments of the pet food industry mentioned here, we assume the author is referring to small pet food manufacturers.  Many of these manufacturers are transparent in identifying their sourcing of ingredients. Additionally, many do not include beet pulp in their formulations. These manufacturers also meet the AAFCO standards. If they do not meet these standards, the labels clearly state that.
As most of us know, the grain-free pet food trend was started primarily in the boutique pet food segment. Now, we are seeing grain-free foods pop up from the major pet food manufacturers. When we looked at the formulations from some major pet food manufacturers, many of those foods contained beet pulp. We are not saying or implying that beet pulp is causative of DCM here, because we just don’t have the requisite definitive information.
With regard to the comments about raw food, researchers document the degradation of amino acids when cooked. As Bermingham and her team found comparing raw to kibble diets, “Fecal weight and volatile fatty acids levels were lower and the apparent digestibility of protein and energy were higher in dogs on the raw diet.”    
We are advocates for home-prepared food. However, we agree that the recipes used may not meet the minimum AAFCO nutrient requirements. If you do choose to go that route, please work with a veterinary or animal nutritionist who has a degree and experience in animal nutrition.
As more research is completed, AAFCO may need to adjust their minimum nutrient requirements and add more optimal requirements so that foods can be more appropriately formulated for breed type, size and age.  
In our view, neither a balanced raw nor cooked diet is inherently “better” than the other. We work with many dogs that thrive on raw food diets, and others that do less well on raw foods but thrive on freshly prepared cooked foods. As we keep coming back to, every dog is an individual, and we believe that individual needs should outweigh a devotion to any one way of feeding.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References  
“AAFCO.” The Association of American Feed Control Officials, 2018, http://www.aafco.org/.
Backus, R.C., et al. “Taurine Deficiency in Newfoundlands Fed Commercially Available Complete and Balanced Diets.” Journal of American Veterinary Association, vol. 223, no. 8, 15 Oct. 2003, pp. 1130–1136., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14584742.
Backus, R.C., et al. “Low Plasma Taurine Concentration in Newfoundland Dogs Is Associated with Low Plasma Methionine and Cyst(e)Ine Concentrations and Low Taurine Synthesis.” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 136, no. 10, 1 Oct. 2006, pp. 2525–2533., http://academic.oup.com/jn/article/136/10/2525/4746691.
Baech, Sussi, et al. “Increasing the Cooking Temperature of Meat Does Not Affect Nonheme Iron Absorption from a Phytate-Rich Meal in Women.” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 133, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2003, pp. 94–97., http://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/1/94/4687640.
Bermingham, Emma, et al.. “Key Bacterial Families (Clostridiaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae and Bacteroidaceae) Are Related to the Digestion of Protein and Energy in Dogs.” PeerJ, vol. 5, 2 Mar. 2017, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5337088/.
Delaney, S.J., et al. “Plasma and Whole Blood Taurine in Normal Dogs of Varying Size Fed Commercially Prepared Food.” Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, vol. 87, no. 5-6, June 2003, pp. 236–244., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12752830.
“FDA Investigating Potential Connection Between Diet and Cases of Canine Heart Disease.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, 12 July 2018, http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm613305.htm.
Freeman, Lisa. “A Broken Heart: Risk of Heart Disease in Boutique or Grain-Free Diets and Exotic Ingredients.” Clinical Nutrition Service at Cummings School, 4 June 2018, http://www.vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/06/a-broken-heart-risk-of-heart-disease-in-boutique-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/.
Ko, Kwang Suk, and Andrea Fascetti. “Dietary Beet Pulp Decreases Taurine Status in Dogs Fed Low Protein Diet.” Journal of Animal Science and Technology, vol. 58, Aug. 2016, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4971673/.
Spitze, A. R., et al. “Taurine Concentrations in Animal Feed Ingredients; Cooking Influences Taurine Content.” Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, vol. 87, no. 7-8, July 2003, pp. 251–262., http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1439-0396.2003.00434.x.
Weiss, Ingrid, et al.. “Thermal Decomposition of the Amino Acids Glycine, Cysteine, Aspartic Acid, Asparagine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Arginine and Histidine.” BMC Biophysics, vol. 11, no. 2, 2018, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5807855/.
Wojcik, Oktawia, et al.. “The Potential Protective Effects of Taurine on Coronary Heart Disease.” Atherosclerosis, vol. 208, no. 1, 2010, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813349.
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Dodds Rebuts Incorrect Vaccination Article
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An article regarding vaccinations was inaccurately attributed to Dr. Dodds and has been circulating. Dr. Dodds reviewed the article, rebuts statements and corrected the vaccination protocol.
Corrected Vaccination Protocol
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Vaccine Initial 1st Annual Booster Re-Administration Interval Comments Distemper (MLV) (e.g. Merck Nobivac DPV, or NeoVacD monovalent CDV only). Optional is recombinant rCDV = Merial Recombitek, but only comes in combo with CPV and Hepatitis/Adenovirus or more antigens 9-10 weeks; 14-15 weeks At 1 year MLV Distemper/ Parvovirus only, or serum DPV antibody titers None needed. Duration of immunity 7.5 / 15 years by studies. Probably lifetime. Can have side effects if given too young (less than 8 weeks). Also can cause post-vaccinal encephalitis (PVE); see below. Parvovirus (MLV) (e.g. Merck Nobivac DPV, or NeoPar monovalent CPV only) 9-10 weeks; 14-15; 18 weeks. In endemic parvovirus outbreaks, MLV CPV vaccine can be given at 6 weeks initially; then followed up with protocol above. At 1 year MLV Distemper/ Parvovirus only, or serum DPV antibody titers None needed. Duration of immunity 7.5 years by studies. Probably lifetime. Longer studies pending. At 6 weeks of age, less than 30% of puppies are protected but 100% are exposed to the ubiquitous CPV. Rabies (only killed) 20-24 weeks or as legally required. Use only thimerosal (mercury-free) rabies vaccine = Merial IMRAB TF-1, or Boehringer Ingelheim RabVac 1TF 1 year after puppy rabies (give 3-4 weeks apart from Dist/Parvo booster) Killed 3 year thimerosal (mercury -free) rabies vaccine = Merial IMRAB TF-3, or Boehringer Ingeleim RabVac 3-TF 3 yr. vaccine given as required by law in California (follow your state/provincial requirements) Rabid animals may infect dogs or any other mammal including people.
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Vaccine Comments Distemper @ 6 weeks or younger Not recommended. At this age, maternal antibodies form the mother’s milk (colostrum) will partially neutralize the vaccine, and giving MLV CDV vaccine earlier can cause vaccine-induced signs of distemper especially seizures and paralysis. Parvovirus @ 6 weeks In endemic parvovirus outbreaks, MLV CPV vaccine can be given at 6 weeks initially; then followed up with usual protocol above. Hepatitis (Adenovirus 2) MLV often in a combo with CDV and CPV Not preferred. Giving MLV CDV with Adenovirus-2 causes immune suppression for up to 10 days in puppies and increases chances of post-vaccinal encephalitis (PVE). Note: Merial Recombitek combo vaccine cannot cause PVE. IF adenovirus vaccination is desired, can give to older adolescents with oral or intranasal (not injectable) Bordetella as it induces interferon that protects against the upper respiratory viruses. Coronavirus Not recommended. Disease usually only affects young puppies that are malnourished and parasitized. Rare clinical disease. Mild self-limiting disease; produces orange-colored stool. Virus killed by 80 degrees F and dry housing. Leptospirosis (4-Way killed vaccine) Not recommended. Rare clinical cases; a reportable zoonotic disease, so check local veterinary and public health agencies for documented cases. Vaccine side effects common. 4-way vaccine often contains the wrong serovars causing disease in local areas. There is poor cross-protection between serovars. Two doses initially needed given 3-4 weeks apart followed by yearly boosters. Lyme Vaccine, Recombinant Not recommended. Most cases are in Northeast and around the Great Lakes. Annual booster required after initial 2-dose series. Bordetella (Oral or Intranasal) (killed bacterin). Injectable version (not recommended) Generally not recommended. Oral preferred over intranasal, as it cannot spray vaccine around the face and those close by. Injectable not recommended as it does not release interferon to protect against the other upper respiratory viruses (kennel cough). Not 100% effective; may be required for boarding or grooming. Offer to sign written waiver to hold facility harmless instead. Parainfluenza Vaccine (MLV) Included as part of combo vaccines; but rarely clinically important or needed. Influenza Bi-Valent H3N2/H3N8 Killed Vaccine Being widely recommended as these viruses are highly contagious. Not recommended routinely by Dr. Dodds as disease is mild and self-limiting unless fever is very high (>104 degrees F) and for those dogs harboring Streptococcus in their respiratory tracts. Distinguished from common kennel cough which does not produce a fever unless secondary pneumonia follows in 7-10 days. Influenza produces a fever immediately. 2 doses required 3-4 weeks apart and boosted annually. Giardia Vaccine or Ringworm Vaccine No longer available; not recommended.
Statement Rebuttals
Statement: Dr. W. Jean Dodds vaccination protocol is now being adopted by ALL 27 North American veterinary schools. I highly recommend that you read this.
Dr. Dodds’ Response: UNTRUE
Headline: VACCINATION NEWS FLASH
Statement: I would like to make you aware that all 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an ethical & economic challenge to vets, and there will be skeptics.
Dr. Dodds’ Response: UNTRUE
Statement: Some organizations have come up with a political compromise suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss of income vs. those concerned about potential side effects. Politics, traditions, or the doctor's economic well being should not be a factor in medical decision.
Dr. Dodds’ Response: UNTRUE
Headline: NEW PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNOLOGY
Statement: Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months.
Dr. Dodds’ Response: UNTRUE
Statement: If a modified live virus vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces an immunity which is good for the life of the pet (ie: canine distemper, parvo, feline distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no effect. 
Dr. Dodds’ Response: UNTRUE. The titer is temporarily boosted and returns to the basal immunity level.  
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
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Canine Influenza and Parvovirus Treatment Options
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In our last article, we discussed Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Xofluza (oxavir marboxil), two influenza antiviral medications that are prescribed to humans after infection has occurred. These treatment options are only approved for human use thus far. What about dogs?
You may have heard in the past that Tamiflu has been used to treat viruses and assume the use applies to canine flu. We have not heard of any instances of veterinarians officially prescribing the human use approved Tamiflu to dogs for flu symptoms. The majority of the discussion surrounded use of oseltamivir for parvovirus.
First, we should step back and look at the law. The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act gives veterinarians the right to prescribe these human medications but with limitations. Part of the law is, “limited to circumstances when the health of an animal is threatened, or suffering or death may result from failure to treat.” In this instance, the use of oseltamivir would apply to parvovirus, as it is deadly. Canine flu would not fall under this category because dogs very rarely die directly from the canine flu viruses (H3N2 and H3N8). Only 2-3% of dogs that are immunocompromised or harbor Streptococcus bacteria in their pulmonary system and then develop a secondary bacterial pneumonia could can pass away. In case pneumonia does develop, antibiotics would be prescribed.
Canine influenza viruses can be spread by direct contact with aerosolized respiratory secretions from infected dogs, by contact with contaminated objects, and by people moving between infected and uninfected dogs. They are highly contagious, like human flu viruses. The signs of this illness in dogs are cough, runny nose, high fever, lethargy, eye discharge, and reduced appetite, but many dogs show only minor or no signs of illness.  These cough symptoms differ from those of the common kennel cough complex as it does not initially produce a fever, unless secondary pneumonia occurs 7-10 days later.
Canine Parvovirus is ubiquitous and is spread through dog feces; it can live in the environment for months. The general symptoms are lethargy, severe vomiting, loss of appetite and bloody, foul-smelling diarrhea that can lead to life-threatening dehydration.
Parvovirus is a tricky disease to treat, but veterinarians have an arsenal of options to stave off death such as fluid replacement therapy, fresh-frozen plasma transfusions, whole blood transfusions, antiemetics for nausea and vomiting, possibly antibiotics for any secondary bacterial infection, antiparasitic medications for intestinal worms and oseltamivir depending on the severity of the disease.
So, how does oseltamivir (Tamiflu) work against parvovirus?
Oseltamivir inhibits the neurominidase enzyme, which is necessary for pathogenic bacteria to adhere to the intestinal endothelium and then penetrate into the bloodstream – a very important step in the progression of parvovirus. While this treatment option needs further study and may not be available due to stockpiling Tamiflu for human use, an Auburn University research team found that dogs treated with oseltamivir had increased weight gain and 100% survival rate versus the control group that experienced weight loss and an 81% survival rate. While the researchers could not establish a clear advantage to use oseltamivir, they did note that no adverse effects were associated with its use.
The absolute best parvo prevention of course is appropriate vaccination. Dr. Dodds’ protocol calls for parvovirus and distemper vaccinations at 9-10 and 14-15 weeks of age, plus a third parvo booster at 18 weeks of age. Titer testing is then measured a year later followed by re-titering every three years thereafter.  
So, what are the treatment options for canine flu?
As mentioned, Tamiflu would not be approved for use for canine influenza unless, potentially, a highly virulent, deadly strain developed or if a strain jumped the species barrier to humans. Regarding human influenza, Tamiflu is prescribed for human use after signs of influenza are present and depending on the strain. We could not find any mention of similarly used drugs in current development for canine influenza.
The two known canine influenza strains in North America are H3N2 and H3N8. Vaccines are available for both. While we definitely promote the use of parvovirus vaccine, we do not currently recommend the routine use of the canine influenza vaccines.
Why we say no to canine influenza vaccine:
Canine flu, like human flu, is self-limiting and usually resolves itself after 1-2 weeks.
The mortality rate amongst dogs is less than 5-10% and more than likely occurs due to a secondary bacterial infection like pneumonia.
Companion animal influenza vaccines are often not adapted for mutations after initial development. In 2012, Pfizer Animal Health released a study it funded of its H3N8 vaccine which was isolated from dogs in Iowa in 2005. The researchers found that the Iowa vaccine was effective against more recent strains isolated from other parts of the country. However, the researchers noted, “The greatest amount of divergence correlated with the more recent isolates.“
Naturally generated immunity is better than strain-specific vaccine immunity. In 2008, a groundbreaking study was released about the 1918 human flu pandemic. Eric Altschuler and a team of researchers gathered 32 survivors who were born before 1915. 94% of them (30 people) had produced antibodies that neutralized the 1918 flu virus. The scientists went further and found out that the gene sequence that encoded these antibodies had accumulated many mutations, which suggests that the cells had made further adaptations to similar viruses after 1918. This means they would more than likely not become ill if the 1918 virus cropped up again.
If my dog gets the flu, what can I do?
We all want quick fixes to make our companion dogs feel better. However, medications are not generally given beyond supportive care unless a secondary bacterial infection or high fever develop.
The American Veterinary Medical Association and the FDA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call for supportive care, which involves keeping your dog hydrated and comfortable while the body mounts an immune response to the infection to facilitate recovery. If a high fever develops, ask your veterinarian about treatment options. Good husbandry and nutrition may also help dogs mount an effective immune response.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
 References
“Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA)”. American Veterinary Medical Association, https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/Pages/AMDUCA.aspx.
“Key Facts about Canine Influenza (Dog Flu)”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 May 2018, www.cdc.gov/flu/canineflu/keyfacts.htm.
Ledford, Heidi. “Remembrance of Viruses past." Nature.com. Nature International Weekly Journal of Science, 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 02 Oct. 2016. http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080818/full/news.2008.1045.html.
Oien, Nancee, BS, MS, et al. "Cross-Reactivity to Field Isolates of Canine Influenza by a Killed Canine Influenza Virus (H3N8, Iowa05) Vaccine." The International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 10.1 (2012): 14-18. Print. http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol10Iss1/Salmon1.pdf.
Savigny, Michelle R., and Douglass K. Macintire. “Use of Oseltamivir in the Treatment of Canine Parvoviral Enteritis.” Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, vol. 20, no. 1, 8 Feb. 2010, pp. 132–142., doi:10.1111/j.1476-4431.2009.00404.x. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1476-4431.2009.00404.x.
“Use of Antiviral Drug in Dogs Sparks Concern.” JAVMAnews, 15 Feb. 2006. https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/060301c.aspx.
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Antibiotics: A Too Common Household Name
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently accepted a new drug application and granted priority review for baloxavir marboxil, a flu drug, which is currently sold under the brand name Xofluza in Japan. Significant differences exist, however, between Tamiflu and Xofluza.
Tamiflu blocks the neuraminidase enzyme on the viral surface. Once the virus infects a cell, it pumps out copies of itself. Tamiflu then prohibits the copies to get out of the infected cell to infect new cells. So, it stops viral replication on the cell surface. You have to take two pills a day for five days.
Xofluza, on the other hand, inhibits the cap-dependent endonuclease enzyme, which the flu virus relies on to duplicate in the human body. Influenza virus hijacks the machinery of the cell to turn it into a little factory to pump out new viruses. This class of drug stops that process. At this point in time, a person would have to take Xofluza within 48 hours of contracting the flu. However, it is only a single dose.
When we quickly looked at articles about this new flu medication, the word “antibiotics” was often present, despite the fact that the media was precise in stating Xofluza is an antiviral drug. However, the common mention of the word “antibiotics” could erroneously make people think Xofluza is an antibiotic.
This misunderstanding is understandable, as we say the brand name Kleenex instead of tissues. We say Band-Aid instead of adhesive bandage. When we go to the doctor, we say we got an antibiotic. However, we need to realign our thinking and remember the distinctions in these terms that affect our health and that of our animals.
For example, let’s say you pulled off a hangnail. You might put some Neosporin ointment on it, which is a common over-the-counter, topical antibiotic, and perhaps put a bandage on it. Your nail does not heal, but gets worse. You may actually have a fungal infection – not a bacterial infection – or both. In that instance, you needed an antifungal cream or gel in addition to the antibiotic.
Even though a hangnail infection seems like a silly example, we should think of it in terms of the bigger picture. Fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites are increasingly resistant to the treatment options available to us. Indeed, many physicians and veterinarians may misdiagnose the true cause of an illness or disease and prescribe a generic or even wrong medication. Oftentimes, they prescribe antibiotics as a generic therapy. This could only increase the chances of developing antibiotic resistance.
Common Categories of Anti-Disease Drugs
Antiviral Drugs – Again, Tamilfu and Xofluza are antiviral medications specifically designed to alleviate flu symptoms and to potentially prevent the influenza virus from causing a secondary bacterial infection like bronchitis, pneumonia or Strep throat.
Antibiotic Drugs – If you develop a secondary bacterial infection such as bronchitis, pneumonia or Strep throat from the flu, a doctor would prescribe an antibiotic like penicillin or amoxicillin. Animals that develop bacterial infections are also given antibiotics, so always think of antibiotics as antibacterial drugs.
Antifungal Drugs – Blastomycosis and Valley Fever are examples of fungal infections, caused by two different fungi, and seen in different parts of the US and Canada. Both fungi live in the soil. When the soil is disturbed, the two fungi become airborne and, if inhaled, a person or animal could develop a fungal infection. Both diseases can often be misdiagnosed as bacterial infections and are treated with antibiotics instead of antifungal drugs.
Antiparasitic Drugs – Antiparasitic drugs are commonly known in animal medicine as dewormers or preventatives for heartworm, fleas and ticks. Similar drugs are used inhuman medicine especially in warm and tropical climates. Some scientists and researchers may distinguish antimalarial drugs from antiparasitic drugs, but they are technically antiparasitic.
Antiretroviral Drugs – Medications for HIV (humans) and FIV (cats) are commonly known retroviral infections. A retrovirus functions differently from other viruses. A retrovirus’ RNA is reverse-transcribed into DNA, which is integrated into the host cell's genome (when it becomes a provirus), and then undergoes the usual transcription and translational processes to express the genes carried by the virus. Thus, the host individual’s genome is permanently infected.
Lastly and just as important, remember that within each of these anti-disease categories, the appropriate medications have to prescribed. The right antibiotic must be matched to the bacterial infection. For instance, doctors would not prescribe the antibiotic amoxicillin for someone with a Salmonella bacterial infection.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
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Prep Your Pets for the Fourth Fireworks
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Much to the consternation of many companion pet parents, many U.S. states are legalizing the sale of fireworks and/or changing the times fireworks can be set off. Indeed, cats and dogs may experience a panic attack to all sudden and loud noises such as fireworks, thunder, alarms, sirens, gunfire and air shows. Of course, others may only react to some of those noises.
Stress signals in dogs include looking away, lip licking, yawning, ears back, “whale eye”, lifting a paw, tail tucking, freezing, urination, vomiting, diarrhea, hiding, or the worst, running away.
What is a pet parent to do during these times of stress? We have a few ideas that may be helpful. Some of them may work or may not work for your dogs or cats.
Feed – Don’t Overfeed
If you are having a backyard barbecue, please ask your family and guests not to indulge your companion dog with snacks or nibbles. While your dog may be able to handle the additional food on other occasions, the noise might induce stress vomiting, diarrhea or even pancreatitis.
You may also want to consider feeding your pet’s dinner earlier than usual. A dog’s gastrointestinal time is usually six to eight hours. If the firework display is set to start around 9:30 PM, think about feeding around 3:30. If you free-feed your dog, consider taking it away earlier in the day.
Exercise
Exercise reduces stress. In fact, one study showed that like humans, dogs had significantly increased endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling following high-intensity endurance running. The argument can be made that eCB signaling is an important regulatory system in the brain that largely functions to buffer against many of the effects of stress. Further, dynamic changes in this system contribute to different aspects of the stress response.
Unfortunately, the study found that eCB signaling does not significantly increase following low-intensity walking. But, we have to remember that physical activity can make us and our pets sleepy. Period.
Other ideas may be a game of fetch or a visit to the dog park. Don’t forget to take water for you and your dog.
Thundershirt
Thundershirts – or even a doggy sweater or T-shirt – work for some dogs. We definitely think they are worth checking out since they are non-invasive. However, remember that your dog is wearing clothing during a usually very hot day in most parts of the country. Make sure your house is cool enough so your dog is not panting even before the fireworks and provide plenty of fresh water.
Kennel (Crates)
Some people think kennel crates are cruel because they confine the dog. However, many dogs see them as their personal space within their homes. You want to make sure you get the right kind. Some dogs do not do well in wire kennel crates, but are great in the more solid sided plastic ones. If you have wire, you can toss a blanket over the top, making sure the dog still gets enough air. It should be a cozy environment and not too big or too small. A dog should be able to stand up, turn around and stretch.
Lavender
Spread lavender sachets, aroma spray, or the essential oil around your house that is out of your pet’s reach. You also can put a dab of the oil on the nose and behind each ear.
Turkey and Fish
Turkey is rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that acts as a natural sedative. So, you may want to start turkey a week or two before the Fourth of July to transition them correctly. Note that fish like cod is also high in tryptophan. However, if your dog or cat has a food sensitivity or intolerance to turkey or fish, these foods are not an option. (Sorry!)
Petting
Have your dog or cat initiate contact with you first. But, don’t avoid their requests if you are busy during stressful times like firework displays. Studies suggest that dogs prefer to be petted on their chests and behind their ears. This is true, but you know your dog best.
Over-the-Counter Calming Supplements & Treats
You can definitely try these, but please research first. Talk to your locally owned and operated pet food store, visit forums and chatrooms online, and get tips from your friends. Again, all of these people may swear by a product that works for their dogs, but may not work for yours.
If your dog is prone to seizures, please avoid products that contain rosemary and oregano. Both are considered neurotoxins and commonly found in dog foods and treats as a natural preservative. Fennel and sage should also be avoided.
Additionally, do not go beyond the recommended dosage.
Prescriptions
If everything else has not worked in the past, talk to your veterinarian about possible prescriptions. This should literally be your last resort.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
References
Raichlen, David A., et al. “Wired to Run: Exercise-Induced Endocannabinoid Signaling in Humans and Cursorial Mammals with Implications for the 'Runner's High'.” Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 215, 2012, pp. 1331–1336., doi:10.1242/jeb.063677. http://jeb.biologists.org/content/215/8/1331
Morena, Maria, et al. “Neurobiological Interactions Between Stress and the Endocannabinoid System.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 41, no. 1, Jan. 2016, pp. 80–102., doi:10.1038/npp.2015.166. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4677118/
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