Category Archives: Dog Health

02/18/15

But Mammary Cancer!

ResearchBlogging.org

A common justification for early neutering of bitches is that it protects against mammary neoplasia. However, many frequently cited references are over 40 years old, and this evidence has not been scrutinised with the benefit of recent developments in epidemiological methods and knowledge of potential confounders of the association between mammary masses and neutering, such as age, breed and treatment with synthetic derivatives of ovarian steroids.

One of the most frequently presented arguments for desexing is ‘mammary cancer’. It is commonly stated that desexing bitches reduces the risk of mammary cancer.

But as always, we must ask: What does the research say?

I love to answer questions like this, and so I have read quite a bit of research on mammary cancers in bitches. However, despite doing lots of reading, none of these research papers have made their way to my blog.

The reason? The research is very old and I am not compelled to review or examine such ancient research.

Why does old research matter? It’s easy to say that ‘biology doesn’t change’, and if it was so in the 1970s, then it must be so now. While that’s the case, our understanding on research methods and limitations is continuing to improve.

Regardless, even if we say that the research from the 1970s is as accurate as ever, compelling results are those that are replicated. While it’s nice to get one study that shows a link between mammary cancer and sex hormones, we need multiple studies with large sample sizes to prove this without doubt.

Using the studies considered in Beauvais et al’s 2012 systematic review, since the 1960s, there has been approximately fifteen (15) studies on mammary cancer in the bitch. That is, the last fifty-five (55) years, there has been one study on mammary cancer in dogs in ever four years. There are very few papers on mammary cancer, and those that do exist do not replicate past results.

So how old is the mammary cancer research? 

Beauvais et al.'s references in their systematic review on mammary tumours in bitches as affected by spaying.

Beauvais et al.’s references in their systematic review on mammary tumours in bitches as affected by spaying.

Again, if we use the studies considered in Beauvais et al’s 2012 systematic review, there were fifteen studies in all considered. Of those studies, only one (1) of those studies was completed in the last ten years. Further, eighty-six percent (86%) of the studies are more than fifteen (15) years old. So, basically: the research is old!

Nothing excites me like a review on literature. (You can imagine what I’m like at parties.) When I noticed a systematic review by Beauvais et al. on mammary cancer in dogs (published in 2012), I was excited as I hoped I would find some more recent studies. The study did not fulfil my hopes, and so I am left believing that more recent research simply doesn’t exist.

Interestingly, the researchers made comment that a systematic review (like they produced) had seemingly not been covered before. A systematic review is used to evaluate the strength of evidence and to consider bias. This type of research is common in medical literature, but not so much in veterinary.

The researchers considered the quality of the research for thirteen reports and found “Nine were judged to have a high risk of bias. The remaining four were classified as having a moderate risk of bias.” Indeed, some studies made claims (e.g. that neutering had a ‘protective effect’) but then failed to back up these claims with evidence.

Considering that only one study found an association between neutering and reduced risk of mammary tumours, and two studies found no evidence, there is not strong evidence that desexing reduces the risk of mammary tumours.

Check out the mammaries! My girl, Myrtle, is due to whelp in a week's time.

Check out the mammaries! My girl, Myrtle, is due to whelp in a week’s time.

What does the evidence say? 

Our results suggest that there is some evidence in one study that neutering is associated with a reduction in the risk of malignant mammary tumours (approximately 10-fold), amongst dogs from which samples and been submitted for histopathology, although there was no evidence that neutering after 2.5 years of age is associated with any change in the risk of malignant mammary tumours.

Basically, they concluded that there is weak evidence and there is “not a sound basis for firm recommendations“. There is some evidence that desexing before 2-5 years of age is beneficial, and also evidence that desexing before their first season may be beneficial.

The biggest faults in the existing research identified by Beauvais et al. included:

  • Research failed to control for age or breed.
  • No indication of age at neutering.
  • Little numerical data provided in publications (which limited this retrospective study).
  • Lack of consideration to bitches treated with ovarian steroids (and the effects this may have on research.)

When it comes to spaying bitches, it is important to recognise that the implications of a gonadecmomy on many aspects of the bitch. Not only does desexing affect the health and temperament of that bitch, there may be wider implications on the general population.

At the moment, vets vary in their opinion and recommendations, especially by country. I encourage owners to do their own research when making decisions for their pets.

 

 
Further Reading:Beauvais, W., Cardwell, J., & Brodbelt, D. (2012). The effect of neutering on the risk of mammary tumours in dogs – a systematic review Journal of Small Animal Practice, 53 (6), 314-322 DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2011.01220.x

06/23/14

Scottie Cramp

ResearchBlogging.orgWhile reading up on CECS in border terriers, I happened upon a condition called ‘Scottie Cramp’. I was keen to learn more, and found the article “Hyperkinetic episodes in Scottish Terrier dogs” (and, more importantly, the reproduction of its text on the Scottish Terrier Club of America website).

Scottish terriers. Photo courtesy of Argowan Scottish Terriers. (Photo for illustration purposes - these dogs do NOT have scottie cramp.)

Scottish terriers. Photo courtesy of Argowan Scottish Terriers. (Photo for illustration purposes – these dogs do NOT have scottie cramp.)

 

What is ‘Scottie Cramp?’

‘Scottie Cramp’ is the popular term for hyperkinetic episodes in scottish terriers. This is a central nervous system problem that causes the hindlegs of effected Scottish Terriers to ‘cramp up’ so they kind of ‘skip’ with their hindquarters.

This condition is often brought on by excitement or exercise, and gets worse as exercise progresses. Generally a walk of 90m-600m was enough to bring about symptoms in affected dogs in this study. (However, there was one badly effected dogs who displayed symptoms after 10m.)

Usually a dog will exhibit symptoms before 18 months of age, and this condition does not seem to affect the dog’s lifespan.

 

What does it look like?

The paper does a pretty good job of describing this disorder. So here’s what they say with some added emphasis from me:

During exercise, the onset of a hyperkinetic episode was usually indicated by a slight abduction of the front legs, resulting in an arclike motion of the limbs while extending.  The back then became arched in the lumbar region, and the hind legs were quickly over­flexed and then swiftly returned to the ground.  This motion has been appropriately described as a “stringhalt” gait.

The front legs became increasingly stiff, and while walking were quickly ex­tended then flexed. In rare cases where the back was not arched, the dog walked with a “goose step” gait. Forward movement was usually hindered, and in severe cases was completely absent, resulting in the dog walking in place. Facial muscles did not ap­pear to be affected at this time…

Occasionally, when the younger dogs were running, the hindquarters would suddenly and strongly become elevated, often to such a degree that the dog somersaulted. If the inducing stimulus was continued, the hind legs became increasingly resistant to flexion, which finally resulted in a pillarlike stance, with the dog unable to walk. If the dog fell down, it would curl into a ball with its head, limbs, and tail tucked in; breathing would ap­pear to cease. The severe seizure would last approximately 15 seconds, after which the dog appeared relaxed and panting. During or just preceding a severe episode, the facial muscles were often affected, and the dog was unable to open its jaws.

None of the dogs lost consciousness during an episode, nor did they appear to be in pain. A short period of rest would alleviate the hyper­kinetic episode in most dogs, but the signs would quickly reappear if the inducing factors were not eliminated.

Here’s a video showing a scottie with this cramping disorder, and a ‘normal’ scottie:


 

What causes it?

This was a small study of only 10 dogs, but the results seem to indicate: “Excitement and fear facilitated the hyperkinetic episodes, whereas anxiety and apprehension were often inhibitory”. (Personally, I am not sure that fear and anxiety are different enough to form this kind of conclusion.)

They also found that amphetamine sulfate, when injected intramuscularly, caused symptoms within 15 minutes.

There was a lot of variation between dogs and symptoms, but it seemed that frequent exposure to the trigger, the dogs tended to build tolerance. However, no dog ‘recovered’ (i.e. ceased to display symptoms).

 

What fixes it?

As this is a Central Nervous System problem, drugs that target the CNS, naturally, are effective.

Symptoms can be alleviated by some drugs (such as chlorpromazine, acepromazine, and diazepam) injected intramuscularly. In the case of chlorpromazine, injection intramuscularly during a seizure caused cessation of symptoms within 15 minutes.

Diazepam worked to stop dogs seizing, and also to prevent seizures (given twice daily to affected dogs).

While Vitamin E has been anecdotally suggested as a preventative, this study did not find it to be effective.

 

How is Scottie Cramp diagnosed?

3 criteria for scottie cramp:

1) abnormal gait or seizures during excitement,

2) injected amphetamine should induce an episode, and

3) administering diazepam or promazine during a seizure should cause prompt remission.

 

Reference:
Meyers KM, Lund JE, Padgett G, & Dickson WM (1969). Hyperkinetic episodes in Scottish Terrier dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 155 (2), 129-33 PMID: 5816228

02/25/14

Vaccinations Last At Least Three Years

ResearchBlogging.orgWhen reading Terrierman he made reference to the work Schultz has done on the duration of vaccines. Intrigued, I decided to read one of his articles. I dug up a review Shultz wrote on the duration of vaccines. It looks at available research on vaccines and their ‘duration of vaccinal immunity’ (i.e. how long they last).

Whether a dog has immunity can be determined either by antibody titres (a ‘titre test’) or a challenge study (e.g. deliberately exposing the dogs to the pathogen).

 

For distemper, parvovirus, and adenovirus the published data suggests an immunity period of 3 years or longer minimum.

Using blood products to test immunity, it seems that vaccines last 3 years or longer.  When using challenge studies, dogs that were vaccinated 11 years ago did not contract the virus.

According to this article, if a cat or dog is:

  • Vaccinated with core vaccines at 12 weeks of age or older,
  • Is revaccinated at 1 year old, and
  • Receives a vaccination “not more often than every 3 years”

then this would be as protective to the pet as annual vaccination.

However, non-core vaccinations last a year or less.

Table 1 shows estimated minimum duration of immunity for the 4 core canine vaccines.

How long does a dog vaccination last?

Shultz concludes, “Extending the revaccination intervals for canine and feline core vaccines does not place the animal at increased risk to developing vaccine preventable disease, but it does reduce the potential for adverse reactions”

He also recommends using titre tests to ensure that a puppy’s final vaccine enduces an immune response – and to revaccinate if the titre does not indicate that an immune response was produced.

Oh, and on cats? According to this paper, feline vaccines less researched, but feline parvovirus, calcivirus and herpes seems to last at least 7.5 years. Exception is feline leukemia which provides immunity for 1 year or less.

 

Reference:
Ronald D. Schultz (2006). Duration of immunity for canine and feline vaccines: A review Veterinary Microbiology, 117 (1), 75-79 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.04.013

02/2/14

Preventing Snake Bites

Losing dogs through snake bite is a common problem in Australia. There are a number of strategies that can be used to minimise the risk, of varying types of efficiency. I thought it’d be useful to put these ideas into one post, so that those trying to protect their dogs have some ideas to implement.

 

Illustration of snake prevention courtsey of Amstafomine Kennels.

Illustration of snake prevention courtesy of Amstafomine Kennels.

Keep Areas Tidy

Snakes like to hide in piles of rubbish or mess, so keeping your property tidy is the first step in mess prevention. This includes keeping weeds and grass low. Additionally, doing this keeps prey animals down – anywhere where mice and rats can hide will attract snakes to eat them.

 

Consider Snake Repellers

Some people swear that snake repellers work – some swear they do not. Without there being any clinical or scientific studies available (from my searching), it is up to your discretion in determining whether they are a worthwhile investment.  Rumour has it that they are only effective in firm soil (not sandy soil) and that for maximum effect they should be moved on a regular basis (every few weeks).

 

Consider Guinea Fowl

Some types of Guinea Fowl are known to, in groups, attack and kill snakes. Having a flock of guinea fowl around your property (presuming space, time, and finances permit) may be a means to reduce or deter snakes on the property – or, at the very least, alert you to the presence of snakes in the vicinity.

 

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Amstafomine kennels – showing snake fencing, rubber edging, and netting, all with the aim of preventing snake access.

 

Physical Barriers

Physically keeping snakes out of areas where dogs run is also a possibility. The photo above is the best example I’ve seen.  Here, shade cloth has been used as snake fencing (as it is so narrow snakes cannot go through it). Where the shade cloth can’t cover (e.g. around the doors), rubber has been used to prevent snakes squeezing through.  On top of all this, loose netting has been draped along the grounds, so snakes will get twisted and caught up before even reaching the kennels.

 

Have you found any other methods effective for keeping snakes at bay?

Wishing you an incident free snake season!