Lymphosarcoma is cancer of the lymph glands in dogs. It can be treated
with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, even with treatment, many dogs do not
survive for more than a year after diagnosis. As soon as diagnosis is made,
a consultation with a veterinary oncologist should be made.
Mouthwash Recipie:
Extrapolated from human chemo treatments, if your dog ever gets sores
in their mouth, from a bad tooth, injury or illness, you can make a mouth
swab out of the following:
3 1/2 oz. maalox liquid
1 oz. alcohol free oral antiseptic (oralgel, orabase, etc.)
4 tsp. liquid Benadryl (25 mg.)
mix well, keep refrigerated, swab the inside of the mouth with a soft
sponge up to every 4 hours.
Morris Animal Foundation- provides a packet on cancer in
dogs geared toward sharing with your vet, which includes a diet plan. 1-800-243-2345
Holistic/Homeopathic Vet who will do phone consults for
cancer treatment adjuncts to chemo:
Ken Harshman DVM 406-357-2936
Certified Homotoxicologist, who will work out a supplement
program to assist with chemo:
The cruciate ligaments are an x-shaped structure that serves to strengthen
and stabilize the knee joint. Ruptue of the anterior cruciate ligament is
one of the most commonly encountered orthopedic injuries in dogs. Dogs with
an acute rupture show pain, swelling and joint instability and are unable
to place weight on the affected leg. Dogs with chronic injuries may occasionally
refuse to weight bear, and will demonstrate muscle atrophy and palpable
bone spurs. Rupture of the ACL can be due to acute injury or chronic degeneration,
which can completely sever or partially tear the ligament. Regardless of
the severity, dogs with ruptured ligaments require surgical correction of
the condition, because it is always progressive and will always become more
severe. For more information about ruptured ACL's visit:
Hip dysplasia is a condition caused by an imperfect fit between the
socket of the hip joint (the pelvis), and the ball end of the thigh bone
(the femur). In some cases the pelvis is too shallow and the femur is not
set deeply into the joint. This allows for wear and tear, possible dislocation/subluxation
and arthritic changes as the dog matures and ages. CHD is moderately heritable
among large breed dogs, however even dogs with normal hips can produce dysplastic
pups. Environmental factors such as weight, nutrition, exercise level and
home setting can also contribute to the severity of CHD. Some dogs with
severe dysplasia show no clinical signs, and the disease goes entirely unsuspected
until an x-ray is taken to check for it. There are medical, environmental
and surgical methods to treat CHD. For more information check out:
This is a recently identified disease in the Newfoundland breed. Cystinuria
is inherited as a autosomal recessive trait. The parents can be affected as
carriers or have the disease but both parents must be affected for the puppies
to develop the disease. Cystinuria involves the inability by the dog to absorb
cystine from its kidneys. The cystine therefore precipitates out to form crystals
and bladder stones. This results in serious illness requiring surgery, and is
often fatal.
A simple test for cystinuria has been developed by the University of Pennsylvania.
Bloat is the common term for Gastric Dilation-Torsion Complex. Bloat involves
the swelling of the stomach from gas, fluid or both. Suspect bloat if your
dog:
-Paces around continuously
-Pacing is accompanied by whining
-Acts as if he can't get comfortable
-Acts agitated
-Tries to throw up but can't (or only yellowish foamy stuff comes up)
-Excessive drooling, usually accompanied by retching noises
If you see ANY combination of these symptoms, CALL YOUR VET and get
the dog
over there as fast as possible. Bloat is LIFE-THREATENING. Do not wait
until you see/feel an enlarged stomach!
The dog will show the appearance of discomfort and the abdomen will
noticeably distend. Once distended the stomach may twist abruptly. This
is a emergency and requires immediate veterinary care. The mortality rate
for bloat is almost 50%. Bloat affects all of the larger, deep-chested breeds
(most dogs weigh over 58 pounds according to studies.) There are some precautions
that can be taken to prevent bloat.
These include:
1. Raise food dishes to chest height. (between 12-18 inches for a full grown
Newf)
2. Feed 2 small meals per day as opposed to one larger feeding.
3. Avoid strenuous activity immediately before or after eating.
4. Do not give LARGE amounts of water right after feeding, heavy exercise
or heat exposure.
A good reference article on bloat was written by Connie Vanacore and printed
in the July '96 issue of the "AKC Gazette"
For additional information on bloat, please check with your veterinarian
and visit:
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SUBVALVULAR AORTIC STENOSIS (SAS) BUT
WERE AFRAID TO ASK
1. What is SAS?
Subvalvular aortic stenosis, also referred to as subaortic stenosis
or SAS, is a common heart defect in dogs, especially Newfoundlands, Golden
retrievers, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds.
The heart anatomically is divided into 4 chambers separated by 4 valves.
The 4 heart valves ensure that blood only flows in one direction through
the heart. The aortic valve separates the main pumping chamber (left ventricle)
from the aorta, a large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to
the body. In dogs with SAS, there is added tissue below the aortic valve
(hence "subaortic"). This abnormal tissue creates an obstruction
("stenosis" is the scientific term) that the heart has to overcome
to pump blood to the body. This stenosis makes the heart work harder than
normal. A heart murmur is created by blood being pumped across the stenosis
into the aorta.
2. What happens to dogs with SAS?
SAS comes in many grades of severity. We subdivide them into mild, moderate,
and severe. Dogs with mild disease usually lead a normal life without complications.
Dogs with severe disease may die suddenly or develop exercise intolerance,
fainting, rear limb weakness, or fluid in the lungs (heart failure). Heart
failure can cause coughing, rapid breathing, or shortness of breath. The
course of dogs with moderate disease is hard to predict. All dogs with SAS
are predisposed to heart valve infections (endocarditis).
3. How do dogs "get" SAS?
SAS is transmitted genetically. This has been studied in the Newfoundland
breed; the mode of inheritance in this breed is either autosomal dominant
with modifiers or polygenetic. Dogs with mild disease do not necessarily
produce dogs with only mild disease, ie a dog with mild disease may sire
a litter with severe disease. This defect develops very soon after birth
(at approximately 3 weeks of age), and continues to worsen through maturity.
4. How is SAS diagnosed?
SAS is suspected based on a combination of physical examination findings
including a heart murmur heard over the aortic valve. In dogs with a murmur,
definitive diagnosis and assessment of severity requires echocardiography
with Doppler. Echocardiography allows visualization of the 4 heart chambers
and valves and the anatomy of the subaortic area. Doppler allows estimation
of the pressure created in the heart by the obstruction. The degree of pressure
elevation correlates with the disease severity. Some dogs with very mild
disease are hard to distinguish from normal dogs even with this technology.
Radiographs of the heart and an electrocardiogram (ECG) are important
in the evaluation of dogs with moderate to severe SAS but are usually normal
in dogs with mild disease.
5. What should be done if my dog has mild disease?
These dogs should not be bred so castration or spaying is recommended.
Due to the risk for heart valve infections, prophylactic antibiotics should
be prescribed by a veterinarian for any potential bacteria exposure (dentals,
skin infections, minor cuts or abrasions).
6. Can a dog with severe disease be treated?
Therapeutic options are limited. Surgery can be performed at some Universities,
but it is expensive. Balloon catheter dilation can also be performed at
some referral centers. This procedure involves passing a catheter with a
balloon on the end down an artery in the neck. The balloon is centered across
the stenosis and then inflated to open up the stenosis. This procedure helps
to decrease the obstruction in some dogs. Medical therapy may be prescribed
to try and decrease the work load of the heart (beta-blockers) or treat
signs of heart failure once they develop.
7. How can I decrease the risk of transmitting this defect?
First, have all breeding animals listened to at maturity by a veterinarian.
If no murmur is present, these adults do not have clinical SAS.
Second, have all litters listened to carefully. Timing of this exam is tricky;
the older the puppy is at the time of examination, the better. Age is important
because the defect is progressive early in life such that a murmur will
be easier to detect in a 16 week puppy than an 8 week old puppy. Also, young
puppies can have innocent murmurs (murmurs not caused by a heart defect).
Innocent murmurs go away by 16 weeks of age. Innocent murmurs are difficult
to differentiate from mild SAS. We recommend pups be at least 8 weeks old
for screening; 12 weeks old is better, and 16 weeks old is ideal. If a pup
is to be used for breeding, auscultation should be repeated as a mature
adult (over 1 year of age). If pups with SAS are detected, have the sire
and dam examined, and do not repeat breeding.
8. Are there undetectable carriers of SAS?
Yes. A dog with no murmur may be a carrier of SAS. These dogs are not
detectable at this time. Hopefully, future studies will identify a genetic
marker that will lead to a rapid, noninvasive blood screening test for this
defect and aid us in eliminating this heart breaking problem from so many
wonderful breeds.
Prepared by:
Linda B. Lehmkuhl, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology)
The Ohio State University
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Lehmkuhl.1@osu.edu
A GENETIC EVALUATION OF SUBVALVULAR AORTIC STENOSIS
IN THE NEWFOUNDLAND AND GOLDEN RETRIEVER DOG
We are currently recruiting Newfoundlands and Golden Retrievers to participate
in a study to determine the inheritance and molecular basis for subaortic
stenosis. The American Kennel Club and The Ohio State University Canine
Grants have funded this study through The Ohio State University College
of Veterinary Medicine.
Requirements for participation:
1. Participants should be either Newfoundland or Golden Retriever dogs
who have been diagnosed with subvalvular aortic stenosis or are suspected
of having underlying cardiac disease (heart murmur, fainting, irregular
heart rhythm). All participants must have access to preliminary information
about the dog's familial background (AKC # or pedigree containing at least
one generation).
2. Dogs who are known relatives of affected dogs, but are asymptomatic
at this time may also qualify for participation.
Diagnosis will be confirmed at The Ohio State University. Participation
will include an office visit with the cardiology service and an echocardiogram
at no cost to the owner. Additionally, ten to fifteen mls of blood will
be taken for DNA analysis, and pedigree information will be screened. Complete
evaluation will take approximately 60 minutes.
COMPARISON OF BALLOON DILATION AND BETA-BLOCKER THERAPY IN DOGS WITH
MODERATE AND SEVERE SUBVALVULAR AORTIC STENOSIS
The long-term beneficial effects of balloon dilation versus beta-blocker
administration are being compared in Newfoundlands, Golden Retrievers, and
Boxer dogs with subaortic stenosis.
Dogs enrolled in the study must be <18 months of age (ideally 6 months
of age) and have moderate to severe SAS. Dogs will be randomized to receive
either balloon dilation or beta-blocker therapy. Dogs may be either client
owned animals or donated puppies. For clients, there is a significant financial
discount in all fees. Donated puppies will be adopted into high quality,
loving homes. The new owners are veterinary students or faculty/staff of
the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. All dogs in the
study are reevaluated at The Ohio State University 6 weeks, 6 months, and
then yearly after balloon dilation or institution of beta blocker therapy.
This study is supported by the North Central Newfoundland Club and The
Ohio State University Canine Grants.
