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Fixing a hole
A little dog with a big problem may help advance reconstructive surgery in humans. Pez, a beagle being treated by veterinarians at North Carolina State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, has a hole in the roof of his mouth so large that it cannot be treated with conventional medical procedures. A team of experts, including Dr. Guillaume Chanoit, his veterinary colleagues and engineers from the university's Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, are using 3-D models of Pez's skull to create a titanium plate that will cover the hole and allow Pez to eat properly. The collaborative approach toward solving Pez's problem may one day help oral surgeons develop new techniques to treat people with such conditions as cleft pallets, Chanoit says. For more information, contact David Green at (919) 513-6662.
Doggedly fighting disease
A veterinarian's interest in a debilitating disease that causes paralysis in dogs may lead to relief for both canines and humans. Dr. Richard Vulliet, from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is investigating whether healing can take place in animals with degenerative myelopathy when they are injected with some of their own adult bone marrow stem cells. Vulliet and the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, which is funding his research, say the study could offer hope to thousands of dogs who have degenerative myelopathy and may also lead to advancements in treating humans with ALS and multiple sclerosis. For more information, contact Jefferson Sossamon at (919) 334-4015 or at jds@akcchf.org.
Through the eyes of cats
Dr. Kristina Narfstrom hopes the animals in her life will one day bring the gift of sight to people, especially children. Narfstrom, a professor of veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine, is working with Abyssinian cats that are genetically predisposed to retinitis pigmentosa to find ways to treat people with the disease, which affects 1 in 3,500 people worldwide. While she is pursuing treatments in numerous studies, Narfstrom says her research into gene replacement therapy is the most promising. For more information, contact Christian Basi at (573) 882-4430 or at BasiC@missouri.edu.
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Petting zoo etiquette
A new study suggests that common sense often goes out the window when people visit petting zoos and don't follow the warnings about possibly getting sick from having contact with the animals. The study appears in the Oct. 1, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The results indicate that many people ignore guidelines about how to avoid illnesses commonly associated with petting zoos – things like E. coli and Salmonella. They eat or drink in the animal areas, they touch their faces during their visit and they fail to sanitize their hands. All in all, the study's authors said, the results are "disturbing." For more information or a copy of the study, contact David Kirkpatrick at (847) 285-6782.
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A sampling of interesting upcoming events and pet-related campaigns ...
National Pet Wellness Month, Oct. 1, 2007 – Oct. 31, 2007: By age 2, most pets have already reached adulthood. Many enter middle age at 4. By age 7, many dogs, particularly larger breeds, are considered "senior." That is why the American Veterinary Medical Association and Fort Dodge Animal Health have joined forces since 2004 to urge pet owners to stay on top of their pet's health. National Pet Wellness Month helps raise awareness about the pet aging process, disease prevention and the importance of twice-a-year wellness exams for all cats and dogs. For more information, go to www.npwm.com.
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