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News you need to know  Top
Batman paves the way
Batman, the first patient to undergo a breakthrough experimental treatment for brain cancer in dogs, is flying high once again. First featured in AVMA Health News Bytes in September 2008, Batman is thriving ever since veterinary doctors and physicians used a newly developed, three-pronged approach to fighting his cancer. Building on that success, the team of doctors from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and the Masonic Cancer Center are using the same therapy on more dogs affected by cancer and say they are making dramatic progress toward one day applying the same treatment to people with cancer. For more information, contact Brian Graves at 612-624-6228 or grave237@umn.edu.
Opening the door to osteoarthritis
Researchers at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine are trying to get to the root of the problem before it's too late. When it comes to osteoarthritis, the disease is commonly diagnosed when it's in its irreversible stages, when treatment can only be expected to decrease pain and slow progression. Since osteoarthritis is a widespread problem in dogs, horses and humans, doctors and veterinarians need a precise way to diagnose the disease early and accurately. That's why University of Missouri researchers are investigating potential biomarkers in dogs for early diagnosis of osteoarthritis, which could help identify all patients, including humans, at increased risk of developing the disease. According to university veterinarian James Cook, these biomarkers could help in the development of methods for earlier diagnosis, prevention and even a cure in both animals and people. For more information, contact Tracey Berry at 573-884-2215 or berryt@missouri.edu.
How sweet it is?
If you like a soda – or two – that is sweetened with fructose, you may be increasing your risk for a heart attack and/or a stroke, and you may become less sensitive to insulin. Those are the findings of a study conducted by researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California-Davis. During their investigation into how two different beverage sweeteners – fructose and glucose – affect metabolism and whether they pose health risks, the team found that fructose, but not glucose, can adversely affect sensitivity to insulin in people who are overweight or obese. Their research found that over-consumption of fructose-sweetened drinks can also affect how the body handles fat, creating medical conditions that increase the chances of heart attack and stroke. For more information, contact Lynn Narlesky at 530-752-5257 or lnarlesky@ucdavis.edu.
News you might not know Top
Shoo sand fly, shoo
They're little, they're nasty and they have a target on their backs. Researchers in the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences are attempting to develop a vaccine that attacks the saliva of sand flies to prevent them from spreading infectious diseases like leishmaniasis, a disfiguring skin disease that can be fatal in some cases. Backed by a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the researchers are zeroing in on a compound found in the sand fly's saliva that amplifies the impact of the disease-causing parasite on its victims. For more information, contact Dell Rae Moellenberg at 970-491-6009 or DellRae.Moellenberg@colostate.edu.
News you can use Top
American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention, July 11, 2009 - July 14, 2009: Thousands of veterinary leaders in food safety, public health, comparative medicine, research and companion animal medicine will convene in Seattle for the AVMA's 146th annual convention. A Global Health Summit featuring national and international experts in avian and novel H1N1 influenzas will join colleagues in exploring numerous topics regarding the human-animal interface and what it means to global health. For more information, go the AVMA Convention Web page.
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