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Animal Care

NC State Veterinary Medicine Research Roundup, Feb. 2022

huskies pull sled
Woman musher hiding behind sleigh at sled dog race on snow in winter

A look at some of the latest published studies from the CVM.

Minimizing intestinal stem cell loss in mice undergoing chemotherapy

Acute intestinal mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy, often causing vomiting, diarrhea, sepsis, and death. These complications can arise secondary to loss of active intestinal stem cells (aISCs), which produce all intestinal epithelial cells. The results of this study indicate that intervention to preserve necessary microorganisms that normally live in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy mammals can reduce the severity of chemotherapy-associated mucositis.

The authors of the study, published in the journal Gut Microbes, are Breanna J. Sheahan, Casey M. Theriot, Jocsa E. Cortes and Christopher M. Dekaney

Read the study here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2021.2018898

Developing an Approach to Study Aging in Retired Sled Dogs

Canines are a valuable model for mammalian aging studies. They develop a number of aging-related diseases resembling that of humans, are exposed to similar environments, and have been reasonably well studied in terms of physiology and genetics. This research  focused on retired Alaskan sled dogs that shared similar lifestyles, including exposure to natural stresses. Over time, this study will build a comprehensive, integrated model of canine aging that will allow use of this model for future testing of anti-aging therapies.

The authors of the study, published in the journal Aging, include Natasha J. Olby from the CVM.

Read the study here: https://www.aging-us.com/article/203600/text

Summarizing Current Literature on NSAIDS in Equine Orthopedic Medicine

Orthopedic disorders are commonly encountered in equine veterinary medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) play an important role in the management of many equine orthopedic disorders There are multiple NSAIDS available for use in horses, and the body of literature evaluating the efficacy of these medications is broad. This review aims to summarize the current literature on the use of NSAIDS for equine orthopedic issues and examines new and future possibilities for the management of inflammation in equine orthopedics.

The authors of this article, published in Equine Veterinary Journal, include Carrie E. Jacobs, Lauren V. Schnabel and Anthony T. Blikslager.
Read the study here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13561

Discovering Metastatic Melanocytic Tumor in a Dog

A 9-year-old male Brazilian Mastiff dog with a history of progressive severe swelling in all four limbs and significant loss of mobility was euthanized due to unresponsiveness to medical management. Examination revealed that one toe of the left hindlimb was replaced by a black, firm nodule, and that certain bones, the lungs, heart and nearby tissues, adrenal glands and kidneys were infiltrated by similar nodules. Microscopic evaluation of the masses revealed a non-encapsulated malignant growth. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first description of a canine tumor of this type.

The authors of the study, published in The Journal of Comparative Pathology, include Tatiane T. Negrao Watanabe.

Read the study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021997521001377?via%3Dihub

A Multi-Institutional Collaboration to Understand Neoplasia, Treatment and Survival of Snakes

This multi-institutional collaborative study of abnormal growths in snakes reviewed medical records of snakes at each facility to determine species, survival and methods of treatment. A total of 65 species, 133 snakes and 149 different growths were included in this study. Affected species, age, sex and their tumor prevelance, tumor type and location, metastesis, treatment and survival datea are reported.

Snakes with malignant neoplasia, metasteses, or indeterminate presence of metastasis were statistically more likely to die than snakes having either benign neoplasia or no metastesis. There was not a significant difference in outcome based on treatment.

Authors of the study, published in the journal Animals, include Elizabeth G. Duke, Anneke Moresco, Brigid V. Troan, Madison Smith, Sidney Smith and Tara M. Harrison.
Read the study here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/3/258