Genetic discoveries fuel veterinary medicine

New vaccines in the works
Another breakthrough is in the area of vaccines for cats. Vaccine sarcomas — cancer that forms at the injection site of a vaccination — are uncommon in cats, but a higher-than-normal incidence of them, which was first noticed in 1991, caused veterinarians to take a second look at the possible causes.

“No one has been able to prove an absolutely spot-on, definitive link between vaccine A and tumor B, but it’s fairly well accepted that the suspects were rabies and feline leukemia vaccine,” says Robin Downing, a veterinarian in Windsor, Colo., president of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.

The adjuvant — the compound added to vaccines to stimulate the immune system — is the most likely culprit, although again no one has proven a definitive link, Downing says.

“There’s enough of an implication that many of us were nervous about a linkage between the adjuvant and the tumors," she says. "So now we have a series of vaccines available to us that use recombinant DNA science to avoid the need for an immune stimulant or that are delivered in new ways. For cats, we have a distemper vaccine that is delivered using a few drops on the nasal mucous membrane. For leukemia virus, we not only have recombinant DNA vaccines but also air-driven delivery into the skin. The rabies vaccine is still an injectable vaccine; however, it’s recombinant DNA technology.” Vaccines using recombinant DNA technology are also available for dogs.

Hope for better cancer care
Cancer is a major concern as well. “By being able to evaluate the genetic contribution to these diseases, as well as environmental and nutritional triggers, we can look at animals in a really different way,” Olson says. “When you look at cancer, for example, you’ve got golden retrievers who are at risk for one type of cancer and Boston terriers for another, and if you can start to tease out [the different genes responsible], it could be extremely powerful.”

Veterinary cancer researchers are actively working to target certain cancers with gene therapy, in particular melanoma. Their goal is to manipulate the genes of mutated cells to help the body’s immune system fight the cancer.

Genetic-based treatments may not be that far in the future.

“Now that the canine genome has been mapped, I can’t wait for the next wave of information that will come from that,” Downing says. “I won’t be surprised if within a five-year period I can target some diseases genetically, whether they’re cancer or congenital problems. I’m not sure I necessarily would be willing to expect it, but I won’t be surprised.”

Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning author who has written many articles and more than a dozen books about dogs and cats. She belongs to the Dog Writers Association of America and is past president of the Cat Writers Association. She shares her home in California with three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and one African ringneck parakeet.

MORE FROM CREATURE COMFORTS

Creature Comforts Section Front

Scratching? Your pet could have allergies Life in dog years: More pets living longer Putty in their paws: Why we do what cats want No-kill shelter nation? Maybe in 5 years Raw deal? Some feed their pets uncooked diet Is ‘people food’ ever OK? 7 pet myths Grrr! When your pet hates your partner Stressed over a test? Pet your pooch Help your pets avoid holiday hazards Pet owners skipping vet visits as economy sinks Creature Comforts Section Front   Add Creature Comforts headlines to your news reader: