PAWPRINTS

Archive for the ‘Pet Health’ Category

By Karen Asp of  The Dog Daily

Two years ago, Buddy the golden retriever hobbled into his veterinarian’s office, barely able to walk. Tests revealed a tumor on the 8-year-old dog’s spine. Buddy’s doctors gave him little hope.

Yet when the plucky dog’s owner, Marti Johnson of Akron, Ohio, learned about an experimental new drug treatment for dogs with cancer, she signed Buddy up. Within six months of daily treatment with nitrosylcobalamin (NO-Cbl), Buddy’s tumor had shrunk by 40 percent, and the most recent test revealed that his tumor has shrunk by 70 percent.

Buddy isn’t alone. Numerous other dogs have experienced similar results from NO-Cbl without any side effects. In fact, the treatment is so effective that its creator hopes the innovative drug can someday help people, too.

How NO-Cbl Works
The name “NO-Cbl” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it contains just two key components. These are nitric oxide and cobalamin, which is the chemical term for vitamin B12.

For decades, researchers have known that cells, especially cancer cells, have an affinity for vitamin B12. “All cells need B12 to divide and proliferate or they’ll die,” says Joseph A. Bauer, Ph.D., NO-Cbl’s creator and director of scientific research with Bauer Research Foundation in Akron, Ohio. He adds that cancer cells are particularly fond of B12. Studies show that when mice are given B12, their tumors are 400 percent larger than afflicted mice that don’t receive B12.

Nitric oxide, on the other hand, does the opposite, encouraging cell death, which is why Dr. Bauer decided to combine the two. He explains that this is the perfect combination because vitamin B12 would lead the nitric oxide to the cancer cells, and once there, the nitric oxide would kill the cells.

How to Get Your Dog on This Drug
Dogs with cancers of all kinds could be candidates for NO-Cbl. “Because of the biochemistry of B12, this drug is effective against all types of tumors,” Dr. Bauer says, adding that cats too are now on NO-Cbl. The one stipulation? Tumors can’t be bigger than 7 centimeters by 7 centimeters.

To get your pet involved, contact Bauer through his research foundation online. You’ll receive a consent form that you and your veterinarian will need to fill out. Your veterinarian must agree to oversee the treatment.

While there is often a waiting list of dozens of dogs, once you’re in the program, your veterinarian will teach you how to administer the drug through injections. Once a month, your dog will also need to undergo a full exam and complete blood work, and every six months, it will also require an MRI scan to check the drug’s efficacy. This data then goes to Dr. Bauer for analysis.

Cancer-free With a Freebie
Although the treatment costs about $24 per day for an average-size dog, owners pay nothing for the drug itself. “The goal my family and I had when starting the foundation was to offer this drug free to pet owners,” Dr. Bauer says. He’s currently working with organizations to help fund this research so he can make the drug more widely available.

Because dogs and humans share similar genes, Dr. Bauer hopes that once he collects enough data from dogs, he’ll be able to convince the FDA to run human trials.

As for Buddy, he’s back to enjoying his daily walks and playing with toys. “Buddy is a miracle dog,” Johnson says. “Even our vet has never seen anything like this.”

Karen Asp is a freelancer covering health, fitness, nutrition and pets for numerous publications, including Prevention, Woman’s Day, Shape, Self, Fitness, Health, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping and Natural Health. She shares her office with a golden retriever in training to be a therapy dog.

By Kim Boatman

Halloween might be fun for us humans, but it can be a haunting experience for our cats. While we’re dishing out candy, carving pumpkins and donning scary costumes, it’s easy to overlook the risks our cats might face.

“It’s one of those things people don’t always think about,” says Candance Labane-Godfrey, a past president of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Labane-Godfrey and other experts offer 13 not-so-ghoulish tips to keep your cat healthy and safe this Halloween.

1. Watch the pumpkin.
   Take special care if you carve a pumpkin for Halloween, says Labane-Godfrey. Cats have an affinity for pumpkin, she explains, but “carved pumpkins are prone to developing bacteria.” Consider using a realistic, artificial jack-o’-lantern instead.
2. Douse the candles.
   The flickering flames from candles and their accompanying shadows might add to the creepy Halloween atmosphere, but that dancing flame also poses a temptation for your feline friend. Your curious cat may burn a paw swatting flames or knock over a candle — a hazard for both you and kitty. Don’t underestimate your cat’s ability to jump if you place candles in an area you think is out of reach.
3. Secure electrical cords.
   Halloween decorations have moved far beyond a simple carved jack-o’-lantern. These days, the fashionably ghoulish home requires some serious juice. Cats are sometimes tempted to chew on electrical cords, putting themselves at risk for electrical shock, says Labane-Godfrey. The plastic tubes used to disguise electrical cords in home offices or around entertainment centers also work to protect cords from your cat.
4. Make a safe space.
   Secure your kitty in a calm, secluded place well before the Halloween festivities begin. With doors open frequently, there’s a greater chance of your cat escaping, reminds Dr. Tina Wismer, senior director of veterinary outreach and education for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
5. Make slow introductions.
   If the party is at your place, consider leaving your cat in its safe space. At the very least, wait until your guests have arrived, and ease your cat into “introductions.”
6. Use a break-away collar.
   Even if your cat remains indoors all the time, it’s a good idea to make sure your pal wears a break-away collar with ID tags, advises Labane-Godfrey.
7. Guard the dip.
   At parties, we tend to leave food sitting out longer and in more varied locations than we do in everyday life. That shrimp left sitting for several hours poses a risk to your kitty as bacteria builds. Dips often contain onions, garlic or onion powder, which can damage your cat’s red blood cells if kitty gets into the dip, says Wismer. Remember that guests may leave plates of food in unexpected locations, so make regular patrols of party areas.
8. Keep an eye on the alcohol.
   Drinks containing cream or milk products may tempt your cat, notes Wismer. “Cats are so much smaller than we are; it doesn’t take very much alcohol to end up with problems,” she says.
9. Pick up glow sticks.
   Glow sticks, bracelets and necklaces help keep trick-or-treaters safe, but they’re also an irresistible temptation for cats. Make sure your kids don’t leave glow sticks lying around where your kitty can chew on them. The sticks and jewelry contain a bitter substance that will make your cat drool uncontrollably, says Wismer.
10. Keep candy in a bowl.
    It’s fun for kids to come home and dump their loot on the floor, but it’s safer for your kitty if the candy is confined to a bowl or large container. First, artificial sweeteners and chocolate can be toxic to animals. Second, crinkly candy wrappers may seem like toys to cats. If your cat chews on a wrapper, it could cause an intestinal blockage that requires surgery.
11. Avoid artificial spider webs.
    “Anything long and stringy that your cat can chew on can cause an obstruction,” says Wismer.
12. Check decorations.
    Decorations and costumes often have dangly strings, tinsel or cords, posing a threat as well, cautions Dr. Joann Gaines, owner of Ridgeview Animal Hospital in Omaha, Neb. These sorts of obstructions can be life-threatening, she notes.
13. Ditch the costume.
    Resist that clever or adorable cat costume you see in your local pet boutique. You’re likely to stress your cat, and costumes can sometimes limit movement, breathing or hearing. Remember too that you may stress or scare your cat if you appear in costume.

It’s critical to keep your cat in mind as you prepare to celebrate Halloween and other holidays, says Labane-Godfrey. “It can definitely be a risky time for cats because of some of the products and tools we humans use around holiday times.”

Kim Boatman is a Northern California-based journalist whose work has appeared in such publications as the Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press and San Jose Mercury News. She is a lifelong lover of animals and shares her home with three cats.