The Relationship between Dog Health and People Health

By Linda Cole

Dogs are not only “man's best friend” – they are also aiding researchers who study dogs to discover better ways to treat humans. Because dogs live in the same environment that we do, they are also exposed to the same sort of things that cause cancer, diabetes and other diseases we share with our dogs. By discovering the genome responsible for a disease in dogs, researchers have a better understanding of the disease in humans, and know what to look for. New research in dog health is helping scientists learn more about people health.

A genome is one single set of chromosomes that contain all of its genes, i.e., the total genetic makeup of a cell. A genome contains all of the biological information all living things need that makes each species unique, including humans. The information in the genome is encoded in the DNA and divided into genes. Because our genetic makeup is so diverse, it's been difficult for researchers to pinpoint exactly where diseases like cancer and diabetes originate in our complicated makeup.

First of all, let me assure you that no dog in the research program was or is harmed or manipulated in any way. Using purebred dogs that have already developed tumors, researchers have been closely scrutinizing their DNA to find out where the mutated cancer causing cell is located in their genetic makeup. What they are looking for is how to isolate the genetic mutations that cause cancer. Like people, dogs are susceptible to skin cancer, lymphoma, melanoma, bone cancer and leukemia. This research is giving scientists insight into where to find mutations in canines, and what they are learning about dog health may hold the key to unlocking what they've been looking for in people health.

We can thank responsible breeders for this research. Because most purebred dogs are registered with the American Kennel Club, the scientists have a recorded genetic history of every purebred breed registered with the AKC. The dog's parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so forth have been documented and maintained for generations to insure purebred dogs meet their breed standards. This is important, because a purebred dog’s DNA hasn't become complicated and mixed up like our DNA has through the years. With smaller variations in their genetic pool, it's easier for researchers to locate the area in their DNA that looks different and lets them see where a particular disease originates from.

By using a variety of purebred dogs, scientists are hoping to find different individual risk factors in dogs that will then give them a better idea of what the risk factors for different types of tumors are. They want a cross section of purebred dogs because different breeds are susceptible to different types of cancer. What this means for dog health and people health is once they are able to isolate cells that cause cancer in dogs, they should be able to do the same for people.

This research is also providing ways to treat dogs that have developed cancer with treatments to help ease their pain. Their owners can then give them a better quality of life and increase their lifespan instead of having to make a heartbreaking decision based on how much pain the dog is in.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has been doing research on a cancer vaccine that is proving to be quite successful in dogs. The vaccine instructs the immune system to fight and eliminate cancer cells in the body. Still in the experimental stage, it isn't ready for humans yet, but the cancer center's research is giving doctors hope of what may be on the horizon for people health. This vaccine has been so successful at prolonging the life of cancer stricken dogs, that the Department of Agriculture earlier this year approved a melanoma vaccine for use in dogs.

Innovative treatments being used on dogs are giving researchers insight into how or if the same treatments and new therapies could be applied to people with certain cancers. As doctors help dogs, questions are being answered that could end up helping people. Researchers have been able to isolate the area on the dog's genome where they can see a collection of genes that are responsible for other diseases, like diabetes and heart disease. Knowing where to look on the dog’s genome is showing them where to find the same collection in humans.

Dog health and people health go hand in hand, because dogs are our constant companions and it's easy to track the dog’s genetic makeup. Responsible breeders have not only maintained the integrity of the dog breed in their kennels, they provide an excellent recorded history of a purebred dog's lineage, which gives scientists invaluable information for their research.

Read more articles by Linda Cole

Should Your Dog Get the Lyme Disease Vaccine?

By Ruthie Bently

I have lived in southern Minnesota for almost twelve years now. We don’t usually see ticks of any kind before May, when the temperature warms enough up for them to become active; this year was the exception to the rule. After a ramble with Skye I found the first tick, not on Skye but on my own arm. It was only the second week of March.

There are eight ticks in the United States that are responsible for ten diseases people catch; Lyme disease is one that our dogs can catch too. The Deer Tick or Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes scapularis) is not the only tick that carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. It is also carried by a tick known as the Western Black-Legged Tick (I. pacificus) on the West Coast of the United States. It was originally thought that only the Northern Deer Tick (Ixodes dammini) was a carrier of Lyme disease. The Lone Star Tick (Ambylomma americanum), Ixodes Angustus, and Ixodes spinipalpis have been shown in experiments to be vectors of Lyme disease. This means that due to the development of the disease, there could be more than three ticks we have to worry about in the future. Depending on your location in the United States, from 1% to more than 90% of the ticks can be infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that causes Lyme disease. The nymph stage of the tick life cycle is the most common for Lyme disease transmission.

Chemical and medical preparations for tick prevention have been around for many years: collars, powders, chewables and topical treatments to protect for a month at a time. There is currently a vaccine available for canine Lyme disease, but there are pros and cons for it. As a responsible pet owner, I always look at something from all sides before I make a decision, because I want the best for the creatures in my care. While the vaccine is reputed to keep your dog from getting Lyme disease, there are dogs that have been vaccinated that have still contracted Lyme disease. Proponents of the vaccine state that it will keep a dog from becoming a carrier and transmitting it to their owner. When I asked my vet about this, he stated you can’t get Lyme disease from your dog; it comes from a tick and cannot be passed from dog to human.

One manufacturer guarantees their vaccine and states that they will pay for 50% of any treatment a dog needs if they do contract Lyme disease. While this sounds good, I have to wonder why they’re only offering to pay for 50% of the treatment. This makes me question vaccinating my dog against the disease in the first place. Other things to consider are that the Lyme vaccine only provides immunity for a short time span, and needs to be administered yearly. It can cause an untreatable, fatal form of Lyme disease. None of the veterinary schools in the United States recommend it. Prolonged use of the vaccine can cause kidney problems in dogs.

Many dogs do not show symptoms of Lyme disease until they have had it for between four and six months, and some dogs never show symptoms. The Canine SNAP 3DX (or C6 SNAP) is a test for antibodies in a dog’s body specific to Lyme disease and should not be affected if you dog has been vaccinated for Lyme disease as the antibodies are only present after infection. Your vet can perform the test and it’s reputed to be very accurate in Lyme detection. If your dog tests positive, the Lyme Quantitative C6 Antibody test is suggested as a follow-up. It can be used as a baseline not only for diagnosis, but for indicating progress in the therapy of the disease.

If contracted by dogs, Lyme disease can be treated either allopathically or holistically. However, because of the seriousness of this disease to your pet’s health, this is not one you can attempt to treat by yourself at home, with an over the counter fix. You need to seek veterinary help.

In my opinion, vaccinating for Lyme disease is a bad idea, and I live in one of the states where Lyme disease is high for dogs. It may lull you into a false sense of security; there are other tick borne diseases that our dogs can contract. The other diseases aren’t going away any time soon and if history is any indicator they may just get worse. Tick prevention should be a consideration in your line of defense. After all, Lyme disease started in Lyme, Connecticut and now is nationwide. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you seek the counsel of your veterinarian before you decide whether to vaccinate for Lyme disease, or not.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently