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This Week In the News
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Study
Finds That a Type of Cancer in Dogs Is Contagious
Researchers Say Data on Canine Sticker's Sarcoma Illustrate
the Resourcefulness of DNA
By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 11, 2006; A03
Scientists in England
have gathered definitive evidence that a kind of cancer in
dogs is contagious -- a peculiar exception to the age-old
medical wisdom that you can't "catch" cancer.
Although no human
cancer is known to spread naturally from person to person, the
finding of such a disease in dogs -- and emerging evidence
that a different contagious cancer is spreading among
marsupials in Tasmania -- is a reminder, scientists said, that
under the rules of evolution, DNA will try anything to
perpetuate itself.
A cancer cell is
usually an animal's or person's own cell that -- because of
exposure to a virus or other environmental agent -- has broken
free of normal growth controls. Cancer-causing viruses may
spread from person to person, but the cancer does not.
But the dog cancer,
known as Sticker's sarcoma, is spread by tumor cells getting
passed from dog to dog through sex or from animals biting or
licking each other.
Because Sticker's
sarcoma is usually not fatal -- and because some of the tumor
cells reside in the dogs' genital tracts, where it's a small
leap from one animal to another during sex -- today's
worldwide distribution of Sticker's tumors represents a single
colony of cancer cells, the new research concludes.
Indeed, scientists
suspect that the colony, distributed among countless dogs, may
be the longest in the world.
"I rather thought
we might disprove this, but it came out the other way
around," said Robin Weiss, of University College London,
who led the study appearing in today's issue of the journal
Cell. "It is clearly a dog tumor cell behaving absolutely
like a parasite." Weiss called the tumor transmission
trick "a curiosity of nature."
Scientists have
suspected for decades that Sticker's was being passed directly
from dog to dog, but doubts persisted because no other
naturally transmitted cancers were known. Rarely, recipients
of human organ transplants have "caught" cancer from
tumor cells hiding in the organs they received.
Weiss and his
colleagues did genetic studies on the tumor cells from 40 dogs
with Sticker's sarcoma, collected from five continents. The
researchers showed that the cells are not genetically related
to the dogs they are in -- proof that they did not arise from
the dogs' own cells.
They also showed that
all the tumor cells, no matter where they were collected, are
clones of each other. That is, they are all progeny of the
same parent cell.
Further genetic studies
by Weiss's team suggested that the parent cell probably arose
in a domesticated dog of Asian origin -- perhaps a husky --
hundreds of years ago, and perhaps more than 1,000 years ago.
Since then, the cancer has perpetuated itself by jumping from
one dog to another.
Studies suggest that,
unlike most tumor cells, which contribute to their own demise
by becoming increasingly genetically fragile, Sticker's tumor
cells are remarkably genetically stable, perhaps explaining in
part their evolutionary success.
Robert A. Weinberg, a
pioneer in the genetic underpinnings of cancer at the
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge,
Mass., said he was not surprised to learn that genetic studies
had confirmed that Sticker's is a transmissible cancer, given
the strength of earlier clues. But he agreed that the
phenomenon raises difficult questions about why more cancers
do not spread this way.
"We really don't
understand the ecological and evolutionary dynamics that would
lead to this sort of thing and its transmission from one
individual to another," Weinberg said.
Both Weinberg and Weiss
expressed concern about the recently reported discovery of a
similarly transmissible cancer spreading through populations
of Tasmanian devils, the notoriously bad-tempered carnivorous
marsupial.
"They fight a lot
and have been spreading these facial tumors through
bites," Weiss said. "The cancer cells clog up the
jaw, and the poor animals die of starvation."
Some experts believe
that the epidemic could threaten the devil with extinction.
© 2006 The
Washington Post Company
 
| Veterinarian
Speaks Out About Unlicensed Veterinary Technicians |
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Dr. John M.
Robb, a practicing veterinarian for twenty years, says
many states do not require veterinary technicians to
be licensed. This results in poorly trained personnel
being put in the compromising position of making
important decisions, resulting in tragic injury or
even death of our beloved pets .
New Fairfield ,
CT (PRWEB) August 2, 2006 -- Dr. John M. Robb is
shaking the veterinary profession by its tail. The
doctor, a practicing veterinarian for twenty years, is
raising public awareness concerning veterinary
technicians. Dr Robb says many states do not have
licensing requirements for veterinary technicians.
This often translates into poorly trained personnel
being put in situations where tragic consequences
occur, the injury or even death of a beloved pet.
Pet owners have the right and the obligation
to demand changes in this situation. Anyone
who currently takes their pet into a
veterinary hospital with unlicensed
technicians is putting their pet in peril  |
"Pet owners
have the right and the obligation to demand changes in
this situation. Anyone who currently takes their pet
into a veterinary hospital with unlicensed technicians
is putting their pet in peril," says Dr. Robb.
"I have witnessed first hand horrific examples of
what happens to people's cherished pets at the hands
of improperly trained veterinary techs. Soap solution
was accidentally placed in the eyes of pets scheduled
for surgery, resulting in the sloughing of the surface
layers of their corneas. Or urine being mistaken for a
drug and being injected into the intravenous line of a
pet."
Dr. Robb believes his profession lags behind in
establishing proper licensing for veterinary
technicians to ensure a high level of animal care. He
believes, much like registered nurses who work with
human beings, veterinary technicians need to have a
certain level of education, supervised intern hours
and licensing. He goes on to say public awareness and
public demand is needed to change the situation. He
has launched a website, www.protectthepets.com,
to bring awareness to his mission.
At www.protectthepets.com,
visitors will find:
* Dr. Robb’s insight on this subject and other
critical issues of animal health
* Hands-on information for pet owners on how to choose
a pet-safe veterinary practice or hospital
* The Dr. Robb Protect the Pets Code of Conduct, a
guide for veterinarians who want to practice pet-safe,
trustworthy animal medicine.
Dr. Robb says most program directors at veterinary
technician schools agree that all states should
require veterinary technicians to be licensed. The
question then becomes what is the job description of a
veterinary technician? Currently veterinary
technicians are laboratory techs, radiology techs,
surgery techs, dental hygienists, anesthesia techs as
well as client educators. They do all these things but
in many states are not required to be licensed. With
so much knowledge and expertise required of them, it's
no surprise why there are so many tragic pet injuries
and deaths.
Dr. Robb is calling on fellow veterinarians for
support. "I believe the main reason for our
current situation is veterinarians fear that a
licensed technician would demand a greater salary and
thus upset the financial viability of their clinic or
hospital. But underpaid technicians soon move on,
perpetuating the cycle of training from scratch that
is equally or more costly. I proved in my own practice
that having a highly-skilled staff and compensating
them accordingly only helps the finances of the
practice."
Contact:
John Robb
203-312-9419
Fax: 203-312-9423
drrobb -at- protectthepets.com
www.ProtectthePets.com
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| Paws
and Claws - Zero Tolerance To Cruelty Towards Pets |
PR
Web
August 6, 2006 08:25 AM
Paws and
Claws is an anti cruelty site designed to stop
cruelty towards pets and animals all over the
planet, and give pet lovers the chance to have their
say.
Cape Town,
South Africa (PRWEB) August 6, 2006 -- The Paws and
Claws site is focused on people and their pets all
over the world. The online community allows owners
the opportunity to share opinions and devote pages
to their pets. The result is the creation of a
loving society of pet owners who can get together
and share their love of animals.
The Paws and Claws site will be promoting
improvement in the lives of animals all over the
planet. Their aim is to increase awareness of the
cruel things that are being done to animals and pets
and play a part in the solution of ending cruelty to
animals around the globe.
Those wanting to participate are welcome to join in
and have their say by becoming a free member. Once a
member, there are blogs that can be created to brag
about a much loved pet, share photos and discuss
experiences.
New homes can be found for pets that have been
mistreated. Each pet has a page dedicated to how
special it is. Pet lovers looking for a loyal
companion can claim them and provide their new pet
with a loving home with the help of the Paws and
Claws dog rescue section.
Members and guests are encouraged to tell their
friends and family about the site. The owners of
Paws and Claws, avid pet lovers themselves, say
there is only one pre-requisite to joining their
online community - you must love pets.
The Paws and Claws online community also offers its
members and guests the opportunity to read articles
related to animal cruelty, help fight for the rights
of mistreated animals and stop the needless
suffering of pets and animals at the hands of man.
If you would like more information on the Paws and
Claws online community please visit us at http://www.pawsandclaws.co.za
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PR
Web
August 4, 2006 08:25 AM
New Luxury and
Cleanliness Pet Product Wins Awards and is Recognized by
International Industry Leaders – and gives Pet Owners Peace of
Mind.
Portland, OR (PRWEB)
August 4, 2006 -- What was once an idea from a small business
owner, has now taken the pet industry by storm. Not just a
leader in pet luxury and cleanliness, but a pioneer, DryFur of
KC Pet Products has already won international awards and
received international recognition from industry giants such as
the Nestle’ S. A. Purina PetCare Company.
Lisa Kelly, creator of Dryfur and owner of Kitty Condo’s, an
upscale boarding facility for felines with international clients
– saw a problem, solved it, and turned an idea into gold.
“I saw clients coming in from as far as Switzerland, and their
cats were in crates and dirty, sometimes ill, and quite unhappy.
I knew that there had to be a better way for the pet to travel.
This turned into something else then. Every time an animal is
transported, or even for extra comfort for those who want to
pamper their pets; there is a better way,” Kelly Said.
She explained that the initial product, designed for both
canines and felines, was wonderful, with it’s cushion and
moisture whisking properties, but that with improvements, it has
become an entirely new concept.
“There is a cushion that is also insulating; helping to keep
the pet at a comfortable temperature which is so important. Also
the engineering has been enhanced to help resist the product
from bunching up, and best of all, even if the pet doesn’t
soil, it is quite comfortable for the pet who travels,” she
added.
Kelly also went on to explain that the Dryfur pad is popular
with pet owners who want to pamper their pet, while the pet is
in a crate for an extended time or simply, to pamper their pet
with a more luxurious “pee pad”.
This creative love for bringing luxury and health to pets has
won Kelly’s company esteemed awards. The editors of Cat Fancy
presented KC Pet Products, LLC with the Editors Choice Award for
Innovation and Creativity. And Pet Product News, company that
has seen products come and go for almost 60 years, has awarded
Kelly with the Outstanding Pet Product Award for 2005/2006. In
September, Purina will recognize DryFur on their web site.
Pretty big feats for something that was an idea in 2003, and
introduced to small test markets in late 2004.
Oh and if the awards, improvements and recognition isn’t
enough; the price tag will wow you. The product packs are less
than $20, with a few under $15, come in a variety of sizes and
colors – and there is even special “First Class” Animal
Travel Pack with a sticker that says “Live Animal” so
transporters can be extra careful with your furry family member.
Kelly is an expert in animal travel safety and health, and her
web site (www.dryfur.com)
has a host of educational material, as well as trivia and fun
contests for pet owners.
Lisa Kelly is available for interview. Photographs Available.
Quotes from Lisa Kelly, use at your discretion – educational
to sidebar into your story or expand upon.
“The new laws of May 2005 are now in effect, and require all
airlines to report all pet incidents to an appropriate
government agency. Pet owners can now access these detailed
reports on specific airlines, prior to making pet travel
arrangements.”
“Pet owners can now make more informed pet travel choices
based upon the new laws that require airlines to disclose
accident and injury reports to the public”
“Pet carriers are uncomfortable hard plastic boxes with no
cushioning, no protection from heat or cold and, worst of all,
provide limited choices when nature calls”
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