Therapy In Veterinary Medicine Research Articles

2024 Guidelines for reporting radiation therapy in veterinary medicine.

Evidence-based medicine drives patient care decision-making; thus, accurate and complete reporting in scientific publications is paramount. A checklist for complete reporting of veterinary radiation therapy was proposed in 2012 using the recommendations of the International Commission of Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU). The purpose of this study is to review the 2012 checklist and propose updates based on changes in technology. Significant technology advancements have gained traction in veterinary medicine, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT), both of which have related modality-specific ICRU reporting recommendations. The 2012 checklist and proposed 2024 checklist are then used to assess the completeness of reporting in veterinary radiation oncology publications between 2015 and 2022, of which one hundred and eight publications met the inclusion criteria. Prior to the publication of the 2012 checklist (2005-2010), only nine checklist items showed a good level of completeness in reporting, and from 2015 to 2022, this increased to 16 items. Encouraging and/or requiring the use of reporting checklists at the time of manuscript submission may be responsible for this improvement in reporting. Using the 2024 checklist, which is more relevant to publications discussing IMRT and SRT treatments, only 14 of the analyzed checklist items (34%) show a good level of completeness in reporting, suggesting there is a need for updated guidelines to capture the nuances of advanced techniques. This study proposes a 2024 checklist that can be used as a guideline for future reporting of radiation therapy in veterinary medicine.

Preliminary research on tailored fluid therapy in pigs: comparing customized ionic solutions with Hartmann’s solution

BackgroundFluid therapy in veterinary medicine is pivotal for treating various conditions in pigs; however, standard solutions, such as Hartmann’s solution, may not optimally align with pig physiology. This study explored the development and efficacy of a customized fluid therapy tailored to the ionic concentrations of pig blood, aiming to enhance treatment outcomes and safety in both healthy and diseased pigs.ResultsThe study involved two experiments: the first to assess the safety and stability of customized fluids in healthy pigs, and the second to evaluate the efficacy in pigs with clinical symptoms of dehydration. In healthy pigs, the administration of customized fluids showed no adverse effects, with slight alterations observed in pO2, hematocrit, and glucose levels in some groups. In symptomatic pigs, the customized fluid group did not show any improvement in clinical symptoms, with no significant changes in blood chemistry or metabolite levels compared to controls. The customized fluid group showed a mild increase in some values after administration, yet within normal physiological ranges. The study reported no significant improvements in clinical or dehydration status, attributing the observed variations in blood test results to the limited sample size and anaesthesia effects rather than fluid characteristics.ConclusionsCustomized fluid therapy, tailored to mimic the ionic concentrations of pig blood, appears to be a safe and potentially more effective alternative to conventional solutions such as Hartmann’s solution for treating pigs under various health conditions. Further research with larger sample sizes and controlled conditions is recommended to validate these findings and to explore the full potential of customized fluid therapy in veterinary practice.

Exploring the Tumor-Associated Risk of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Veterinary Medicine.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has been actively applied in veterinary regenerative medicine to treat various canine and feline diseases. With increasing emphasis on safe cell-based therapies, evaluations of their tumorigenic potential are in great demand. However, a direct confirmation of whether tumors originate from stem cells or host cells is not easily achievable. Additionally, previous studies evaluating injections of high doses of MSCs into nude mice did not demonstrate tumor formation. Recent research focused on optimizing MSC-based therapies for veterinary patients, such as MSC-derived extracellular vesicles in treating different diseases. This progress also signifies a broader shift towards personalized veterinary medicine, where treatments can be tailored to individual pets based on their unique genetic profiles. These findings related to different treatments using MSCs emphasize their future potential for veterinary clinical applications. In summary, because of lower tumor-associated risk of MSCs as compared to embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, MSCs are considered a suitable source for treating various canine and feline diseases.

Perspectives of Maggot Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Perspectives of Maggot Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Extracellular Vesicles in Domestic Animals: Cellular Communication in Health and Disease.

Apoptotic and healthy cells of domestic animals release membrane-enclosed particles from their plasma membrane. These special structures, called extracellular vesicles, play an important role in intercellular communication. In the past, it was believed that their function was mainly to dispose unwanted cell contents and to help maintain cell homeostasis. However, we now know that they have important roles in health and disease and have diagnostic value as well as great potential for therapy in veterinary medicine. Extracellular vesicles facilitate cellular exchanges by delivering functional cargo molecules to nearby or distant tissues. They are produced by various cell types and are found in all body fluids. Their cargo reflects the state of the releasing parent cell, and despite their small size, this cargo is extraordinarily complex. Numerous different types of molecules contained in vesicles make them an extremely promising tool in the field of regenerative veterinary medicine. To further increase research interest and discover their full potential, some of the basic biological mechanisms behind their function need to be better understood. Only then will we be able to maximize the clinical relevance for targeted diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in various domestic animal species.

Exploring the potential of cold plasma therapy in treating bacterial infections in veterinary medicine: opportunities and challenges.

Cold plasma therapy is a novel approach that has shown significant promise in treating bacterial infections in veterinary medicine. Cold plasma possesses the potential to eliminate various bacteria, including those that are resistant to antibiotics, which renders it a desirable substitute for traditional antibiotics. Furthermore, it can enhance the immune system and facilitate the process of wound healing. However, there are some challenges associated with the use of cold plasma in veterinary medicine, such as achieving consistent and uniform exposure to the affected area, determining optimal treatment conditions, and evaluating the long-term impact on animal health. This paper explores the potential of cold plasma therapy in veterinary medicine for managing bacterial diseases, including respiratory infections, skin infections, and wound infections such as Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus subtilis. It also shows the opportunities and challenges associated with its use. In conclusion, the paper highlights the promising potential of utilizing cold plasma in veterinary medicine. However, to gain a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and limitations, further research is required. Future studies should concentrate on refining treatment protocols and assessing the long-term effects of cold plasma therapy on bacterial infections and the overall health of animals.

Influence of antibiotic treatment duration on the development of antibiotic resistance

Avoidance of unnecessary antimicrobial administration is a key point of antimicrobial stewardship; knowing the optimal duration of therapy obviates over-treatment. In this article we have highlighted the results of modern research on the influence of the duration of antibiotic use on the success of treatment and the development of resistance of microorganisms. Foreign literary sources and the results of scientific research by experts in this field are analyzed. Based on the research results, the following conclusions were made. The results of modern studies on the duration of antibiotic use show that short-course antibiotic therapy is superior to usual long-course antimicrobial treatment. A short course of antibiotic therapy usually leads to the same positive clinical outcomes, a lower rate of antibiotic resistance and the number of clinical relapses. The two most important potential complications associated with the duration of antibiotic therapy are incomplete treatment and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The time points used for antibiotic treatment (clinical or bacteriological cure, relapses, etc.) are subjective, complex and unreliable. The effectiveness of procalcitonin or other blood parameters for use in monitoring antibiotic treatment requires more focused studies. Despite the high relevance and publicity of various aspects of antibiotic therapy in the practice of human and animal healthcare, research on the efficacy and consequences of short-term antibiotic therapy in veterinary medicine is limited. More attention should be paid to this issue, especially in the field of animal husbandry. Key words: antibiotic resistance, antibiotic, microorganisms, treatment scheme, animals, duration of antibiotic therapy, clinical result, relapses.

State of the Art and New Trends from the 2022 Gism Annual Meeting.

The 2022 Italian Mesenchymal Stem Cell Group (Gruppo Italiano Staminali Mesenchimali, GISM) Annual Meeting took place on 20-21 October 2022 in Turin (Italy), with the support of the University of Turin and the City of Health and Science of Turin. The novelty of this year's meeting was its articulation, reflecting the new structure of GISM based on six sections: (1) Bringing advanced therapies to the clinic: trends and strategies, (2) GISM Next Generation, (3) New technologies for 3D culture systems, (4) Therapeutic applications of MSC-EVs in veterinary and human medicine, (5) Advancing MSC therapies in veterinary medicine: present challenges and future perspectives, (6) MSCs: a double-edged sword: friend or foe in oncology. National and international speakers presented their scientific works with the aim of promoting an interactive discussion and training for all attendees. The atmosphere was interactive, where ideas and questions between younger researchers and senior mentors were shared in all moments of the congress.

Modificações epigenéticas de histonas e sua relação com o câncer: uma visão da medicina comparada

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic modifications have become highly important in the study of cancer pathogenesis due to research showing that changes in the expression of DNA-associated proteins can affect gene expression but may be reversible after treatment. The changing histones are being studied on a large scale in medicine while recent studies also show this relationship in veterinary medicine. Histone deacetylation is related to tumor progression and overexpression of histone deacetylases (HDACs) is responsible for these changes. The silencing of tumor suppressor genes related to epigenetic changes favors tumor progression; however, using HDAC inhibitors has been shown to effectively reverse these histone changes while having anticancer effects. This research provided an overview of comparative medicine between humans and dogs concerning epigenetic changes while showing the physiological mechanisms and the relationship between cancer and epigenetics, specifically regarding histone acetylation and deacetylation. This overview should contribute to a better understanding of epigenetics and cancer and their relationship with new target-molecular therapies in veterinary medicine and the importance of such studies.

Medicinal Leech Therapy in Veterinary Medicine: A Retrospective Study.

The objective of this study was to report the clinical indications, outcomes, and complications associated with medicinal leech therapy (MLT) in dogs and cats. Medical records (2012-2016) of client-owned dogs (n = 9) and cats (n = 3) treated with MLT at one institution were retrospectively reviewed. Retrieved data included the signalment, indications, physical examination findings, laboratory results, methods of leeching, outcomes, and complications associated with MLT. Following MLT sessions, nine patients (75%) visibly showed clear improvement of the affected tissue. One patient (8%) was euthanized before complete healing owing to pulmonary parenchymal disease. Improvement or appearance of tissue following MLT was not recorded in two patients (17%). Results suggest that MLT may be a safe and effective treatment modality for venous congestion and necrosis in compromised skin flaps and wounds with success in resolving 75% of the lesions in this study. This study is suggestive of the value of MLT when more conventional treatment methods fail in dogs and cats. A data collection form was created for veterinarians to use with the goal of obtaining standardized, objective MLT data for future studies.

Manufacturing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis in Canine Patients: Challenges and Recommendations

The recent interest in advanced biologic therapies in veterinary medicine has opened up opportunities for new treatment modalities with considerable clinical potential. Studies with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from animal species have focused on in vitro characterization (mostly following protocols developed for human application), experimental testing in controlled studies and clinical use in veterinary patients. The ability of MSCs to interact with the inflammatory environment through immunomodulatory and paracrine mechanisms makes them a good candidate for treatment of inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions in canine species. Analysis of existing data shows promising results in the treatment of canine hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis and rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament in both sport and companion animals. Despite the absence of clear regulatory frameworks for veterinary advanced therapy medicinal products, there has been an increase in the number of commercial cell-based products that are available for clinical applications, and currently the commercial use of veterinary MSC products has outpaced basic research on characterization of the cell product. In the absence of quality standards for MSCs for use in canine patients, their safety, clinical efficacy and production standards are uncertain, leading to a risk of poor product consistency. To deliver high-quality MSC products for veterinary use in the future, there are critical issues that need to be addressed. By translating standards and strategies applied in human MSC manufacturing to products for veterinary use, in a collaborative effort between stem cell scientists and veterinary researchers and surgeons, we hope to facilitate the development of quality standards. We point out critical issues that need to be addressed, including a much higher level of attention to cell characterization, manufacturing standards and release criteria. We provide a set of recommendations that will contribute to the standardization of cell manufacturing methods and better quality assurance.

Photodynamic Therapy in Veterinary Medicine: Applications in dogs and cats

The present article represents a critical review focused on the application of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) in Veterinary Medicine. Presenting an especial highlight to pet area, this manuscript brings together interesting articles on the application of PDT in pets, especially dogs and cats. Evaluating relevant publications that denote the state-of-art of this area, this present work demonstrates the wide potential of PDT application in several veterinary diseases. In fact, this work presents advantages and disadvantages of PDT and the partially positive results that several important research groups have published. We believe that this work can be useful to researchers and clinical veterinary medicine, mainly those that worked mainly with small animals of the PET area. We believe that this work can be useful for researchers and clinical veterinarians, especially those who work mainly with small animals in the pet area.

Genetic Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Genetic Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Cerebrospinal fluid-based boron delivery system may help increase the uptake boron for boron neutron capture therapy in veterinary medicine: A preliminary study with normal rat brain cells

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a non-invasive type of radiation therapy developed for humans and translated to veterinary medicine. However, clinical trials on BNCT for patients with brain tumors are on-going. To improve the therapeutic efficacy of BNCT for brain tumors, we developed a boron delivery system that involves the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), in contrast to the conventional method that involves intravenous (IV) administration. This study aimed to investigate the time-concentration profile of boron in the CSF as well as the uptake rate of boron by the brain cells after administering L-p‑boronophenylalanine (BPA) into the lateral ventricle of normal rats. Brain cell uptake rates were compared between the CSF-based and IV administration methods. The CSF-based and IV administration methods achieved comparable brain cell uptake levels; however, the former method involved lower BPA doses than the latter method. These findings suggest that the CSF method may reduce the economic and physical burdens associated with this treatment in brain tumor patients. Future studies should validate these findings in rat models of brain tumors.

Non‐invasive physical plasma (NIPP) treatment of a hedgehog with head injury: A novel therapy in veterinary medicine

AbstractNon‐invasive physical plasma, known to have antimicrobial, immunostimulatory and epithelialising effects, has been successfully applied in this case to improve wound healing of an injured hedgehog. A European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) with a head wound of approximately 1 cm2 was treated with non‐invasive physical plasma in addition to standard wound therapy. Non‐invasive physical plasma treatment of the wound in addition to the usual wound care resulted in wound closure after 11 days. Compared to previously treated hedgehogs with similar injury patterns but without non‐invasive physical plasma application, the application of non‐invasive physical plasma appears to accelerate wound healing. The application of non‐invasive physical plasma to treat wounds of hedgehogs offers accelerated wound healing compared to conventional wound care. This novel therapeutic option may be transferable to wound care in veterinary medicine in general.

Generation of Porcine Induced Neural Stem Cells Using the Sendai Virus.

The reprogramming of cells into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs), which are faster and safer to generate than induced pluripotent stem cells, holds tremendous promise for fundamental and frontier research, as well as personalized cell-based therapies for neurological diseases. However, reprogramming cells with viral vectors increases the risk of tumor development due to vector and transgene integration in the host cell genome. To circumvent this issue, the Sendai virus (SeV) provides an alternative integration-free reprogramming method that removes the danger of genetic alterations and enhances the prospects of iNSCs from bench to bedside. Since pigs are among the most successful large animal models in biomedical research, porcine iNSCs (piNSCs) may serve as a disease model for both veterinary and human medicine. Here, we report the successful generation of piNSC lines from pig fibroblasts by employing the SeV. These piNSCs can be expanded for up to 40 passages in a monolayer culture and produce neurospheres in a suspension culture. These piNSCs express high levels of NSC markers (PAX6, SOX2, NESTIN, and VIMENTIN) and proliferation markers (KI67) using quantitative immunostaining and western blot analysis. Furthermore, piNSCs are multipotent, as they are capable of producing neurons and glia, as demonstrated by their expressions of TUJ1, MAP2, TH, MBP, and GFAP proteins. During the reprogramming of piNSCs with the SeV, no induced pluripotent stem cells developed, and the established piNSCs did not express OCT4, NANOG, and SSEA1. Hence, the use of the SeV can reprogram porcine somatic cells without first going through an intermediate pluripotent state. Our research produced piNSCs using SeV methods in novel, easily accessible large animal cell culture models for evaluating the efficacy of iNSC-based clinical translation in human medicine. Additionally, our piNSCs are potentially applicable in disease modeling in pigs and regenerative therapies in veterinary medicine.

Cell Therapy in Veterinary Medicine as a Proof-of-Concept for Human Therapies: Perspectives From the North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association.

In the past decade, the potential to translate scientific discoveries in the area of regenerative therapeutics in veterinary species to novel, effective human therapies has gained interest from the scientific and public domains. Translational research using a One Health approach provides a fundamental link between basic biomedical research and medical clinical practice, with the goal of developing strategies for curing or preventing disease and ameliorating pain and suffering in companion animals and humans alike. Veterinary clinical trials in client-owned companion animals affected with naturally occurring, spontaneous disease can inform human clinical trials and significantly improve their outcomes. Innovative cell therapies are an area of rapid development that can benefit from non-traditional and clinically relevant animal models of disease. This manuscript outlines cell types and therapeutic applications that are currently being investigated in companion animals that are affected by naturally occurring diseases. We further discuss how such investigations impact translational efforts into the human medical field, including a critical evaluation of their benefits and shortcomings. Here, leaders in the field of veterinary regenerative medicine argue that experience gained through the use of cell therapies in companion animals with naturally occurring diseases represent a unique and under-utilized resource that could serve as a critical bridge between laboratory/preclinical models and successful human clinical trials through a One-Health approach.

Atorvastatin preferentially inhibits the growth of high ZEB-expressing canine cancer cells.

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is fundamental in cancer progression and contributes to the acquisition of malignant properties. The statin class of cholesterol-lowering drugs exhibits pleiotropic anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo, and many epidemiologic studies have reported a correlation between statin use and reduced cancer mortality. We have shown previously that sensitivity to the anti-proliferative effect of statins varies among human cancer cells and statins are more effective against mesenchymal-like cells than epithelial-like ones in human cancers. There have only been few reports on the application of statins to cancer therapy in veterinary medicine, and differences in statin sensitivity among canine cancer cells have not been examined. In this study, we aimed to clarify the correlation between sensitivity to atorvastatin and epithelial/mesenchymal states in 11 canine cancer cell lines derived from mammary gland, squamous cell carcinoma, lung, and melanoma. Sensitivity to atorvastatin varied among canine cancer cells, with IC50 values ranging from 5.92 to 71.5μM at 48 h, which were higher than the plasma concentrations clinically achieved with statin therapy. Atorvastatin preferentially attenuated the proliferation of mesenchymal-like cells. In particular, highly statin-sensitive cells were characterized by aberrant expression of the ZEB family of EMT-inducing transcription factors. However, ZEB2 silencing in highly sensitive cells did not induce resistance to atorvastatin. Taken together, these results suggest that high expression of ZEB is a characteristic of highly statin-sensitive cells and could be a molecular marker for predicting whether cancers are sensitive to statins, though ZEB itself does not confer statin sensitivity.

Maggot Therapy for Snakebite Necrotic Wound in a Horse

Maggot therapy is the use of sterile fly larvae in the treatment of superficial wounds in humans and animals. Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae are most commonly used for this purpose. Nowadays, larval therapy is widely used in the treatment of diabetic and infectious human wounds. Larval therapy in veterinary medicine has been used in dogs, cats, horses, and even ruminants. A 5-year-old crossbreed (Arabian and Kurdish) stallion was referred to a veterinary private sector in Tabriz city that suffered from a necrotic wound on its forelimb skin following a snakebite injury. The owner had seen the snake in the horse stable. Skin necrosis was observed on the dorsal of the right forelimb which extended to the ventral of the adjacent neck and chest. Despite this extensive skin injury, the horse was alert with a normal appetite and no sign of lameness was detected. Intravenous fluid therapy, systemic anti-inflammatory, and antibiotics were used for the horse's general condition support and topical oxytetracycline and zinc oxide were administered but had no effect on healing of necrotic wounds. Maggot therapy was performed on the necrotic skin. Unfortunately, the larvae died after inserting less than 24 hours. The maggot therapy was unsuccessful in the treatment of skin necrosis in this experience and the larvae died in this short time. However, more clinical trials on the efficacy of maggot therapy for extensive skin necrosis and studies on the effects of snake venom on the maggots are needed.

Phage Therapy in Veterinary Medicine.

To overcome the obstacle of antimicrobial resistance, researchers are investigating the use of phage therapy as an alternative and/or supplementation to antibiotics to treat and prevent infections both in humans and in animals. In the first part of this review, we describe the unique biological characteristics of bacteriophages and the crucial aspects influencing the success of phage therapy. However, despite their efficacy and safety, there is still no specific legislation that regulates their use. In the second part of this review, we describe the comprehensive research done in the past and recent years to address the use of phage therapy for the treatment and prevention of bacterial disease affecting domestic animals as an alternative to antibiotic treatments. While in farm animals, phage therapy efficacy perspectives have been widely studied in vitro and in vivo, especially for zoonoses and diseases linked to economic losses (such as mastitis), in pets, studies are still few and rather recent.