Integrative VETERINARY CARE VOLUME 7 ISSUE 4
INTEGRATIVE TREATMENTS FOR INHERITED DISEASES IN DOGS WHY INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE IS THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT PATIENT HEALTH IN DOGS WITH INHERITED DISEASES. — P. 14
PROLOTHERAPY IN VETERINARY PRACTICE
SHOCKWAVE THERAPY This non-invasive modality treats orthopedic
NUTRITION AND GENE EXPRESSION How biomarker testing can help determine an
PET INSURANCE AND YOUR PRACTICE
SUPPLEMENTING WITH SEAWEED Rich in iodine and trace minerals, seaweeds and kelps
WHAT’ S NEW
Often used for human athletes, prolotherapy can treat lameness and even seizures in animal patients. – P. 18
FALL ISSUE 2017
www.IVCJournal.com
optimal diet for each animal. – P. 24
benefit the skin, hooves, digestion and more. – P. 40
and soft tissue problems in horses and small animals. – P. 46
Why encouraging clients to buy pet insurance improves both patient care and practice profits. – P. 52
• Dogs that can detect Parkinson’s disease • Equine locomotor research course comes to US • Key research on feline injection site sarcoma
contents FEATURES
14
INTEGRATIVE TREATMENT FOR INHERITED DISEASES IN DOGS By Nancy Scanlan,
DVM, MS, CVA
Because inherited diseases are chronic conditions, integrative medicine has many contributions to make that can help support the canine patient’s health.
18
14
PROLOTHERAPY IN PRACTICE By Janell Osborn,
DVM, CVA
Prolotherapy is used to increase tendon and ligament strength and relieve arthritic changes. In veterinary medicine, it can treat lameness and other conditions.
24
NUTRITION NOOK
30
RECOVERING CANINE HEALTH: THE NATURAL DOG
INDIVIDUALIZED NUTRITION BASED ON BIOMARKER TESTING
By W. Jean Dodds,
DVM
and Denis M. Callewaert, PhD
Understanding the relationship between nutrition and gene expression enables one to design an optimal diet based on an individual animal’s genotype.
18
By Michael W. Fox, Deanna L. Krantz
DVM,
30
36
INTEGRATIVE PRACTICE
40
SEAWEEDS FOR ANIMAL HEALTH
A NEW BUSINESS MODEL FOR INTEGRATIVE PRACTICE DVM, CVA, CVSMT, MA
This new model of integrative veterinary practice combines treating patients with educating clients.
By Bill Wolf and Marjorie M. Lewter, DVM
Seaweeds and kelps are proving to be powerful tools for skin, hoof and coat health, digestive improvements, and more.
24
46 4
IVC Fall 2017
52
TECH TALK
58
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES CAN ALTER GENETIC EXPRESSION
By Jenny Johnson,
VMD
Shockwave therapy can treat orthopedic and soft tissue problems in animals. Though most commonly used for horses, it also has many applications in small animal practice.
PET INSURANCE FOR HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATIVE PRACTICE
By Katie Woodley,
BVSc
Find out how pet health insurance helps clients and patients while benefiting the veterinary practice.
By Sue Armstrong,
MRCVS, RsHOM
MA, VetMB, VetMFHOM, CertIAVH,
Studies show that homeopathic medicines have an effect at the level of genetic expression, offering another tool for understanding the potential uses of remedies in animal patients.
and
Genetic abnormalities caused by extreme dog breeding are on the rise, while natural aboriginal dogs with robust health are in danger of extinction.
By Odette Suter,
46
SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
58
advisory board
40 COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
5 Advisory board 8 Editorial
s new 11 What’
Dr. Richard Palmquist, DVM GDipVCHM(CIVT) CVCHM (IVAS), graduated from Colorado State University in 1983. He is chief of integrative health services at Centinela Animal Hospital in Inglewood, California, president and research chair of the AHVMA, and an international speaker in integrative veterinary medicine. Dr. Palmquist is a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) and codirector of the AHVM Foundation. He has published two books, one for conventional veterinarians and a second for clients discussing how integrative thinking works.
Michelle J. Rivera, MT, VDT, is an instructor at the University of Wisconsin and The Healing Oasis Wellness Center, a post-graduate educational institution offering state-approved programs. She is co-owner of The Healing Oasis Veterinary Hospital, offering massage, rehabilitation, chiropractic and Chinese and Western Herbology. Michelle completed the Chinese Herbal Medicine program from the China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center, and is certified in Chinese Medicine by the Wisconsin Institute of Chinese Herbology.
Dr. Joyce Harman, DVM, MRCVS, graduated in 1984 from Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She is certified in veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic and has completed advanced training in homeopathy and herbal medicine. Her practice in Virginia uses holistic medicine to treat horses. Her publications include The Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book – the most complete source of information about English saddles.
23 From the VBMA 35 Industry innovations 45 From the AHVMF 51 From the IVAS 56 Veterinary resource guide 57 From the WAEO 63 From the VMAA
Dr. Steve Marsden, DVM, ND, lectures for the IVAS, the AHVMA and the AVMA, and is co-founder of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. He is a director of the National College of Natural Medicine, and authored the Manual of Natural Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Marsden is extensively trained in alternative medicine, including Chinese herbology, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. He has a veterinary and naturopathic practice in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2010, Dr. Marsden was named Teacher of the Year by the AHVMA.
Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM, received her veterinary degree in 1964 from the Ontario Veterinary College. In 1986, she moved to Southern California to establish Hemopet, the first non-profit national blood bank program for animals. Dr. Dodds has been a member of many national and international committees on hematology, animal models of human disease, veterinary medicine, and laboratory animal science. She received the Holistic Veterinarian of the Year Award from the AHVMA in 1994.
64 From the AVH 65 Marketplace 66 Events
Dr. Barbara Fougere, DVM, CVAA graduated in 1986, and was named the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Educator for 2011. Dr. Fougere is the principal and one of the founders of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. She has continued studying over the last 26 years, and has three Bachelor degrees, two Masters degrees, three post Graduate Diplomas, several Certifications and numerous other courses under her belt.
Dr. Christina Chambreau, DVM, CVH, graduated from the University of Georgia Veterinary College in 1980. She is a founder of the Academy Of Veterinary Homeopathy, was on the faculty of the National Center for Homeopathy Summer School and has been the holistic modality adjunct faculty liaison for the Maryland Veterinary Technician Program. Dr. Chambreau teaches classes in homeopathy for animals, and lectures on many topics. She is the author of the Healthy Animal’s Journal and the co-author of the Homeopathic Repertory: A Tutorial.
IVC Fall 2017
5
This article has been peer reviewed
Integrative treatment for inherited diseases in dogs By Nancy Scanlan, DVM, MS, CVA
BECAUSE INHERITED DISEASES ARE CHRONIC CONDITIONS, INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE HAS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAKE THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT THE CANINE PATIENT’S HEALTH. An “inherited disease” is officially defined as a condition that has been proven to be inherited, or to be statistically higher in one or more specific breeds than in others.1 Inherited diseases range from mild to life-threatening. Integrative medicine has quite a bit to offer in the treatment and management of these conditions.
INHERITED DISEASES EXPLAINED Over 300 canine diseases are officially proven to be inherited.2 This number is probably low, especially when compared to humans and mice. In humans, over 2,000 genetic diseases have been identified; there are over 1,300 mouse models for human diseases (which means over 1,300 mutations).3 The study of affected animals in pedigrees is the first step to show inheritance of a particular disease. This is followed in a number of cases by identifying the specific genes involved and,
14
IVC Fall 2017
ideally, developing a test for those genes. Another method is to review prevalence of a disease in a specific breed and to compare it to the prevalence of the disease in the rest of the canine population, but this is less scientifically predictive.4 • A disease caused by the single mutation of a dominant gene is easiest to spot. Any animal with a single copy of that gene will have that disease. Genes that are dominant but with incomplete penetrance may have variable expression, so symptoms of the disease can be anywhere from mild to severe, depending on the degree of gene expression. Type 1 Von Willebrand disease (vWD) in Dobermans is such a disease. Because the variability means many afflicted Dobermans may not show severe signs of excessive bleeding, it has been difficult to get breeders to remove affected animals from the gene pool. In such cases, this type of problem can become widespread throughout a breed.5
• On the other hand, diseases may be caused by a single recessive mutation, which means that until a test is developed to determine carriers, and until a breed association becomes resolved to eradicate that trait from the breed, the trait may become widespread. This is especially true when a popular sire is also a carrier for the disease. Type 3 vWD in Scottish terriers is a classic example as it has autosomal recessive inheritance whereby two obligate carrier heterozygotes can produce clinically affected homozygous offspring that express a severe bleeding tendency. The affected gene has been identified and extensive carrier testing has virtually eliminated most of this problem from the breed.4 All but one type of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is another autosomal recessive example. To further complicate matters, this disease can be caused by at least six different mutations.6-11 There are six different DNA tests available. Fortunately, most breeds affected by PRA have the same type: PRCD (Progressive Cone/Rod Degeneration).4 Conscientious breeders involved with breeds afflicted with this problem are actively testing and removing carriers from the breeding pool. • The hardest diseases to control with conventional medicine are those with multiple genes involved; other factors include conformation, nutrition, breed, rate of growth, amount of exercise and others. Hip dysplasia is an example. This type of problem is one where intervention with integrative veterinary medicine can help the most, especially when it’s started at an early age.
BREED CONSIDERATIONS Purebred dogs are more likely to have certain specific inherited diseases than dogs whose ancestors come from two or more breeds. But this does not mean all non-purebred dogs are healthier. They may inherit problems from all their ancestors. In addition, certain body shapes (as in the case of brachycephalic dogs) are associated with specific disease syndromes, regardless of whether a dog is purebred or crossbred. A survey at UC Davis involving dogs affected with 24 of the most common
ONLINE LISTS OF INHERITED DISEASES IN DOGS Dodds, WJ. Guide to Congenital and Heritable Disorders in Dogs (Includes Genetic Predisposition to Diseases). Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, 2011. Available as a download at hsvma.org/assets/pdfs/guide-to-congenital-and-heritabledisorders.pdf vet.cam.ac.uk/idid/howto, IDID list of inherited diseases, including photos. instituteofcaninebiology.org/genetic-disorders-bybreed.html discoveryspace.upei.ca/cidd/, Canine Inherited Disorders Database ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim, Human genetic disorders database of over 2,000 diseases. informatics.jax.org/mgihome/homepages/stats/all_ stats.shtml#allstats_snp, Mice strains including 1,372 human diseases with one or more mouse models. genetic diseases with major health consequences showed that for about half of them, there was no difference in occurrence between purebred versus mixed breed dogs.12,13 Popular breeds are more likely to have a longer list of inherited diseases than less popular breeds. There are a larger number of dogs among the popular breeds, so there will be more individuals with some of the less common forms of the disease, allowing more opportunities for the disease to continue within that breed. In addition, owners of popular breeds may be more likely to breed their dogs with the nearest dogs of the same breed without any genetic screening, increasing the chances of spreading undetected problems.14 Continued on page 16.
IVC Fall 2017
15