New Hope For Laminitis Horses???

Hello, Summarians!

Thank you for all your support. If you have topics that you would like to explore, let me know.

Please give me feedback on how I can make it more useful.

If it is valuable to you consider sending it on to a friend 😄 

Exercise-induced GI Syndrome in Dogs

The passage discusses exercise-induced gastrointestinal (GI) syndrome, a condition that affects athletes, especially marathon and ultramarathon runners, as well as sled dogs participating in endurance races. Symptoms of this syndrome in both humans and dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and more severe complications. In humans, the primary causes of this syndrome are splanchnic hypoperfusion (reduced blood flow to the intestines) and altered enteric nervous system activity. These factors can lead to intestinal ischemia, increased permeability, and systemic inflammation. The passage highlights the use of video capsule endoscopy as a non-invasive way to diagnose GI issues in dogs. Prophylactic acid suppressant therapy, like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), is sometimes used to prevent this syndrome in both humans and sled dogs, but its efficacy is debated. The passage presents a study indicating that prophylactic omeprazole did not prevent gastric and intestinal erosions in racing sled dogs, suggesting other factors may contribute to the condition. In conclusion, the passage underscores the need for further research to understand and effectively manage exercise-induced GI syndrome in athletes and sled dogs. It also highlights the utility of video capsule endoscopy in diagnosing GI issues in dogs. 

Mabry, K., Davis, M.S., Gould, E., Gogal, R.M., Steiner, J.M., Tolbert, M.K. and Hill, T.L. (2023), Assessment of gastrointestinal health in racing Alaskan sled dogs using capsule endoscopy and inflammatory cytokines. J Small Anim Pract, 64: 574-580. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13627 

Bottom line — Omeprazole was not effective in this study

Trazodone to Aid in Laminitis Treatment

Laminitis is a common and debilitating disorder in horses, often associated with factors like sepsis, insulin dysregulation, and orthopedic injury. Mechanical forces, including weight bearing and ambulation, play a significant role in the progression of laminitis. Current treatments struggle to completely relieve load on the feet, making it challenging to prevent mechanically induced damage during the period when the lamellar tissue is weakened. Various medications, like reserpine and fluphenazine, have been used, but they come with adverse effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of orally administered trazodone on the ambulatory activity and recumbency of healthy horses, with the hypothesis that trazodone would reduce step frequency and increase recumbency time. While trazodone did decrease step frequency, it did not significantly increase time spent in recumbency. The effectiveness of trazodone in reducing step frequency was more pronounced at a higher dose of 7.5 mg/kg, suggesting that a higher dose might be necessary for hospitalized horses with acute laminitis. Similar studies in other animal species, such as goats and dogs, have also shown that trazodone can decrease movement and activity levels with no significant adverse effects at high doses. In this study, most horses did not exhibit adverse behavioral changes, except for one horse that experienced transient symptoms after the second dose. The pharmacokinetic analysis of trazodone in horses showed linear kinetics and an accumulation of the drug with repeated doses. The active metabolite m-CPP was detected but was unlikely to contribute substantially to the drug's effects. Individualized dose ranges may be necessary in horses due to variability in drug response. The study suggests that trazodone at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg orally every 12 hours can reduce step frequency in healthy horses and may be useful in managing conditions like acute laminitis. However, further research is needed to assess its effects in horses with systemic illness or laminitis, as well as its long-term impact on ECG findings and systemically ill horses. 

Hobbs, K, Luethy, D, Davis, J, et al. The effects of orally administered trazodone on ambulation and recumbency in healthy horses. J Vet Intern Med. 2023; 37(5): 1899-1906. doi:10.1111/jvim.16821 

Bottom line — Early results support this as a beneficial protocol

Anemia in Canine Kidney Disease

  In dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD), normocytic normochromic nonregenerative anemia is a common and significant issue, particularly in advanced stages of the disease (IRIS-CKD stage 3 and 4). This anemia is primarily the result of reduced erythropoiesis, attributed to a relative deficiency in erythropoietin (EPO) production by the failing kidneys, functional iron deficiency, nutritional imbalances due to reduced appetite, and gastrointestinal bleeding. In some cases, individuals with CKD are resistant to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, possibly due to the influence of proinflammatory cytokines like interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and interferon-γ (IFNγ), as well as increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. A study in rodents with CKD and nonregenerative anemia suggested that uremic toxins and natural organic inflammatory substances may play a role in inhibiting erythropoiesis. While erythropoiesis in humans is influenced by multiple hormones and interleukins, it appears that in dogs, the pathogenesis of CKD-related anemia is not directly related to the imbalance of immature erythroid precursor cells, as cytokines like IL-3 and IFNγ showed no significant differences between control and CKD groups. However, there were correlations between erythrocyte counts and PTH, erythrocyte counts and TNFα, and TNFα and metarubricytes, suggesting that disease progression may interfere with the proliferation and maturation of erythroid precursors. EPO concentrations did not differ between control and CKD groups, possibly indicating a balance between increased stimulus to secrete EPO and decreased capacity to produce it in CKD. TNFα has been shown to suppress EPO-producing cells in vitro, and decreased functional renal mass can reduce EPO production capacity. Additionally, adequate nutrient supply, especially iron and vitamins, is crucial for erythroid cell response to stimuli, and this supply is often impaired in patients with anemia caused by chronic disease, including dogs with CKD. The study suggests that in addition to EPO-based therapies, addressing the suppressive effects of PTH and TNFα, especially in the early stages of CKD, might be important in treating CKD-related anemia in dogs. The study also highlights the potential significance of anti-inflammatory cytokine therapies, particularly anti-TNFα treatments, in reducing EPO resistance and other adverse effects of proinflammatory cytokines in the treatment of CKD anemia in dogs. However, the study acknowledges the limitation of a small sample size and suggests the need for further research with larger populations of dogs with CKD to confirm these preliminary findings. 

 Borin-Crivellenti, S., Crivellenti, L. Z., Gilor, C., Gilor, S., Silva, D. G., Maia, S. R., Costa, P. B., Alvarenga, A. W. O., Fernandes, A. L. S., & Santana, A. E. (2023). Anemia in canine chronic kidney disease is multifactorial and associated with decreased erythroid precursor cells, gastrointestinal bleeding, and systemic inflammation. American Journal of Veterinary Research

Bottom line — Anemia in kidney disease is multifactorial

Just putting things in perspective …