PetScreen Announces Advanced Canine Lymphoma Test

Advanced canine cymphoma blood test helps you make a more timely diagnoses.

Canine cancer screening experts, PetScreen would like to say a big thank you to all the vets that have provided PetScreen with follow up on their patients after using the LBT. With your help, we have been able to further develop and improve the test.

The company says:

"Many clinicians have asked about the identity of the biomarkers detected in the LBT. Therefore, we have been busy characterising and identifying the biomarkers used in the original LBT and found that two of them are acute phase proteins (APPs). Although APPs have been investigated individually in veterinary medicine for some time, we have continued our unique multi-marker approach to develop specific analytical algorithms which combine the relative levels of both haptoglobin and C-Reactive Protein in serum. This has enabled us to develop the Advanced Lymphoma Blood Test (ALBT), which has numerous benefits over the original LBT."

"We have tested the ALBT with 194 rigorously followed up diagnostic samples consisting of lymphoma samples, samples from healthy dogs and dogs with benign lymphoid hyperplasia and other diseases with similar presentations to lymphoma."

"By measuring the APPs using immunoassay, we are able to achieve excellent levels of performance, reproducibility and objectivity typical of such tests."

What the ALBT offers:

Differentiation between patients with lymphadenopathy due to lymphoma and lymphadenopathy due to other conditions such as benign lymphoid hyperplasia.

Same day results – lymphoma can develop very rapidly, and time is of the essence.

A simple blood test, taken as part of routine blood work. If results come back as positive for lymphoma, you might want to consider more invasive tests such as FNA or biopsy.

Reduced cost. The new same day turnaround test costs less than the original 5 day turnaround LBT.

You can request the new ALBT straight away. The submission form can be downloaded from our website, please follow this link:

http://www.pet-screen.com/web/PETSCR/index.cfm?s=2&dir=5110.

If you have any questions, please contact us at vets@pet-screen.com or you can call the Freephone number 0800 028 4811

Celebrate World Animal Day 2011

Animal lovers are being urged to get involved in World Animal Day 2011 to show their support for animal welfare around the globe.

Launched in the UK on 4 October 2003, organisations, groups, animal shelters, places of worship, schools, clubs and individuals have participated in what was to become an annual event on this special day to celebrate the relationship between man and his animal friends.

Animal enthusiasts can learn more about how to get involved: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/get_involved.asp

Resources: http://worldanimalday.org.uk/resources.asp

Just one of the events being carried out for World Animal Day 2011 is The Kucinski Wildlife Foundation's Art and Photo Walk for Animals

Find out more: http://www.kwf-ecological.org.uk/WorldAnimalDay.html

Speaking about World Animal Day 2011, UK WAD Ambassador Ryan O'Meara says:

"Every day of every year animals have such a positive impact on the lives of millions of people. By dedicating a special day to honour that magical relationship, to organise events and to do whatever we can to help raise awareness about various animal welfare concerns, wherever they may be, is a wonderful way for us to commemorate our animal friends. World Animal Day is something I continue to be exceptionally proud to be associated with."

If you'd like to organise your own event or help promote World Animal Day 2011 - go here: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/get_involved.asp

Dog Arthritis a Growing Concern For Dog Owners

Arthritis in dogs is giving dog owners cause for concern. According to a study in K9 Magazine, the rise in canine obesity is the primary driver in the rising number of canine osteoarthritis cases being seen by vets in Western countries.

Canine osteoarthritis is a chronic condition which can not be cured but can be treated, managed and avoided.

Animal health care experts recommend that obesity is the key component in the onset of the disease and suggest that it is the expanding waistlines of our pets that is leading to increased cases of arthritis in dogs.

Charles Vincent, associate publisher at K9 Magazine, says:

"Our findings have shown that many dog owners are simply not sure about portion control when feeding their dogs. As a result, more and more dogs are above their optimal weight. This in turn leads to problems in their health such as arthritis, diabetes and other serious and debilitating conditions.

We are always willing and keen to offer dog owners advice on how best to avoid the common health problems that can affect their beloved animals. It would appear that unless dog owners can gain a better understanding of proper dog nutrition we can expect to see more cases of arthritis and other nasty ailments."

Canine Arthritis Awareness Month has been launched to provide dog owners with information on how to spot the symptoms of arthritis in dogs as well as what treatment plans are in place should a dog be diagnosed with this, or other common mobility and joint problems in dogs.

Canine Osteoarthritis Care Guide For Dog Owners

Arthritis in dogs is a chronic condition (meaning it can't be totally cured) but it can be treated and managed with a proper approach under the guidance of a veterinarian.

As part of Canine Arthritis Awareness Month series, K9 Magazine has a great overview care guide for anyone interested in the topic of arthritis in dogs (canine osteoarthritis) where they examine the various treatment plans and management approaches that can be used in caring for a dog with arthritis.

Read in full: Arthritis in Dogs

Distributed on behalf of petbuzz by Andreas Riopoplis.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Health Concerns

According to an article at Insurance4Pets (pet insurance for Cavalier King Charles) - the health problems affecting the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are serious ones.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is, in fact, not a Spaniel at all and belongs to the toy group of dog breeds.

They reconstructed the spaniel over the period of just a few generations, and finally produced the original-looking King Charles Spaniel. But herein lies the problem - instead of getting to wear the original title (which they really deserved since they were replicas of the originals), they were called Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The addition of the name “Cavalier” would therefore distinguish them from what had evolved into the King Charles Spaniel of our present era.

From about the year 1926 until the present day, there are two separate breeds. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (most likely akin to the original King Charles Spaniel) and the King Charles Spaniel (far removed from what he was originally).

Cavalier's lifespan can range between 8 years on up to 15 years. Major health concerns that spring up are CHD, mitral valve insufficiency, and syringomelia. Minor health issues include entropion and patellar luxation. With regard to heath problems and syringomelia these are very grave health concerns and should require that anyone thinking of getting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should insist on health screening of all parents as well as a thorough questioning of any breeder who you are thinking of buying from.

Dog Ears Cropping: Is it Good or Bad?

One of the major decisions dog owner has to deal with are the cropping the dog’s ears. There are some dog breeds that are usually recognized by the unique look, especially the head area. Dog ear cropping has become a trademark for some breed of dogs such as Great Danes, Doberman Pinchers.

Nowadays, when almost everything is modernized, you would probably wonder why there is still a need or necessity for dog ears cropping. As a matter of fact, there are some other places or countries that already banned this practice in dogs.

The acts of cruelty and abused to animals have brought some arguments to many people. There are some individuals who think that improper medical and cosmetics on dogs are considered a type of abused to animals.

Moreover, others also argue the dog ear cropping will help dog’s ear canal infections in some dogs. They believe that cropping the dog’s ears will create a lesser chance of any dog ear infection or pinna trauma. Also, they believe that ear cropping in dogs is ethically similar to any optional surgery like neutering, spraying, or dew claws removal.

In contrary, it is a definite fact that dog ear infections are common regardless of the breed, whether the dog’s ears are cropped or not. Based on the studies of some veterinarians, there’s no medication explanation for cropping the dog’s ears or outer ears (pinnas). This simply tells us that cropping the dog’s ears is considerably a serious decision a dog owner must carefully take.

Dog Ear Mites: Are They Dangerous To Your Dog?

Ear mites can greatly affect a dog’s health. Though it is rare, ear mites can definitely suffer your dog. The ear mites in dogs are tiny living parasites that are flourishing food nutrients from the dog’s body.

Dog ear mites can cause various dog ear problems. These parasites are barely seen by the human’s naked eyes. It is possible for the bigger ear mites to be seen on the body of your dog. However, there are some of these dog parasites that can be seen through a microscope. It is not really necessary for a dog owner to see the ear mites in the dog’s body. What is important is learning how to detect and treat this dog ear problem.

A dog affected by ear mites suffers pain and distress. They constantly scratch their ears and can be extremely irritable for them. Furthermore, ear mites cause brown discharges in your dog’s ears. This is due to excessive ear wax production in your dog’s ears, which are caused by the presence of ear mites.

Ear mites in dogs can be fatal if untreated at the early stage. One of the common concerns regarding ear mites is that it can affect your dog’s hearing. These parasites can deeply penetrate into the dog’s ears, which may cause ear drum damage. It is indisputable that the ears are very important to the dogs. The ear mites cause disturbances of the dog’s health balance that can lead to seizures. A bad seizure may lead to death.

Furthermore, ear mites in dogs are extremely contagious. If you have many pets at home, it is critical to isolate the infected dog from other pets. This dog disease may spread out and it might be difficult for you to eliminate them away.

A proper dog ear care and hygiene would be the essential defense against ear mites. You must regularly clean your dog’s ears and groom whenever necessary. A healthy dog cannot be affected by any diseases such as dog ear mites.