July Hope VS News & Insights: Hemangiosarcoma, Monoclonal Antibodies & Lymphoma, New Hope Doctors

JULY 2015

Canine Hemangiosarcoma: Is There A Light At The End of Tunnel

Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is a highly malignant tumor of endothelial cells and is diagnosed more frequently in dogs than in any other domestic species. Accounting for approximately 2 % of all canine tumors, HSA tends to affect older dogs of either gender, with a median age of 10 years at diagnosis. While dogs of any breed can develop HSA, German shepherds, Golden retrievers appear predisposed. HSA can develop anywhere in the body. The four most common primary sites are the spleen, heart (right atrium or auricle), skin or subcutaneous tissues, and liver.

Monoclonal Antibodies and Canine Lymphoma: A huge leap forward

Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in both dogs and cats and one of the most commonly treated cancers in veterinary medicine. As a veterinary oncologist, I cannot remember a more exciting time in this field, as there are now some wonderful new therapeutic options available, including monoclonal antibody therapy for both T and B cell lymphoma in dogs.

Antibodies are proteins produced by plasma cells (mature B cells) used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign antigens like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and cancer cells. Each antibody recognizes a specific antigen and monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies that each recognize a single, specific antigen. The scientist who discovered monoclonal antibodies shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1984, signifying how important this discovery was to the world.

CANCER IN DOGS OFFERS INSIGHTS FOR HUMANS

Days after agreeing to address a two-day workshop on how clinical studies for pets with naturally occurring tumors can be integrated into developing drugs for human cancers, the topic hit home in the worst way for J. Leonard (Len) Lichtenfeld, M.D.

Dr. Lichtenfeld, deputy CMO for the national office of the American Cancer Society, learned that his 11-year-old golden retriever, Lily, developed swelling in her face. The next day, Dr. Lichtenfeld's family veterinarian delivered the sad news: Lily had lymphoma. A week later, a mass found on her back leg turned out to be a sarcoma. Early last month, Lily died peacefully.

IS YOUR DOG DEMENTED or YOUR CAT SENILE?

Is your pet becoming disoriented, forgetting which doors leads to the garden, getting his old tricks wrong, sleeping at weird hours or soiling the house? Well he might be senile.

Over the last 40 years, the lives of pets have become more safe, more sedentary and more controlled. Their living standards have increased and with the advances in modern veterinarian medicine, domestic dogs and cats often live long enough now to develop cognitive impairments, just like humans. Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a degenerative brain disease in pets similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans.

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Upcoming Continuing Education at Hope VS

Biliary Mucoceles

Tuesday August 18th 7-9:00pm at Hope Veterinary Specialists

Steve Mehler, DVM, DACVS

Laurie Prober, VMD, DACVIM

Christopher Ryan, VMD, DABVP, DACVR

This talk will be focused on the frustrating disease of biliary mucoceles. We will discuss the clinical signs and physical examination abnormalities associated with this disease as well as the diagnostic approach and expected findings on laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging. Therapies including medical management versus surgical procedures will be reviewed and the pros and cons of each approach will be assessed.

This lecture is pending approval for 1.5 hours continuing education credit from the PVMA.

Upcoming 2015 CE Events:
Tech Talk: Complete Oral Examinations for the Dental Patient Thursday October 22nd
3rd Annual Hope Symposium: Shock and RECOVER Sunday November 8th
Tech Talk: Do You Hear What I Hear? Heart and Lung Sounds Tuesday December 1

Brian Bretz Joins Hope's Surgical Team this Summer

We are thrilled to have Brian Bretz, DVM, DACVS join the surgical team at Hope this June. He will be available for surgery on Mondays and see appointments on Tuesdays.

Dr. Brian Bretz received his DVM degree from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005 and completed a one year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Garden State Veterinary Specialists. He went on to complete a residency in small animal surgery at Tufts University and the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

His clinical interests include orthopedic, soft tissue, oncologic, and neurologic surgery.

FULL BIOGRAPHY »

Sarah Muhrer Joins Hope's Emergency Team

Dr. Sarah Muhrer attended Earlham College in Richmond Indiana where she completed her Bachelors of Arts Major in Biology with honors in 2005. She then attended Cornell University where she obtained her Doctorial Veterinary degree in 2009. Thereafter, she completed a one-year rotating medicine and surgical internship at Metropolitan Veterinary Associates in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. For the past five years, she has done Emergency Medicine at a specialty hospital in Clarks Summit, PA.

Dr. Muhrer's special interests include treating toxicities, urethral obstructions, and neonatal medicine. She also loves international veterinary medicine and spent four months in Tanzania Africa studying wildlife protection in the Serengeti and 4 weeks in the Bahamas studying Iguanas. Her personal hobbies include doing agility with her Border collie mix, cross-country skiing, kayaking, and traveling.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2015 CE GOLD SPONSORS!