Background: Early detection of disease allows for more treatment options and often results in better outcomes. Canine cancer is unfortunately a disease that can stay well hidden for a long time before becoming clinically evident, far into development. The Cancer Risk Assessment (CRA) is a blood test to screen apparently healthy dogs for early signs […] Read more »
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a molecule that exists inside the joints in cats, dogs and humans. Its main purpose is to lubricate and prevent the bones in the joint from rubbing against each other, breaking down, and causing bone and ligament damage. As joints degrade, this molecule is leaked into the blood stream, where testing […] Read more »
While many dietary vitamins are easily cleared or do not threaten toxicity in high concentrations, Vitamin D stands apart. Too little, and sufficiency is not attained; too much and the threat of toxicity triggers close patient management. Multiple factors impact the vitamin D status, which makes simple weight-based dosing ineffective. To achieve sufficiency, VDI has […] Read more »
Biomarker for Cancer Clinical Applications and Research We’re excited to bring you the newest Growing Body of Evidence: Thymidine Kinase. Research in support of TK1 as a biomarker for cancer detection and monitoring continues to mount. The Growing Body of Evidence provides a summary of that research, and applications for use in your practice. Click […] Read more »
As tumors advance they become more poorly differentiated. This results in a higher rate of incomplete cell cycle replication (dysregulated replication), higher tumor burden, and a higher rate of cell growth. All three of these factors increase TK1 levels substantially. Further, since inflammation is a functional part of tumor metastasis, cCRP also increases. Together, they […] Read more »
Published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Selting et al. examined the use of thymidine kinase, type 1 (TK1) and canine specific C-reactive protein (cCRP) in a wide range of hematological and solid tumors. There were 253 tumor-bearing dogs and 156 without cancer. Cancer: Dysregulated Proliferation TK1, an enzyme responsible for the production of thymidine […] Read more »
It’s clear magnesium (Mg) is important – it’s a cofactor to over 600 enzymatic processes within the body, and the second most abundant intracellular cation. Mg is required for DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism through its involvement in cell receptor processes. Receptor DysfunctionEvery receptor needs Mg to function. It is involved in the […] Read more »
Cobalamin (B12) and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25D) are dietary derived in both cats and dogs. Studies have shown 25D insufficiency to be a major problem in both species and worsen with age (1,2). B12 malabsorption is strongly associated with both chronic enteropathies (IBD) and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) (3,4). But is there a relationship between the two? […] Read more »
It is common practice to utilize the term “B12/folate” as if it were one, which makes sense when looking at their biological pathways. Both are required for the methylation of homocysteine to methionine. However when discussing sources and deficiencies, they are very different. Whereas the opportunities for cobalamin deficiency are numerous, folate deficiencies are far less common. […] Read more »
Cobalamin (B12) deficiency is frequently encountered in dogs and cats with chronic enteropathies (CE) and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). B12 metabolism follows a complex array of carriers to be effectively absorbed which can be negatively impacted by intestinal inflammation and dysbiosis. In human patients oral supplementation is often utilized, while repeated parenteral injections is often […] Read more »