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Integrating CRP into routine practice

In dogs, C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major acute phase protein produced in response to inflammation and the release of cytokines.   It has been shown to be an effective measure of general inflammation.  Inflammation is involved in both the initiation and propagation of many disease processes.  While non-specific, it is very sensitive to developing problems. […] Read more »

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Inflammation & Vaccination – Improve vaccine efficacy

Background Vaccinations activate the adaptive immune process to provide lasting immunity to disease.  Dogs and cats get vaccinated to a wide range of pathogens with the goal of high antibody titers and long duration of immunity (DOI).  While generally successful, there are times vaccinations FAIL, or fail to provide the desired DOI. Vaccination failures and low DOI […] Read more »

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Calcitriol (activated Vitamin D) Reduces Inflammatory Cytokines

In a series of studies (1-3) from the University of Missouri, the activated form of vitamin D (calcitriol) was shown to reduce TNF-α (pro-inflammatory cytokine) and increase IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokine). These in-vitro studies examined the effect calcitriol had on cultured canine leukocytes when exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS).  Leukocytes possess the vitamin D receptor (VDR) along […] Read more »

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CRP & Cardiac Disease

CRP Is Elevated In Cardiac Disease Inflammation plays a key role in a wide variety of cardiac diseases.  In human medicine, the measurement of high-sensitivity CRP is used to predict the future development of heart disease (1,2). Similarly, an elevated inflammatory response (and hence CRP) is found in dogs.  Researchers have documented significant elevations of CRP in […] Read more »

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C-Reactive Protein & Infections

C-reactive protein (CRP), a general marker of the inflammatory response, correlates directly with both the severity and duration of the inflammatory stimulation.  One of the strongest responses is to an infection. Two recent publications demonstrate that CRP is useful to: Detect infections 6 days post-op Differentiate suppurative arthritis and osteoarthritis Detecting Post-Op Infections Reporting sensitivity/specificity […] Read more »

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CRP/Albumin Ration (CAR) as an outcome predictor in cancer patients

Background The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) is quickly finding ground as an outcome predictor in cancer. In both human and veterinary medicine, cancer mortality or complications arising from cancer is of major concern. In human medicine the use of CAR has been studied and found to be predictive of poor outcomes in a wide range of cancers, […] Read more »

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“Hypercalcemia of Malignancy” may not be due to malignancy

The term “hypercalcemia of malignancy” is routinely used when calcium is elevated and PTH is below normal, and for good reason— this situation is often a result of malignant neoplasia, particularly lymphoma, anal sac adenocarcinoma, or multiple myeloma.  However, many other diseases can fall into this category such as granulomatous disease, hyperthyroidism, vitamin D intoxication, and Addison’s […] Read more »

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Vitamin D & Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), an auto-immune disorder, is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation and can advance to protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), an often fatal disease.  Dogs with IBD are often low in vitamin D stores (25VitD) due to inappetence and/or impaired absorption. Studies (1,2) have found a correlation between the level of 25VitD and the canine […] Read more »

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Vitamin D & Obesity – Technical Brief

Obesity impacts vitamin D equilibrium.  Please review the tech brief below on how it applies to your Test & Treat patients. Contact VDI with any questions. Background: Vitamin D undergoes a series of enzymatic reactions ultimately becoming the active hormone calcitriol.  However, since vitamin D is fat soluble, it is readily taken up within the adipose tissue.  The adipose […] Read more »

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Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly linked to adverse outcomes

Cancer It has been reported that dogs and cats with lymphoma (2,11), mast cell tumors (5), hemangiosarcoma, carcinoma, histiocytic sarcoma, and other cancers (10,11,12) all have 25vitD values below 40ng/mL.  The relative risk of having cancer increases to almost 4x when 25vitD values are below 40ng/mL. Chronic Enteropathy (IBD) Disease severity and the incidence of chronic […] Read more »