Gene therapy canine studies promising for muscular dystrophy, retinitis pigmentosa
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(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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Gene therapy treatment in dogs with late-stage retinitis pigmentosa halted photoreceptor cell degeneration, stalling disease progression for the 2.5-year study duration even in severe cases, according to a study of dogs with the disorder published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In another study, dogs with a type of muscular dystrophy similar to that seen in people responded to gene therapy, developing normally within a few months of treatment. BioPharmaReporter.com
(11/6), HealthDay News
(11/2)
Eye drops melt cataracts, restore partial vision
In mice with cataracts, a sterol eye drop dissolved some of the cataract, restoring some vision. The drops also successfully restored transparency in some human lenses. "There are about 100 million people in the world that are currently blind from cataracts because of lack of access to the surgical procedure," said researcher Jason Gestwicki of the University of California at San Francisco. "A topical treatment with good shelf life that requires minimal training is really what is needed." Quartz
(11/8), Chemistry World magazine online
(11/6)
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D.C. officials warn of parvo uptick
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(Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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Health officials in the District of Columbia are warning veterinarians and pet owners of a spike in canine parvovirus cases. There were 24 confirmed infections documented between June and October. Veterinarian Katy Nelson said infections have been seen in puppies that are too young to have started or completed vaccination against the disease, and she urged owners whose dogs are not fully protected to take precautions. WTOP-FM (Washington, D.C.)
(11/6)
How age, feeding frequency affect canine sleep patterns
Research examining how age and meal frequency affect dogs' sleep patterns found older dogs tended to take more naps during the day, though those naps were not longer than younger dogs', and they slept longer at night than younger dogs. Dogs who were fed twice a day napped longer at a time than those fed once daily, but those fed more often tended to sleep less at night, waking earlier than dogs that were fed only once per day. The Bark online
(11/6)
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