Even our furry friends can get the terminal illnesses that are sadly so prevalent amongst us humans. Dogs aged 10 years and over are second only to humans in the likeliness that they will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. Scientists at the University of Vienna in Austria have for the first time developed antibodies to treat cancer in dogs which is called immunotherapy.
Just like with humans, cancer in dogs can come from complex causes. Factors such as the type of interaction they have with their environment, food consumption and genetic disposition can all be explored to determine such a cause. For 20 years this treatment has been successfully established in humans and this procedure is set to have very positive outcomes for canines as well.
Antibodies are used to treat tumours in humans and since cancer cells bear specific antigens on the surface, the corresponding antibodies bind to these molecules and thus inhibit tumour growth. The mechanism that becomes effective is a destructive signal sent by the antibody to the inside of the cancer cell and initiates its elimination.
Interestingly, scientists also discovered that a receptor frequently found on human tumor cells is nearly 100% identical to that found within dogs.
This newly developed antibody provides an additional benefit for dogs and expectations are that dogs will tolerate these anti-cancer antibodies possibly even better than us humans.
Many of our pet sitters will happily administer medication to your dog if needed so don’t hesitate to mention this during the Meet & Greet.