Anaplasmosis: The Unsung Tick Disease Pets a Go Go: Tips for ...

4PetsMatter5Mites and Mangecontinued from page 1skin. Other symptoms are small redpustules and a yellow crust on theskin. If untreated, sores and infectionscan develop.According to Blake, “Some [infestations]look like a bad case of dandruff.”She adds, “Even mice, rats, and guineapigs can get mites. Their flakes sometimeslook red instead of white.”Blake advises pet owners to havetheir animals evaluated as soon as theynotice symptoms. “Symptoms of mitesoften are mistaken for allergies or skininfections,” she says.To determine whether your pet isinfected, your veterinarian will analyzeskin scrapings. However, some infectedanimals don’t test positive for mites,so negative scrapings don’t always ruleout mange.The goodnews is that mangeis treatable. There are topicalproducts on the market, aswell as a regimen of medicatedshampoo baths and body dipsthat may take care ofthe problem.TreatmentThe good news is that mange istreatable. There are topical productson the market, as well as a regimen ofmedicated shampoo baths and bodydips that may take care of the problem.Getting rid of mites can be difficult,and the medication can have sideeffects. However, Blake states that nohome remedies effectively treat mites.She also reminds owners that treatmentvaries depending on the type of miteyour pet has.Lowell Ackerman, DVM, of theAAHA-accredited Harvard clinic,Foster Hospital for Small Animals,concurs. “Each condition is treatedseparately so there are no ‘general’treatment recommendations.”Ackerman also points out that thetreatments available from veterinariansare safer than home remedies. “Someof the products available over the counterare much more toxic than veterinarypreparations.”A Word of CautionSarcoptic mange can affect humans.Ackerman emphasizes following yourveterinarian’s instructions, saying, “Itis important to protect family membersfrom infection, so proper treatment iscritical.”If you have contact with a mangeinfectedanimal, you may develop anitchy rash of small raised bumps on yourchest and abdomen. Usually this conditionis temporary and will go away oncethe animal has been treated. Consult aphysician if the problem persists.Additional ResourcesCompanion AnimalParasite Council:www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/scabies.htmlDog Owner’s Guide:www.canismajor.com/dog/mange1.htmlThe Pet Centerwww.thepetcenter.com/exa/mites.htmlThe Pet Health Library:www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=616Faces of the Veterinary ProfessionCancer Studies Put Khanna at Research Forefront“ Veterinarians don’t think or askquestions the same way as humandoctors,” says Chand Khanna,DVM, PhD, a senior scientist at theNational Cancer Institute (NCI), thefederal government’s principal agencyfor cancer research.“When I was pursuing my PhD atthe medical school of the University ofMinnesota, I learned that veterinariansthink differently from others in the biomedicalprofession,” Khanna explains.“Veterinarians are comfortable movingbetween different systems and species…I realized this could be a competitiveadvantage for veterinarians who wanteda career in biomedical research.”Dr. Khanna applied this unique perspectivewhen he first joined the NCI.“My initial focus was on a diseasecalled osteosarcoma, a bone cancercommon in children. It’s very similarto a cancer that I see and treat in petanimals, mostly dogs.”Khanna is head of the NCI’s ComparativeOncology Program in Bethesda,Md. Working with 17 veterinaryschools across the country, his team ofphysicians, veterinarians, and biomedicalresearchers offer cutting-edgetherapeutics to treat pet cats and dogs“I truly think we’re on the cusp of where we imagine cancer ina different way.” — Dr. Chand Khanna, pictured below with Bogie,one of his patientssuffering from cancer.Historically, treating cancer in petsevolved from knowledge learned fromtreating humans. Dr. Khanna’s comparativeoncology program essentiallyreverses this process.“We help the pet animal who is beingtreated today and, hopefully, a child withthe same disease some time in the future.”Khanna emphasizes that his researchdoes not harm or infect any animals.“We’re managing cancers in petsthat have already developed the diseaseand aren’t responding to conventionaltreatments. These pets don’t have otheroptions,” he says.Khanna also manages a laboratory atthe NCI focusing on metastasis, or howcancer spreads throughout the body.But he isn’t a stereotypic “ivory tower”researcher with his eye glued to a microscope.Khanna continues to be a practicingveterinarian, spending two days each weekat a clinic in Washington, D.C.“There are no approved drugs totreat dogs with cancer,” he says. “Thedrugs we use in our clinic are all approvedfor human use.”But with 12 million pet dogs andcats being diagnosed with cancer everyyear, Khanna is seeing significant improvementin the standards of care andsays that more change is on the way.“This is an exciting time for us,” headds. “I truly think we’re on the cusp ofwhere we imagine cancer in a differentway. Until today, veterinarians have onlybeen able to control or manage cancer inpets. But I believe we’ll soon be able tostart using the term ‘cure.’”Additional ResourcesNational Cancer Institute:http://www.cancer.gov/Comparative Oncology Program:ccr.cancer.gov/resources/cop/public.aspCancer Clues from Pet Dogs:ccr.cancer.gov/resources/cop/8-ScientificAmerican.pdf