August 8, 2012

White Dog and The White Dog Army

Wonderful World Wednesday

White Dog hopped up on my lap and read the computer screen. “Look, momma,” she said excitedly, “Another wonderful example of how many more lives are saved when we all work together to treat medical problems!”

Transitional studies, or comparative research, is finding its way more and more into mainstream medicine for humans and pets. The idea is that veterinarians and human doctors work together to investigate illness, analyze shared data, and develop new approaches for treatments that are effective for both two- and four-leggeds.

It is an incredible approach to curing disease and to advancing therapies…bridging species to attack the root fact that sickness is sickness. It is the backbone of the mission of 2MillionDogs, for whom the White Dog Army works so passionately. It is our thought that if we understand that cancer is cancer
(not dog cancer or man cancer or cat cancer but malignant evil cells)  then we are freed to look for commonalities and causes and advances without regard to  fur or skin or fingers or paws. That is the basis for comparative oncology…a new hope, a new reason to dare to dream.

And if it holds that cancer is cancer, then why not epilepsy? Or diabetes? Or arthritis? Why can’t a treatment to save humans from poisoning also be effective on pups? Turns out it can…

New Procedure Saves Bay Area Dog Poisoned By Mushrooms
July 16, 2012 7:47 PM CBS San Francisco

BERKELEY (KCBS) — Veterinarians in Berkeley teamed up with a Santa Cruz doctor to save a dog who was poisoned by mushrooms. Their procedure may also be used to help save human lives.

Kasey, a two-year-old Mini Australian shepherd, ate death cap mushrooms at an oak grove in Healdsburg two weeks ago. Owner Helen Abel of Richmond was told her dog would die like so many mushroom eating dogs before him.

That’s when veterinarians at Pets Referral Center in Berkeley tried something new which lead to Kasey being saved, much to his owner’s amazement.

“First we actually couldn’t believe it. I just kept looking at him, you know, because he kept getting better and better. We were just thrilled. It was very emotional,” Abel said.

She said there was a celebration for the pooch when he made it home.

During Kasey’s ordeal, the veterinarians found out that Dr. Todd Mitchell at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz happened to be conducting a clinical trial of a new drug that is saving people with mushroom poisoning.

Mitchell suggested draining the toxic bile from the dog’s gallbladder, which worked. Mitchell said he will try that new technique on people, especially in developing countries where the drug isn’t available.

Doctors are saying Kasey could go down in history as a wonder dog that helped discover a new way of saving the lives of pets and humans.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved)