Changing Medicine “The rapid growth of genetics research and how it can help our pets.”
Medicine is constantly changing and scientists are looking for new ways to diagnose and treat diseases. One area that is growing very rapidly is the area of genetics.
This research is developing in many different ways. One area is in the ability to predict genetic problems in different breeds of dogs. The breeders have jumped on this band wagon so that hopefully we can eliminate some of genetic diseases that are passed on from generation to generation. Some of these diseases include progressive retinal atrophy (eyes are genetically programmed to go blind) in Dachshunds and Springer Spaniels, renal disease in Corgis and Setters, and Von Willebrand’s disease (bleeding disorder) in multiple canine breeds, etc.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition® has been using what they call nutrigenomics to change the aging process of dogs through the foods they have and are developing. What they have found is certain genetic markers turn on and off as dogs mature. They have used this knowledge to go back nutritionally and change the aging process. At present they have identified over 40,000 markers that they are watching to see how they affect the dogs as they age. Some of the more remarkable results of this research have resulted in Prescription Diet b/d® diet which not only slows dementia, it reverses the clinical signs.
They have created a formula (Prescription Diet j/d®) that stops arthritis, and stimulates cartilage growth in the joints and cause the cartilage to absorb water to create the cushion effect again. They have also identified genes that are involved with obesity, and by turning these genes on and off, found a way to help weight loss with Prescription Diet r/d.
Another company, The Mars Veterinary Company, has used this technology to determine what breeds of dogs are incorporated in those mixed breed dogs through a test called a Wisdom Panel. They have found that by taking a few samples from your pet they can send you back a list of all the different breeds present.
Genetic technology is also beginning to be used in diagnosing different diseases through the genetic makeup of the organism itself, be it a bacteria, virus, rickettsia or fungus. This has the potential of making huge strides in our diagnosis of multiple diseases.
Genetics are an exciting new area of research and we will continue to stay on the cutting edge of this research so that we can continue to offer our client the best science and medicine has to offer.
Of all the environmental factors that we are exposed to on a daily basis, food is arguably one of the most important which ultimately determines our health or disease.
Nutrigenomics is the science of how nutrients or food can affect the health at the genomic (chromosomal/genetic) level. Historically our understanding of the etiology (cause) of disease has often languished on the “Is it nature or is it nurture?” debate.
Do the genes you are born with control your overall health or do environmental factors determine the presence or absence of disease? Newly available scientific methods and technologies have provided the tools that are going to allow us to start answering this question. As you might expect, neither ‘nature’ nor ‘nurture’ can fully explain the complex metabolic processes that ultimately determine health.
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