Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Mixed results of stem cell therapy for dogs with acute distemper
By Pinheiro, A O et al.·Published in Genetics and molecular research : GMR·2016·Laborató·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Controversial results of therapy with mesenchymal stem cells in the acute phase of canine distemper disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eight dogs with canine distemper disease, a serious viral infection, were treated to see if mesenchymal stem cell therapy could help. The dogs were divided into two groups: one received standard supportive care, while the other received both supportive care and stem cell therapy. Unfortunately, both groups experienced high mortality rates, with four dogs from the supportive care group and two from the stem cell group not surviving. The study found that the stem cell treatment did not significantly improve outcomes during the acute phase of the disease, highlighting the severity of canine distemper.
People also search for: dog distemper treatment · canine distemper symptoms · stem cell therapy for dogs · high mortality in dogs with distemper
Abstract
Distemper disease is an infectious disease reported in several species of domestic and wild carnivores. The high mortality rate of animals infected with canine distemper virus (CDV) treated with currently available therapies has driven the study of new efficacious treatments. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy is a promising therapeutic option for many degenerative, hereditary, and inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize stem cells derived from the canine fetal olfactory epithelium and to assess the systemic response of animals infected with CDV to symptomatic therapy and treatment with MSCs. Eight domestic mongrel dogs (N = 8) were divided into two groups: support group (SG) (N = 5) and support group + cell therapy (SGCT) (N = 3), which were monitored over 15 days. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 6, 9, 12, and 15 to assess blood count and serum biochemistry (urea, creatinine, alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, total protein, albumin, and globulin), and urine samples were obtained on days 0 and 15 for urinary evaluation (urine I). The results showed a high mortality rate (SG = 4 and SGCT = 2), providing inadequate data on the clinical course of CDV infection. MSC therapy resulted in no significant improvement when administered during the acute phase of canine distemper disease, and a prevalence of animals with high mortality rate was found in both groups due to the severity of symptoms.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27323085/