The use of complementary and alternative therapies in dogs and cats with cancer.

The use of complementary and alternative medical therapies is becoming widespread. The objective of this study was to examine the use of complementary and alternative therapies in dogs and cats with cancer. The types of modalities used, the intended purpose for each modality, sources of information pet owners used, and the level of interest in these modalities were all evaluated. Information was obtained by written survey, and 254 owners agreed to participate. Complementary and alternative therapy use was commonplace, with 76% of surveyed owners reporting some use. When prayer for health reasons was excluded, the number of owners reporting use dropped to 65%. Nutritional supplements were the most commonly used therapy.

Evaluation of the effects of dietary n-3 fatty acid supplementation on the pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin in dogs with lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of dietary n-3 fatty acids on the pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin in dogs with lymphoma. ANIMALS: 23 dogs with lymphoma in stages IIIa, IVa, and Va. PROCEDURE: Dogs receiving doxorubicin chemotherapy were randomly allocated to receive food with a high (test group) or low (control group) content of n-3 fatty acids. Serum doxorubicin and doxorubicinol concentrations were measured via high-performance liquid chromatography before and 6 to 9 weeks after initiation of the diets. Lymph node concentrations of doxorubicin were assessed 6 hours after the initial treatment. Dogs' body composition was assessed by means of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans. RESULTS: No significant differences in doxorubicin pharmacokinetics were detected between treatment groups. Significant differences existed between the first and second sampling times among all dogs for area under the curve, maximum serum concentration, and clearance. Differences in body composition did not affect measured pharmacokinetic variables. The terminal elimination half-life was longer in dogs in which a long-term remission was achieved than in dogs that did not have remission. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dietary supplementation of n-3 fatty acids is common in veterinary patients with neoplasia, but supplementation did not affect doxorubicin pharmacokinetics in this population of dogs. Explanations for the beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids other than alterations in the pharmacokinetics of chemotherapy drugs should be investigated. Dogs may metabolize drugs differently prior to remission of lymphoma than when in remission. The pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin at the time of the first administration may predict response to treatment.

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in canine appendicular osteosarcomas.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs and it has a high mortality rate from distant metastatic disease. Targeted adjuvant therapies are needed to prolong currently achievable survival times. The role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in carcinogenesis has been attributed to the production of prostaglandins and involvement in apoptosis, immune surveillance, and angiogenesis. COX-2 is up-regulated in a number of different human and animal epithelial tumors, but data about its function in mesenchymal tumors is lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate COX-2 expression in canine appendicular osteosarcomas and to identify if a relationship exists between the intensity of COX-2 expression and clinicopathologic outcome. Of 44 osteosarcomas analyzed, 34 (77.3%) were positive for COX-2 expression. Most of the positive cases (88%) had poor to moderate COX-2 staining. Dogs that had strong COX-2 expression had significantly decreased overall survival time (P = .0107). The median survival times for dogs with negative (n = 10), poor (n = 19), moderate (n = 11), and strong (n = 4) expression were 423, 399, 370, and 86 days, respectively. Additional studies are warranted to further evaluate COX-2 in osteosarcoma for its prognostic value and as a target for adjuvant therapy.