Somewhat Interesting

[Notgivinup]

Dysautonomia in Dogs

Hmmm. Interesting.

toxin found in nature?

[iheartcats]

Dysautonomia in Dogs

Hmmm. Interesting.

toxin found in nature?

This is so interesting. I just found this article. Note it doesn't affect all dogs exposed (sound familiar)? What's sad is the dog/cat version is so untreatable.

"The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary body functions such as digestion, respiration, saliva production, blood pressure, gastrointestinal function, sweating and metabolism. Dr. Kenneth Harkin, associate professor of veterinary medicine at Kansas State University, said a disease, called dysautonomia, seen primarily in dogs in northeastern Kansas and Missouri kills by destroying this system. As the autonomic nervous system is destroyed, dogs lose digestive function, have trouble urinating completely, and vomit uncontrollably, among other signs.

"Only a few cases are mildly affected, where the dogs can be medicated and survive," Harkin said. "In general, it's almost routinely fatal."

Harkin said the cause for dysautonomia is unknown; therefore, there is no prevention available. Harkin said one of the prevailing theories is that it is the result of a clostridial toxin, possibly from Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum is a soil-borne bacteria that can be found in rotting food and decaying flesh and may produce a variety of toxins. He said some of those toxins can kill nerves. Harkin said clostridial toxin production may be geographically limited, which would explain why the disease is primarily seen in Kansas and Missouri.

Harkin said the only research on dysautonomia being done is at K-State and the University of Missouri, because these are the only two states affected. He said it's difficult to acquire funding for canine dysautonomia research since the disease is not a nationwide epidemic and has no human equivalent.

He said the disease is common in the area and estimates Kansas has about 100 cases per year, most in the northeastern corner of the state. Most of the dogs affected are younger than 2 years of age and come from a rural environment.

One aspect of dysautonomia that makes the cause of the disease especially difficult to identify is that it does not affect all exposed dogs."

[iheartcats]

You know how certain diseases humans get - like Sickle Cell Anemia if they have two copies of a bad gene - yet if they have one copy they are protected from Malaria? Per Wikipedia (hey, it's quick to look up, but this is the general idea):

"A heterozygote advantage (heterozygous advantage) describes the case in which the heterozygote genotype has a higher relative fitness than either the homozygote dominant or homozygote recessive genotype. This selection favoring the heterozygote is one of the mechanisms that maintain polymorphism and help to explain some kinds of genetic variability. There are several cases in which the heterozygote conveys certain advantages and some disadvantages while both versions of homozygotes are only at disadvantages. A well-established case of heterozygote advantage is that of the gene involved in sickle cell anaemia."

I wonder if some forms of Dysautonomia/POTS could be somewhat genetic related (ie: certain forms/copies of a gene protect you say from Botulism but certain forms/extra copies make you prone to POTS)

I just find it intriguing they think a toxin could be causing Dysautonomia in pets...and humans went through a huge plagues relating to a toxin yet some made it/were unaffected.

Any scientists want to chime in?

[Tammy]

Hmmm, after reading this I'm wondering if we should all be taking Niacin! If it works for a pet, couldn't it help us too?

[Notgivinup]

Hmmm, after reading this I'm wondering if we should all be taking Niacin! If it works for a pet, couldn't it help us too?

I know, I was thinking the same thing, but am to afraid to try.

Eric........Rama.......what are your thoughts?

[firewatcher]

I've been on both omega 3 and Niacin for over a year for my HDL/LDL cholesterol ratios. I have not noticed a difference. I know that B vitamins cause strange things to go on with my symptoms, so I avoid them.

[juliegee]

"He said it's difficult to acquire funding for canine dysautonomia research since the disease is not a nationwide epidemic and has no human equivalent."

No human equivalent??? What are we- chopped liver? Am I missing something?

[MightyMouse]

Actually, veterinarians probably understand and treat more dysautonomias than their human MD counterparts. My local pharmacy had florinef in stock the first time I was on it b/c 3 local dogs got their Rx's at the same pharmacy as me. Meanwhile, I've been their only human florinef taker.

Nina

[firewatcher]

About the "human equivalent," many researchers have done experiments on the brains and nerves on animals and hoped it would translate to human conditions only to find that human brains are completely different in synapse and response to identical neurotransmitters. This canine dysautonomia seems that it would most closely correlate to rapidly progressing MSA or PAF.

The difficult and frustrating thing about diseases in animals versus people is that the treatments and progression often do translate from animal to human models, except for our nervous systems and brains. Until there is a human test, which is often dangerous or unethical, we won't know if a therapy is effective for us.

Chopped liver is better understood than the human brain.

[erik]

Hmmm, yum. Copped liver. Very nutrient rich too.

I take niacin sometimes. I've tried various styles. I am an odd one in that I like the "flush" so I prefer the cheap straight niacin. Most that I see are "no flush" which I guess means slow release??? I don't know. I did bump in to a study about no-flush niacin being able to tamp down on blood sugar and/or cholesterol (a.k.a. pre-diabedes use) but it found that some folks had trouble handling the dose that was required (either liver or kidney troubles, I forget which). So I shy away from more than episodic use of that. If I can find that study, I'll post it. I don't recall what dose they were dealing with, but if I recall correctly the issue did not come up with the non-no-flush variety, but folks have to ramp up a tolerance to that slowly to avoid major flush.

Anyway, it fits in with "being active" at times for me. I sense either a slight bit of extra energy or impetus. I also have used it post sunburn and got the impression that it might have helped me get the natural flushing process of sunburn over with quicker by adding to it with the niacin... just a mild subjective sense, nothing too meaningful. Some folks hate the flush effect. They say people build tolerance to that so it should diminish with continued use.

I don't recall a specific study showing "enhanced energy" or whatever, but it might do a little of that and I think it tends to show up in modest amount in "energy drinks" which tend to be marketed in a manner that "alludes to" research (in a non-definitive way) like most supplements.

Interesting to see it in a dysautonomia context. I don't personally notice a huge effect, but who knows... maybe it can be helpful for some.