Gene therapy in veterinary medicine.

Gene therapy in simple terms is the introduction of a gene into a cell, in vivo, in order to ameliorate a disease process. Human clinical trials have focused on the correction of monogenic deficiency diseases, cancer and AIDS. This paper summarises the technology of gene therapy, gives a brief synopsis of the current applications of gene therapy to veterinary medicine and discusses some of the problems which need to be overcome so that gene therapy can become accepted clinical practice.     

Ethical dilemmas in veterinary medicine.

Veterinarians frequently encounter situations that are morally charged and potentially difficult to manage. Situation involving euthanasia, end-of-life care, economics, and inadequate provision of care create practical and moral dilemmas. Ethical tension may be attributable to differences in beliefs regarding the moral value of animals, client and veterinary responsibilities, and deciding what is best for an animal. Veterinarians can employ communication skills used in medical situations to explore the reasons underpinning ethical dilemmas and to search for solutions with clients, staff, and colleagues.     

Recombinant vaccine technology in veterinary medicine.

Recombinant technology is relatively new to veterinary medicine. It combines safety, purity, potency, and efficacy in the vaccine. Its positive features include not exposing the vaccinate to the pathogen, the lack of need for adjuvants, and stability that allows some vaccine to remain viable at ambient temperatures. These recombinants can receive multiple genetic inserts and present an opportunity to have multiple combination vaccines for use in animals. Licensed recombinant vaccines in veterinary medicine include those protecting against Lyme disease, pseudorabies, rabies, canine distemper, Newcastle disease, and a strain of avian influenza.     

Pharmacologic management in veterinary behavioral medicine.

As our knowledge expands, behavioral pharmacology plays an increasingly important role in behavioral medicine. Drugs traditionally categorized as anxiolytics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and hormones may be used to help manage a range of animal behavioral problems. Knowledge of how these agents act in the body and interact with other agents is imperative for safe and efficacious use.     

Sample taking in invertebrate veterinary medicine.

Invertebrates are important as pets of the 1990s but more so from economic, pest, and conservation perspectives. Since diagnosis by clinical examination is often taxing in these species, sample taking provides valuable insight into disease processes. Infection and parasitic diseases can be diagnosed by techniques from simple microscopy through to polymerase chain reaction technology. Cytology, hematology, and clinical chemistry, although not widely practiced, can provide critical baseline data in a disease investigation.     

New chemotherapy agents in veterinary medicine.

Several anticancer drugs have been added to the therapeutic armamentarium in recent years. Some of these agents are traditional drugs with a long history of use in human oncology. Increased sophistication in clinical trial design in veterinary oncology has allowed the incorporation of agents previously viewed as excessively toxic. Other agents have been developed more recently. This article summarizes the veterinary experience with two older alkylating agents, lomustine and streptozocin, and newer compounds ifosfamide and gemcitabine. The published literature regarding veterinary use of these agents is limited, and the reader is advised to contact a veterinary oncologist for current guidelines when contemplating use of these agents.