When are opinions actually science?

Traditionally, opinions and science are hardly placed in the same sentence.

It's either proven (up to the limits of the measurable) or not proven.

It's either tested in a reproducible way or it's not.

It's either science. Or opinion.

But can you measure opinions?

Actually yes, any you can also make statistics out of it. The interface between qualitative and qualitative research.

Well, the second question is then: What can you have an opion on?

A lot of things, it turns out. Including if your vet made a good job or not.

And funny enough, who is having an opinion is not even the patient. It's the owner of the patient.

Crazy crazy world we live in.

A third question then comes spontanously: can this be considered a clinical trial?

Enjoy this week's newsletter!

Reviews

Extracellular Vesicles in Kidney Disease: A Veterinary Perspective

In their latest review, Lawson and Williams from the Royal Veterinary College , UK, explored the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in kidney disease, focusing on their diagnostic and therapeutic potential in veterinary medicine. EVs, which contain proteins and RNA reflecting their cell of origin, are abundant in the urine of dogs and cats. These vesicles offer promising biomarkers for kidney disease and may serve as vehicles for therapeutic delivery in kidney injury. The review also discusses bioengineering possibilities for EVs, highlighting their potential to revolutionize kidney disease treatment in veterinary patients.

Jack S. Lawson, Timothy L. Williams. Extracellular vesicles in kidney disease – a veterinary perspective. The Veterinary Journal, 2024, 106247, ISSN 1090-0233, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106247.

Trained Immunity: A Game-Changer in Immunotherapy

Trained immunity refers to the ability of the immune system to develop long-lasting protection after brief exposure to an infectious agent or vaccine. In their review, Salauddin et al. from the Khulna Agricultural University , Bangladesh, explain how this revolutionary concept has the potential to transform vaccine development and infectious disease control. By inducing epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming, trained immunity enhances the immune system's response to future infections. Though more research is needed to fully understand its mechanisms, trained immunity holds great promise for advancing immunotherapeutic strategies in clinical practice.

Salauddin, M., Nath, S.K., Saha, S. et al. Trained immunity: a revolutionary immunotherapeutic approach. Animal Diseases 4, 31 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44149-024-00138-7

Dogs

Owner Expectations for Antibiotic Use in Canine Diarrhea: A Study from Denmark

This study from Gravgaard et al., University of Copenhagen (K?benhavns Universitet) , Denmark, investigates dog owners' expectations regarding antibiotic prescriptions for acute diarrhea and compares them with veterinarians' perceptions. Conducted through interviews and questionnaires in Denmark, the results showed that only 7% of owners expected antibiotics, while veterinarians perceived this expectation in 9% of cases. Most owners were satisfied with the consultation, even when antibiotics were not prescribed. The findings suggest that veterinarians can confidently follow guidelines for non-antibiotic approaches while maintaining high owner satisfaction.

A.S. Gravgaard, L.R. Jessen, C.R. Bj?rnvad, P.L. Heidemann, K.J. Christensen, E.K.S. Kristensen, N. Dupont. Owner expectations regarding antimicrobial prescription for canine acute diarrhea: A prospective observational study from the capital of Denmark. The Veterinary Journal. Volume 308, 2024, 106243, ISSN 1090-0233, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106243.

CB2 Receptor Expression in Canine Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Clinical and Pathological Study

According to a study from Valentina Rinaldi et al. from the Università degli Studi di Teramo , Italy, the expression of the cannabinoid 2 receptor (CB2R) can be detected in canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common lymphoma in dogs. Using immunohistochemistry and digital pathology, CB2R expression was assessed in 15 dogs with DLBCL. The results indicate that CB2R is expressed in DLBCL, but there was no correlation with clinical outcomes, suggesting further research is needed to explore its role in canine lymphoma prognosis and treatment.

Valentina Rinaldi, Lorenzo Ressel, Laura Bongiovanni, Paolo Emidio Crisi, Andrea Boari, David Killick, Roberto Chiocchetti, Riccardo Finotello. Cannabinoid receptor-2 expression in canine multicentric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: An immunohistochemical, digital pathology and clinical analysis. Research in Veterinary Science, 2024, 105411, ISSN 0034-5288, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105411.

I am Davide - Founder & CEO of Lab4Paws s. With my life science company I help #AnimalHealth scientists develop therapeutic & diagnostic solutions for companion animals and work to reduce animal testing for human drug development.

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