Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid EAB-277® Supplementation Improved Heart Rate Variability and Clinical Signs in Tracheal Collapse Dogs

Assessment of MMP-9 and clinical characteristics in dogs with tracheal collapse based on cough severity and fluoroscopic findings: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Tracheal collapse (TC), a common disease in dogs, is characterized by cough; however, little is known about the serum biomarkers that can objectively evaluate the severity of cough in canine TC. Furthermore, studies elucidating the relationship of fluoroscopic characteristics with the severity of cough are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between cough severity and clinical characteristics, fluoroscopic images, and new serum biomarkers in canine TC.

RESULTS

Fifty-one client-owned dogs diagnosed with TC based on fluoroscopic and clinical signs were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups according to the severity of cough (grade of cough: 0, 1, and 2). Signalments, comorbidities, and fluoroscopic characteristics were compared among the groups retrospectively. The serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), interleukin-6 (IL-6), surfactant protein-A (SP-A), and syndecan-1 (SDC-1) levels were measured in all groups. No significant differences in age, breed, sex, or clinical history were observed among the groups. Concomitant pharyngeal collapse increased significantly with the severity of cough (p = .031). Based on the fluoroscopic characteristics, the TC grade of the carinal region increased significantly and consistently with the grade of cough (p = .03). The serum MMP-9 level was significantly higher in the grade 2 group than that in the grade 0 group (p = .014). The serum IL-6 level was significantly lower in the grade 1 group than that in the grade 0 group (p = .020). The serum SP-A and SDC-1 levels did not differ significantly among the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The severity of cough with the progression of TC can be predicted with the fluoroscopic TC grade at the carinal region. MMP-9 may be used as an objective serum biomarker that represents cough severity to understand the pathogenesis.

Preliminary Study on Treatment Outcomes and Prednisolone Tapering after Marine Lipid Extract EAB-277 Supplementation in Dogs with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a common autoimmune disorder in dogs with a high fatality rate and it remains a therapeutic challenge. The marine lipid extract, EAB-277, is a natural anti-inflammatory nutraceutical product. However, the effects of EAB-277 in IMHA dogs has rarely been investigated. The objective of this study is to assess the clinical effects of EAB-277 and prednisolone dose-tapering for supplemental therapy in IMHA dogs. Prednisolone was given to 18 anemic IMHA dogs according to a standard regimen. Six dogs were supplementally treated with EAB-277 for 28 days and the remaining twelve dogs were a control group of untreated supplementations. The results demonstrate that the supplement group showed slightly better survival rates (66.7 ± 19.2%) than the control group (16.7 ± 0.7%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.408). When compared to pre-therapy, the supplement group's blood profiles improved (p < 0.05). The EAB-277 treated group showed a moderate decrease in the incidence rate (4.20 times) of prednisolone tapering compared to the control group. The dosage reduction of prednisolone in supplement group was more than that in the control group (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest that EAB-277 supplementation may enhance clinical outcomes and lessen prednisolone dose-tapering in canine IMHA therapy.