Learning from Disease in Pets: A 'One Health' Model for Discovery

by Rebecca A. Krimins (Editor)

Overview

Learning from Disease in Pets: A ‘One Health’ Model for Discovery is the first encompassing reference guide for veterinarians, researchers and physicians on conducting studies using spontaneous models of disease in animals. The study of naturally occurring disease in (pet) animals can help model our understanding of the biology, prevention and therapy of human and animal diseases. Studies of pet dogs, for instance, can aid treatment of complex medical problems such as cancer, orthopedic, cardiopulmonary, and neuro-inflammatory diseases, and zoonotic infections. Each chapter within this novel cross-species approach is contributed by a leader, or leaders, in their field of research.

Using clinical trials to learn how pets with real diseases respond to therapy can lead to breakthroughs in human medicine, as well as benefiting pets suffering from otherwise debilitating illness. Despite similarities of diseases across species, there are very few spontaneous models of disease used in research compared with models where disease is induced in healthy laboratory animals. Many medical researchers and veterinarians have a multitude of questions regarding how to use naturally occurring diseases in pets for the discovery of treatments and diagnostics: this book will demonstrate how to safely make this happen.

This book encourages veterinarians to build on and disseminate existing findings for the wider benefit of pets and humans. Many pets suffering from incurable illnesses may benefit from clinical trials; the book includes a section on the imperative communication styles necessary within the research environment and with clients, a compelling discussion on the ethics of using pets in veterinary clinical research, comprehensive tables of diseases that spontaneously occur in animals and humans, the regulatory requirements necessary to move therapy from benchside research to patient bedside, as well as intricate details on how to design a robust clinical study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367173166
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	11/26/2020
Series:	CRC One Health One Welfare
Pages:	306
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dr. Rebecca Krimins is an Assistant Professor in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, with additional appointments in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology. A native of Annapolis, Maryland, Dr. Krimins completed her veterinary anesthesia and analgesia residency at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Krimins has more than 15 years of experience in managing critically ill patients during advanced imaging procedures and conducting cutting-edge clinical studies. Dr. Krimins’ specialty in veterinary anesthesia, sedation and pain management in combination with her experience in directing advanced clinical research offers each veterinary patient the best opportunities for diagnosis and therapy. Dr. Krimins works closely with each patient's personal veterinarian and pet family to ensure accurate and timely results that are crucial for therapeutic options. The Veterinary Clinical Trials Network at Johns Hopkins University is designed to leverage the expertise and platforms available at Johns Hopkins University in order to transform newly discovered diagnostics and therapeutics into real-life practical approaches that benefit veterinary patients

Table of Contents

Foreword by Chand Khanna, Ethos Veterinary. The Contribution of Pets to Human and Veterinary Medicine. Companion Animals Models of Human Disease. Specific Diseases of Large Animals and Man. Cancer Research is Leading the Way. Investment Dynamics in the World of Pharma. How to Perform Research in Spontaneous Models of Disease. The Use of Animals in Research. DNA Methods in Veterinary Medicine. The Importance of Collecting Tissue from Pets. The FDA New Animal Drug Approval Process. Clinical Trials, Patient Recruitment and Advertising. One Health: Animals, Humans and Our Planet. Communications and Expectations. Ethical Considerations. Appendix A: Funding for Veterinary Clinical Research. Appendix B: Resources for Veterinary Clinical Research (also available as online Download).

Editorial Reviews

The inclusion of naturally occurring disease in pet animals is an attractive and increasingly recognized approach to model our understanding of the biology, prevention and therapy of human disease. In this text, successful examples of this cross-species approach are reviewed in a variety of therapeutic areas, including the notable progress in oncology.

— Chand Khanna, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Onc), DACVP (Hon), Chief Science Officer, Ethos Veterinary Health, and President, Ethos Discovery

The inclusion of naturally occurring disease in pet animals is an attractive and increasingly recognized approach to model our understanding of the biology, prevention and therapy of human disease. In this text, successful examples of this cross-species approach are reviewed in a variety of therapeutic areas, including the notable progress in oncology.

— Chand Khanna, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Onc), DACVP (Hon), Chief Science Officer, Ethos Veterinary Health, and President, Ethos Discovery

From the Publisher

Reviewer: William E Sander, DVM, MPH, BA (University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine)
Description: The book highlights the potential advantages and disadvantages in utilizing typical pets (e.g., dogs and cats) in models of disease particularly for spontaneous disease. The comprehensive approach includes economic factors, ethical and regulatory limitations, as well as practicality and feasibility in outlining the benefits to people and pets. The topics covered adequately include all necessary components in this type of approach and put them into approachable and digestible chapters that provide a quick reference while including many deeper references for additional reading on those topics.
Purpose: The purpose of the book is to highlight where clinical medicine is now in drug development and application to both animals and people, specifically focusing on the role of pets that could be utilized to a greater extent. This book adds significantly to the literature in collating information about this topic and providing a primer for those interested in utilizing pets to advance clinical medicine. Although the initial chapter sets the stage to an extent, it is not clear from the outset what the specific purpose of the book is without a preface or introduction.
Audience: The book does not specifically outline the audience, but the content is generally aimed at academicians in both human and veterinary medicine as well as potentially graduate and professional students interested in the field. The intended audience would certainly benefit from the topics presented and provide a solid grounding for clinical applications moving forward. With the editor's appointment at a leading public health institution and background in veterinary medicine, she provides a comprehensive perspective. Most of the contributing authors come from the veterinary field but represent diverse backgrounds that add substantively to the book.
Features: Overall, I enjoyed how the book is laid out including key topics that would otherwise not be a consideration. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on investment dynamics as it provides a solid understanding of net present value, return on investment, patents, and the advantages of pursuing pharmaceuticals for pets. This chapter includes important technical aspects and vocabulary without becoming too bogged down. Additionally, the chapter on clinical trials and recruitment approaches the topic in a very practical manner with concrete examples of how to go about this and some of the associated pitfalls. Although a well-written chapter as far as completeness, the chapter on One Health as a whole felt odd and not in line with the rest of the book as it attempted to too broadly tackle more than the purpose of the book. I appreciated the quick reference tables and the length of the chapters but felt some figures were too small in formatting and text to be useful or readable.
Assessment: This book is a needed contribution to the field of clinical medicine. To my knowledge, no other book tries to address clinical applications in using pets as the models. Many peer-reviewed papers have highlighted different aspects included in this book, but this book brings it all together in an approachable and digestible format for those in the field of clinical medicine.

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