New treatments for cat / dog / pet allergy, vaccinations and novel medicines - examples what the future may hold

The pet-allergy dilemma is discussed in the Swedish newspaper http://www.expressen.se

http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/dilemmat/1.2324347/dilemmat-del-4-kattallergi

I am sure many Will there be any new treatments coming for reducing the burden of allergy and allergic symptoms in the future? The answer to that question is surely yes, but the weakness is that it is difficult and expensive to register new medicines, and “market reality” influence decisions within the pharmaceutical industry. Fortunately, allergic rhinitis (Hay Fever) and asthma are usually efficiently treated with inhaled and nasal medicines, such as glucocorticoids. For allergic rhinitis, the nasal glucocorticoids  are complemented with antihistamines (allergy tablets). Most patients with only allergic rhinitis are efficiently treated with these medications, but a very large proportion of patients is uncontrolled despite using combinations of the different medications currently available. I really hope that the industry invests in finding new and even more effective medications that may even be disease modifying (making severe disease milder, or maybe even curing milder disease). BUT, it will probably take at least five years before any new revolutionary medication becomes available.

A vast series of new medications are being tested for the treatment of allergic disease, and have been reported over the last few years. Here are a few “random” examples.

New types of vaccines are being tested airway allergy, including cat allergy. http://bit.ly/ie4KMl Basically, these vaccines contain cat allergen, but only the part of the allergen that will help in the vaccination process without causing side-effects.

Influencing the balance of the immune system by activating systems that otherwise defend us against pathogens such as viruses, is another way to prevent progression of allergic disease: http://bit.ly/h4G5tp . This has been tested in experimental animal models, and have resulted in a long-term attenuation of signs of allergic airway disease.

Allergic symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes and blocked nose are caused by the release of histamine and other chemicals that irritates the mucosa and activates the immune system. New drugs that have the capacity to totally block such immediate reactions have been tested and. These molecules have been shown to reduce symptoms induced by exposure to pollen http://bit.ly/eoarGT, and could also possibly block reactions in different allergic diseases, as they effectively block also other histamine releasing cells in the blood http://bit.ly/h2Ptoe.

In other words, science is moving forward rapidly, and hopefully the future will provide us with better medications against many allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy and skin allergies.

FROM A PREVIOUS BLOG, about anti-IgE for treating cat-allergy, very expensive but efficient:

Investigators in the US and Canada are reporting on a study where they have exposed individuals with a history of cat-induced asthma to the allergen in a controlled room environment.

http://bit.ly/e5zH2i

Then they have allocated the patients treatments with either placebo or Omalizumab (anti-IgE, market name Xolair), which reduces the binding of IgE to mast cells. A good protective effect could be observed with the anti-IgE therapy, reducing the drop in lung function with close to 50%. Symptoms from the eyes and nose were also overall reduced with the anti-IgE therapy, which reduction in number of sneezes recorded. In a clinical setting, anti-IgE can really reduce allergic symptoms, and it is a pity that it is such a very expensive therapy, varying from USD7000-USD40000 / year (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0115/p341.html). Even though the therapy is effective, it is certainly very difficult to prove cost-effectiveness unless the treated patient has severe allergic asthma with repeated exacerbations.

Blocking IgE can also be used to protect patients against side effects during allergen immunotherapy (allergen vaccination: http://bit.ly/htKUF0). With such approaches, it is possible that immunotherapy could be further enhanced, and could allow more severely allergic individuals to be treated with such approaches. It is also likely that the very allergic individuals would tolerate higher doses of immunotherapy, with possibly greater efficacy. This aspect is further discussed here http://bit.ly/gjWmQ9 .

Omalizumab is a monoclonal antibody, and is obviously expensive to produce, and has been expensive to develop as a therapy. However, if it became less costly, a vast population of allergic individuals would be likely to benefit with this treatment.

http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/dilemmat/1.2322905/dilemmat-del-3-kattallergi

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Homeopathic medicines for cats-work?

The natural order of things produces a wild animal instinct to find wild medicinal herbs to cure diseases and other conditions. Veterinarian conventional medicine, while it is beneficial in many ways, can contribute to the deterioration of the health of your pet. Vaccination and antibiotics actually had the opposite effect, in accordance with Juliette de Bairacli levy, a famous writer and creator of the Afghan hound. As a result, the veterinarians and cat owners have sought alternatives that can prevent minor health concerns in major health crises ballooning. Homeopathic medicines for cats provides a contemporary approach to a centuries old correction method, but the help from a veterinarian can prevent further deterioration.

Conventional veterinary medicine is based on a rational approach, which seeks to understand the disease through solid understanding of the body. The school of thinking concatenates the disease and symptoms together, which means that once the symptoms have disappeared, so is the disease. Homeopathy is an empirical approach and teaches that symptoms and illness are separate entities. The symptoms are a sign that the disease exists, but the approach that seeks to understand how a disease she presents to each person. While the approaches differ in meaning, they can be used together to achieve optimal health for a cat Companion. Homeopathic medicines for cats include several options such as acupuncture, natural diets and herbal medicinal remedies, for example. The most important aspect of the administration of homeopathic treatment is to know when to call a veterinarian.

Setting your cat's behavior, food and water intake and overall demeanor will help you to notice when something is wrong. The most important part of administering homeopathic medicinal products for cats is understanding what, if anything, is wrong. If your cat seems uncomfortable, stop eating or drinking water, has been a change in the coat of arms, being constipated or have a plain old change in behavior, a behavior log for future reference. The log may come handy to determine improvement with homeopathic medicines or during a visit to the veterinarian's Office. Once a problem is detected a firm course of action may be taken.

Selection and management of homeopathic solution requires observation and care. For example, hairballs-a common occurrence in-cats--can be treated at home by using various methods. However, recurring hairballs (sometimes weekly or daily) can cause major health concerns. As a result, requires diligent observation. Once the problem is diagnosed, therapies, such as consistent brushing, intestinal t. e butter or agents (additional fiber) can help move the hairballs through the digestive system. Some common examples of homeopathic cough suppressants for cats include, oils for ear mites, Metamucil to constipation or occasional prescription from a veterinarian.

One of the most important factors to homeopathic medicinal products Understand when to quit and seek help. A simple situation, such as a mild case of diarrhea, can result in a nightmare. Therefore, the observation is a powerful tool against destruction. A weak cat who refuses to eat or have other behavioural or physical must be examined immediately by a veterinarian.

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