Sards - New Treatment (still Experimental)

[Jigsaw]

Blind dogs can see after new ISU treatment for a sudden onset blinding

disease

AMES, Iowa -- If two dogs are any indication, Iowa State University

veterinary researchers may have found a cure for a previously incurable disease

that causes dogs to go blind suddenly.

Dr. Sinisa Grozdanic with the optical coherence tomography scan that is

needed to confirm the condition of a dog's retina before the dog can be

considered for the experimental SARDS treatment. Iowa State is the only

veterinary institution using this advanced diagnostic technology. Download

_print-quality version_

(http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2007/may/img/grozdanic.jpg) of this photo. Photo by Bob Elbert.

In the past six weeks, two dogs have been successfully treated for sudden

acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) by a research team led by ISU

veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Sinisa Grozdanic in the College of

Veterinary Medicine.

The experimental treatment is the first to reverse blindness and restore

sight to dogs diagnosed with SARDS. The treatment restored sight to the two

dogs that were treated on April 12 and April 27.

"This is the first small sign of hope that actually something can be done,"

Grozdanic said.

The dogs were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), a human blood

product that contains antibodies from the plasma of thousands of blood

donors. It is used to treat immune deficiencies, inflammatory diseases and

autoimmune diseases.

"Although the dogs won't be catching any Frisbees, they can navigate and

not bump into objects," Grozdanic said.

SARDS was first identified in the 1980s and blinds as many as 4,000 dogs

each year in North America, he said. The dogs have a sudden loss of vision

despite no structural changes to the eyes or damage to the retinas in the

early stages of the disease. Their eyes appear completely normal, but their

retinas show no electrical activity.

Grozdanic and his colleagues wanted a better understanding of the molecular

mechanisms that cause SARDS. They worked with the University of Iowa's

Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences to conduct genetic testing of

SARDS tissue, cross referencing the results with the U of I's datebase of

genetic information from different human ocular diseases.

"We saw that the molecular profile of SARDS eyes is very similar to immune

mediated retinopathy in humans, which is usually antibody induced. That was

the key factor," Grozdanic said.

Immune-mediated retinopathy in humans was not treatable until about 10

years ago when IVIg was found to show results in some patients.

Although the treatment has worked in two SARDS dogs, not every dog is a

good candidate, Grozdanic cautions. Dogs with severe cardiac or kidney disease

cannot tolerate IVIg. And it won't work in a dog whose retina degeneration

is advanced.

"Once a dog gets SARDS, the retina degenerates quickly, so it's important

the dog is treated with IVIg very soon after diagnosis," he said. "Usually

dogs that have SARDS for longer than two months have severe retinal changes.

The sooner it's treated, the better chance it will work."

An optical coherence tomography scan is needed to confirm the condition of

a dog's retina. Iowa State University's Veterinary Medicine Hospital is the

only veterinary institution using this advanced diagnostic technology,

which is more commonly found in large ophthalmology centers for humans.

Diagnostic tests cost about $700. If the dog is a good candidate for

treatment, hospitalization and intensive care fees will be about $1,200. The

IVIg cost will be between $35-40 per pound of the dog's body weight.

"At this point, the biggest unknown is how long the treatment will last. It

could be anywhere from a few weeks to a few years," Grozdanic said.

Grozdanic recommends owners visit the nearest veterinary ophthalmologist as

soon as a dog exhibits any loss in vision

"Once a dog gets SARDS, the retina degenerates quickly, so it's important

the dog is treated with IVIg very soon after diagnosis," he said. "Usually

dogs that have SARDS for longer than two months have severe retinal changes.

The sooner it's treated, the better chance it will work."

An optical coherence tomography scan is needed to confirm the condition of

a dog's retina. Iowa State University's Veterinary Medicine Hospital is the

only veterinary institution using this advanced diagnostic technology,

which is more commonly found in large ophthalmology centers for humans.

Diagnostic tests cost about $700. If the dog is a good candidate for

treatment, hospitalization and intensive care fees will be about $1,200. The

IVIg cost will be between $35-40 per pound of the dog's body weight.

"At this point, the biggest unknown is how long the treatment will last. It

could be anywhere from a few weeks to a few years," Grozdanic said.

Grozdanic recommends owners visit the nearest veterinary ophthalmologist as

soon as a dog exhibits any loss in vision

[puggy_puggy]

Interesting that you have posted this. My 8 year old desexed male pug was confirmed to be 100% blind with the cause being SARDS last Thursday. His ERG flatlined meaning his retinas have gone to god. He does not have Cushings or any other illness.

I'm sorry to say that the IVIg treatment is not a miracle cure it was made out to be by those conducting it in America. The eye specalists treating Winston, here in Melbourne, actually experimented with the IVIg transfusions 9 or so months ago but found that it showed no results with their SARDS dogs. If it was a viable treatment they would have offered it to Winston and I would have been maxing out my credit card there and then.

There was a big worldwind of publicity when the Americans first started the IVIg treatment but they have not published any results and nothing has been heard from them in the last year or so.