Author Archives: Julie Ciaramella

Oregon Zoo treats elephant with TB

June 11, 2013 | Julie Ciaramella | Leave a comment

When an elephant at the Oregon Zoo was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis, it had far-reaching implications for more than just the affected elephant: the risk of transmission to zoo staff and their families was also a concern. Visitors weren’t at risk because close contact is required for TB to be contagious. Still, the zoo needed a plan, and it needed one quickly.

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Dog declared cured and cancer-free after receiving treatment that could benefit humans

June 4, 2013 | Julie Ciaramella | Leave a comment

Rilley, a dog who is now cured and cancer-free, benefited from research at the Olhfest Brain Tumor Lab at the University of Minnesota — and someday, so could humans, too. The experimental treatment Rilley received is now being tested on people with brain tumors. It’s a great story about a family’s love for their dog and some exciting advances in cancer research.

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Posted in Human-Animal Connections, Research |

Take precautions to avoid spread of disease at the dog park

May 31, 2013 | Julie Ciaramella | 2 Comments

The weather is warming up, so you might be thinking about taking your dog to the local dog park. Before you go, though, you should take some precautions to avoid the spread of disease. Make sure your dogs are vaccinated, says Dr. Susan Nelson, a clinical associate professor at Kansas State University’s Veterinary Health Center, because illnesses can spread at dog parks. Make sure that you and your pet are protected against fleas and ticks, and that your dog is also protected against heartworm. Talk to your veterinarian to make sure your dog is up-to-date on his or her vaccines and about flea/tick and heartworm preventives.

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CSU research could help bone implants last longer

May 21, 2013 | Julie Ciaramella | Leave a comment

Professors at Colorado State University have developed a new coating that could help bone implants last longer. Dr. Matt Kipper, an Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, is working with Dr. Nicole Ehrhart in the Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, on the research.  They say their findings will benefit “both humans and animals at risk for losing a limb due to massive bone trauma or bone cancer.”

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Pathogens go both ways

May 13, 2013 | Julie Ciaramella | Leave a comment

Over at the Worms & Germs Blog (which is a great resource if you’re interested in One Health and zoonotic diseases), Dr. Scott Weese writes that pathogens go both ways. When we think about zoonotic diseases, most of the time we think about animals transmitting diseases to humans — not the other way around.

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