Just because Halloween is a time for frightening things, like ghosts, monsters, and spiders, a bite from a black widow spider can be more than frightening for a pet or pet owner. Despite many encounters being reported, diagnosing whether or not the pet was actually bit by a spider can be difficult.

“Although spiders are front and center during Halloween, they are a danger throughout the year,” said Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of veterinary medicine at Pet Poison Helpline, in an organizational release.

 “Most people think that spiders disappear in cold locations, when in fact they go into a state known as overwintering. It is similar to when a bear hibernates. Your pets can still find them in barns, sheds and other hiding places, or even your home. If your pet comes in contact with a venomous spider, they can be in danger and you should contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately.”

Pet Poison Helpline received a call from a pet owner in the Reno-area for her cat Elsy. She told the line that she knew her cat had encountered an arachnid because there was physical evidence. It turns out that Elsy had ingested the spider and then vomited it back up. Luckily, the spider’s body was intact so it could easily be identified. Elsy was being treated as if he was bitten, but the team thinks that the cat ate the spider before it had a chance to bite him.

If Elsy was bitten by the spider, multiple factors would determine the severity of clinical signs, such as how much venom is received, size of the spider, time of year, bite location, size and age of the dog, and if the pet has any concurrent health problems. The treatment for pets is largely based on supportive care including IV fluids to maintain hydration, muscle relaxers, anti-nausea and pain medications, and medication to treat tremors and seizures.

“Although severe reactions to black widow spider bites are relatively rare in humans, pets can be more adversely affected, especially cats,” said Schmid. “With the thick hair most pets have, it is difficult to find an actual bite wound, and so your veterinarian often has to base the diagnosis on symptoms, rather than knowing an actual cause.

“This is not just limited to spider bites. Because our pets can’t tell us what’s wrong with them or how they feel, we often develop a treatment plan based on the symptoms we’re able to observe along with information regarding the pet’s environment and history rather than a confirmed diagnosis,” she continued.

Pet Poison Helpline also shared that pets that are diagnosed with a spider bite sometimes find out later on that their symptoms had another cause. When bit by a spider, pets will present with multiple symptoms such as swellings, inflammation, pain, necrosis of the skin, bruising, vomiting, abnormal clotting, fever, and even organ failure. In a severe case, a pet can die in result from a spider bite.

“My cat Ice Cream crawled under a shed in my yard, and when she came out, she was unsteady and was having difficulty breathing,” said John Ellsworth of Vancouver, Canada. “They initially thought she was bitten by a black widow spider and started treatment. After further examination, however, they 100% ruled out a spider bite because they found a stinger in her throat. It was probably a hornet or bee.”

series educates pet owners and veterinary professionals with poisonings that can happen inside and out of their home. All the pets included in the series have been successfully treated for the poisoning and fully recovered.

Spiders Can Do More Than Spook This Halloween. News release. Pet Poison Helpline. October 16, 2024. Accessed October 31, 2024. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/toxintails/spiders-can-do-more-than-spook-this-halloween/

Higgs V. Black Widow Spider Bite Poisoning in Dogs. PetMD. Published February 13, 2023. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.petmd.com/black-widow-spider-bite-poisoning-dogs

Articles

Although spiders are front and center during the Halloween season, they can be a terror to patients and clients year-round

Beware of spooky spiders year round

Intended for a veterinary professional audience

Recent research in veterinary medicine has illuminated a fascinating area of study: the connection between the gut microbiome and behavior in dogs. The gut microbiome is composed of a diverse population of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, that reside in an animal’s digestive tract. These microorganisms are pivotal in various bodily functions, such as digestion, immune system modulation, and the production of essential vitamins and metabolites. Some of these metabolites include neurotransmitters like ɣ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, melatonin, histamine, dopamine, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine.

 This intricate relationship between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, opens a new avenue for understanding cognitive and behavioral health in dogs.

The gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication system between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the brain, is a focal point of this burgeoning field. This connection is composed of neuronal, immune, metabolic, and endocrine system mediators.

 Multiple studies in rodents indicate that brain development can be influenced by the gut microbiome.

 The gut-brain axis involves numerous pathways, as follows:

 The vagus nerve is a primary component of the gut-brain axis. It facilitates direct communication between the gut and the brain, allowing for signaling that influences both GI and neurological functions.

 Microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and influence brain function.

 Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, produced in the gut, also play a role.

 The gut flora modulates the local and systemic immune systems, impacting brain health through neuroinflammatory responses.

The microbiome’s influence on canine cognition

In dogs, like in humans, cognitive functions encompass processes like learning, memory, and problem-solving. Research indicates that the composition of the gut microbiome can influence these cognitive abilities through multiple pathways.

The gut microbiome produces neurotransmitters and neuroactive compounds like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.

These compounds are crucial for maintaining normal sleep, mood, cognition, anxiety levels, reward behaviors, and motivation.

Serotonin is synthesized from L-tryptophan and is primarily produced in the gut and the neurons of the enteric nervous system.

Dopamine is also produced and stored in the intestinal tract.

 bacteria play a role in the regulation of dopamine.

 Dopamine is also a precursor to norepinephrine

 which is part of the sympathetic nervous system and involved in the fight-or-flight response. Norepinephrine can also be synthesized by the bacteria 

GABA is a neurotransmitter that reduces neuronal excitability by inhibiting nerve transmission in both the central and enteric nervous systems.

 GABA can naturally be synthesized by lactic acid–producing bacteria, including the 

 GABAergic neurotransmission plays a vital role in inhibiting the amygdala, thereby preventing inappropriate emotional and behavioral responses.

The gut microbiota play a critical role in the development and function of the immune system. A balanced gut microbiome supports a healthy immune response, while dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, can lead to chronic inflammation. This inflammation impacts the central nervous system through the gut-brain axis, potentially altering neurotransmitter function and affecting behavior. For instance, elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines have been linked to aggression in dogs.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis

The HPA axis plays a critical role in regulating stress responses and behavior in dogs.

 This complex system involves the interaction among the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands, which collectively manage the release of cortisol, a key stress hormone. Activation of the HPA axis in response to stressors results in increased cortisol levels, which can influence various behavioral outcomes. For instance, chronic activation of the HPA axis, often seen in dogs experiencing prolonged stress or anxiety, can lead to behaviors such as aggressiveness.

The gut microbiota produce multiple metabolites that play important roles in overall health and well-being. SCFAs such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate are an example of a class of these metabolites. SCFAs are energy sources for colonic epithelial cells and have anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, anticancer, antidiabetes, immunoregulatory, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular protective effects.

GI dysbiosis can lead to altered production of SCFAs.

 This dysbiosis can lead to an increased production of inflammatory cytokines and disruption of the intestinal barrier, which can lead to translocation of bacterial products and affect the BBB.

 SCFAs also play a role in the communication between the GI tract and the brain. They regulate microglia functions and BBB integrity. Though there are no current studies that directly investigate the correlation between SCFAs and behavior in dogs, rodents supplemented with butyrate and other SCFAs had improvements in stress behaviors.

For veterinary practitioners, these findings have practical implications for both preventive care and therapeutic strategies, as follows:

Promoting balanced nutrition that supports gut health can be crucial. Foods rich in prebiotics can enhance beneficial bacterial metabolite production. Dogs fed a food containing prebiotic fibers and fish oil had a change in their microbiome composition and a significant decrease in plasma metabolites linked to anxiety behaviors.

Another study found that dogs with behavior disorders had significantly fewer inappropriate behaviors when supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc.

 Providing these nutrients in the diet could have significant effects on the management of canine behavioral disorders.

 PS128 appeared to improve aggression and separation anxiety behaviors in dogs.

 The same study found that plasma serotonin turnover ratio in dogs with separation anxiety was decreased after supplementation. A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial explored the effects of a supplement comprised of prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, 5-hydroxytryptophan (serotonin precursor), L-theanine (GABA precursor), and other natural anti-inflammatory compounds.

 Anxious dogs treated with this nutraceutical supplement demonstrated fewer anxiety-like behaviors, providing a promising direction for future studies.

 In dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and comorbid behavioral disorders, a fecal microbiota transplant improved fearlike, anxiety-like, and ADHD-like behaviors.

 Even though this study had only 9 participants, this opens up the potential for new treatments for canine behavioral disorders in the future.

The influence of gut microbiota and gut-brain axis on mental and behavioral disorders is just beginning to be unraveled. The gut-brain axis is both bidirectional and multimodal, providing multiple opportunities for research and intervention. While current research offers exciting insights, further studies are needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the gut-brain axis in dogs. Future research will be pivotal in harnessing the potential of the gut-brain axis for improving canine mental health and behavior.

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How understanding the gut can help veterinarians understand cognitive and behavioral health in dogs.

The link between gut microbiome and behavior in dogs

Unlike most veterinarians who have a goal of becoming a veterinarian set by a young age, the opportunity fell on the lap of Carl Palazzolo, DVM, MBA. His original plan was to go to Michigan State University for architecture. However, Palazzolo shared that transcript and drawings ended up getting lost, and he was told he could apply for the program the following year but needed to pick up a different major in the meantime. This led him to ask others what their major was, and after multiple people said 'prevet,' Palazzolo decided to check it out and the rest is history. 

On his return episode to the Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Palazzolo takes listeners and our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, on his journey through his career as a veterinarian and wildlife photographer. Palazzolo also dives into his teaching, emphasizing that love and patience is important for wildlife photography—maybe even more important than the equipment. 

So in Africa, we've been pretty much almost all throughout East Africa, some of the hot spots, of course, with the Serengeti, and the best time to go there is you go to a place called Lake

in Tanzania, sometime around February, that's when the wildebeest are born by the 100,000s, the calfs, and that brings out the big cats and the cheetahs. You get to watch them right there. Another good spot in East Africa is see[ing] the gorillas in Rwanda. You can get very, very close to them. The guys are outstanding guides, they talk to the male gorilla, silverback. They're not aggressive animals, they just look that way. But you have to time it right he's got his troop, [and] he's got his females and cubs. 

We actually saw 2 day old twin cubs right in front of us, right? It was literally 10 feet away. Now, the problem with this is several fold. One is it's expensive because the government there knows they got its thing, and they're really endangered, so they're trying to protect them very well, but you want to get close. In an occasion, a baby gorilla comes up next to you, you can spread a disease to them, and one of them did die—confirmed by UC Davis....So it's really, a really great trip, but it's hard to stay away because they're so curious and so cool... yeah, everyone should go there once in life.

Podcasts

Carl Palazzolo, DVM, MBA, shares more about what inspired his journey to become a wildlife veterinarian and photographer and the adventures he had along the way

Becoming a wildlife veterinarian and photographer

A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge has designed a machine learning algorithm to effectively detect and grade heart murmurs in canine patients, using audio recordings from electronic stethoscopes. Originally designed for humans, the algorithm identified heart murmurs of any grade with a sensitivity of 87.9% in testing, according to the study’s authors.

"As far as we're aware, there are no existing databases of heart sounds in dogs, which is why we started out with a database of heart sounds in humans," Anurag Agarwal, PhD, head of the study, said in a news release.

 "Mammalian hearts are fairly similar, and when things go wrong, they tend to go wrong in similar ways."

The team began with a database of heart sounds from approximately 1000 human patients and developed a machine learning algorithm to replicate the detection of heart murmurs by cardiologists. They then adjusted the algorithm to analyze heart sounds from dogs.

Data were collected from nearly 800 dogs undergoing routine heart checks at 4 veterinary specialist centers in the United Kingdom.

 Each dog in the study received a full physical exam and an echocardiogram from a cardiologist, who graded any murmurs and diagnosed cardiac disease, while heart sounds were recorded with an electronic stethoscope.

"Mitral valve disease mainly affects smaller dogs, but to test and improve our algorithm, we wanted to get data from dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages," Jose Novo Matos, DVM, PhD, MSc, DECVIM (Cardiology), AFHEA, coauthor of the study and a professor in Cambridge’s department of veterinary medicine, said in the release.

"The more data we have to train it, the more useful our algorithm will be, both for vets and for dog owners," he continued.

 According to the researchers, the study, published in the 

, is the largest database of compiled annotated dog heart sound recordings.

Not only can the artificial intelligence (AI) program detect and rate heart murmurs from audio recordings, it can also tell the difference between murmurs linked to mild disease and those indicating more serious heart problems that need further treatment, according to the release.

"Grading a heart murmur and determining whether the heart disease needs treatment requires a lot of experience, referral to a veterinary cardiologist, and expensive specialized heart scans," Novo Matos explained in the release.

 "We want to empower general practitioners to detect heart disease and assess its severity to help owners make the best decisions for their dogs."

An analysis of the algorithm's performance found that the artificial intelligence (AI) concurred with the cardiologist's evaluations in more than half of cases. In 90% of cases, it was within one grade of the cardiologist's rating.

Heart murmurs, mitral valve disease, and an AI solution

A heart murmur is a primary indicator of mitral valve disease, which is the leading heart condition in adult dogs.

 Approximately 1 in 30 dogs seen by a veterinarian is found to have a heart murmur, particularly in small and older breeds where prevalence is higher.

Early detection is crucial for extending canines’ lifespan through timely treatment, given the prevalence of mitral valve disease and other heart conditions in these animals. "Heart disease in humans is a huge health issue, but in dogs it's an even bigger problem," Andrew McDonald, PhD, MEng, first author of the study, explained.

 "Most smaller dog breeds will have heart disease when they get older, but obviously dogs can't communicate in the same way that humans can, so it's up to primary care vets to detect heart disease early enough so it can be treated."

"The grade of heart murmur is a useful differentiator for determining next steps and treatments, and we've automated that process," McDonald said.

 "For vets and nurses without as much stethoscope skill, and even those who are incredibly skilled with a stethoscope, we believe this algorithm could be a highly valuable tool.”

Currently, the only treatment for humans with valve disease is surgery. For dogs however, medication is a potential solution. “Knowing when to medicate is so important in order to give dogs the best quality of life possible for as long as possible," Agarwal noted in the release.

 "We want to empower vets to help make those decisions."

The new AI technology may provide a cost-effective and efficient screening solution for primary care veterinarians, improving the quality of life for dogs. "So many people talk about AI as a threat to jobs, but for me, I see it as a tool that will make me a better cardiologist," Novo Matos said in the release.

 "We can't perform heart scans on every dog in this country—we just don't have enough time or specialists to screen every dog with a murmur. But tools like these could help vets and owners, so we can quickly identify those dogs who are most in need of treatment."

McDonald A, Novo Matos J, Silva J, et al. A machine‐learning algorithm to Grade Heart Murmurs and stage preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs. 

AI algorithm accurately detects heart disease in dogs. News release. 

. October 28, 2024. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241028211501.htm

Investigators developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can discover and grade heart murmurs

AI is detecting heart disease in dogs with the accuracy of cardiologists

Walt Cook, DVM, PhD (Image courtesy of Jason Nitsch ’14/College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)

Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) researchers shared they are closer to creating an oral vaccine for anthrax after a recent study showed an immune response in white-tailed deer. The development of this oral vaccine will combat anthrax infections in wild animal population in an easier way for all.

“All mammals are susceptible to anthrax to some degree or another,” said Walt Cook, PhD, DVM, a clinical assistant professor in the VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB), in an organizational release.

“Ranchers who live in areas that are prone to having anthrax are able to give vaccinations to their herds as part of their routine preventative medical care, but that’s impossible to do with wild animals.”

 inoculating wild deer populations against anthrax is crucial because if they are not protected, they contribute to outbreaks of the deadly bacteria. For animals that had anthrax and die, exposure to oxygen causes the bacteria to release the anthrax spores as the carcass decomposes. These spores can then infect another animal that breathes in bits of soil or ingests contaminated water or plants.

“In the right conditions, those spores can remain active in the soil for decades or even hundreds of years,” Cook said.

 “Once it’s in the soil, it’s very difficult to remove, so controlling anthrax spore formation is essential.”

The goal of this project at VMBS is for the created oral vaccination to be placed in food baits in areas known to have an anthrax problem, such as Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. Edwards Plateau, an area in West Texas that has presented with frequent anthrax outbreaks in the past, had a spike in anthrax related deaths in 2019 that took the lives of about 10,000 animals within a few months.

A challenge that researchers are facing is the complicated process of turning a vaccination that is supposed to be administered through the skin as an oral treatment. According to Jamie Benn Felix, PhD, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, the problem is that anthrax spores do not remain in the gastrointestinal tract to develop an immune response without help.

Benn Felix, through her postdoctoral research associate at Texas A&M University’s Cook Wildlife Lab, was able to create a new formula for the oral vaccine using microencapsulation. This formula works by using protective membrane to slowly release bacteria in a rate that will generate an immune response.

 This was made possible with help from another team member, Allison Rice-Ficht, PhD, who created the encapsulation technique that protects the brucellosis vaccine from the stomach’s acid.

“We’re very grateful to our funding partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, and the Second Ark Foundation of the Exotic Wildlife Association for supporting this important research,” Cook said.

“We would also like to thank Alice Blue-McLendon, DVM, a clinical associate professor in the VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, for her assistance and for allowing us to include deer at the Winnie Carter Wildlife Center in our study,” he said.

Price C. Texas A&M Researchers See Success In First Tests Of Oral Anthrax Vaccine In White-Tailed Deer. Texas A&M Today. Published October 30, 2024. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://today.tamu.edu/2024/10/30/oral-anthrax-vaccine-for-deer-success/

‌Blackburn JK, Goodin DG. Differentiation of springtime vegetation indices associated with summer anthrax epizootics in west Texas, USA, deer. 

. 2013;49(3):699-703. doi:10.7589/2012-10-253

Price C. Texas A&M CVMBS Researcher Developing First Oral Anthrax Vaccine For Livestock, Wildlife. Texas A&M Today. Published August 10, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/texas-am-cvmbs-researcher-developing-first-oral-anthrax-vaccine-for-livestock-wildlife/?_gl=1

The tests show a promising milestone for researchers to an anthrax vaccine for deer to potentially stop the spread of disease

Researchers experiencing success in first oral anthrax vaccine tests in white-tailed deer

Boehringer Ingelheim completed its $66.1 million expansion on its research and development facility in Athens, Georgia (Image courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim) 

Boehringer Ingelheim shared earlier this month that it has officially opened the expansion of its research and development facility in Athens, Georgia. This expansion was created with a capital investment of $66.1 million and created 63 new jobs for the local community. According to the organizational release,

 the expansion added an additional 63,000 square feet of administrative space and more than 28,000 square feet of laboratory space. 

"Boehringer Ingelheim’s expansion is significant for Athens-Clarke County," expressed Mayor Kelly Girtz of Athens

Clarke County Unified Government, in the Boehringer Ingelheim press release.

 "Their commitment to sustainability and innovative solutions aligns perfectly with our city's core values. Creating local partnerships that promote eco-friendly practices and energy-efficient technologies positively impacts job growth and strengthens our community."

Boehringer Ingelheim’s recent expansion has made the facility the company’s largest R&D site within the United States and third globally. The facility will also be Boehringer Ingelheim’s largest pet vaccine production facility for the US and key manufacturing site for wildlife and poultry vaccine. This facility will also be the home for the company’s US Global Innovation Hub.

"Our new research and development facility in Athens marks a significant milestone in our dedication to animal health innovation," said Peter Ploeger, US Animal Health Country managing director at Boehringer Ingelheim.

 "Each year, we invest nearly 12% of our sales into researching and developing products that will advance the health of animals, especially our pets, for generations to come.”

Expanding this facility was influenced by a plethora of factors, including its proximity to the USDA’s US National Poultry Research Center, the University of Georgia, and Boehringer Ingelheim’s recently created partnership with the Athens-Clarke County to support its Career Academy and initiate a biomanufacturing pathway.

“Georgia is the nation’s leading poultry producer, and the collaboration between the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Boehringer Ingelheim, the University of Georgia, and USDA puts our state at the forefront of animal health and research in poultry disease,” expressed Tyler Harper, Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner.

"We’re grateful to Boehringer Ingelheim for their commitment to our state and the Athens-Clarke County community, and we look forward to continuing to work together to ensure the health of our animals and the safety of Georgia’s food supply.”

The Georgia Department of Economic Development, Invest Athens, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Georgia Power all helped make this expansion possible.

Boehringer Ingelheim Expands Research and Development in Athens, Georgia. News release. Boehringer Ingelheim. October 25, 2024. Accessed October 30, 2024. 

https://bi-animalhealth.com/articles/boehringer-ingelheim-research-development-facility-athens-georgia

The state-of-the-art research and development center in Georgia will help improve the health and wellbeing of animals