DOGRISK

Anna Hielm-Björkman,

DVM, PhD, PI, Docent

DOGRISK

• Post docs of the group: – Liisa Uusitalo, PhD (human nutrition), – Sara Zaldiv DVM, Phd (genetics),– Ingrid Hang (DVM; GI-diseases) – Ranno Viitmaa (DVM, Neurology)

• PhD students of the group: – Johanna Roine, MSc(animal breeding and nutrition),– Riitta Seppänen (DVM, dermatology), – Maritsa Palmunen (DVM ; epidemiology), – Liisa Korkalo (Human nutrition, epidemiology).

• Leader: Anna Hielm-Björkman, PhD

DOGRISK: Doing clinical studies, dietintervention studies, epidemiology, FFQ, validating outcome measures, and analyzing biological samples of

phenotyped dogs

Dept. of Equine and Small Animal Medicine - Fac. Vet Med

anna.hielm-bjorkman@helsinki.fi

On the edge clinical studies with … orwithout, human relevance

• Artificial joint implants

• Feacal transplantation

• Epileptic, Neuropathicpain, Osteoarthritismedication/treatments

• New animal sedativepharmacology

• Horse, cow, dog, cat, rabbit, elephant…tohumans!

Food frequency questionnaire

Pros Cons

Long-term intake Memory-dependent

Large study populations Less detailed

Diet-disease associations Amounts crude or unknown

• Principle: List of foods provided, frequencies asked• Web-based, 47 foods, specifications in drop boxes • 5 frequency options (never---daily or almost daily)• Is validated against an other method

• Use in: Case control setup, logistic regression

Pet dogs as an animal model for studying diet-environment-disease associations

Nutritional epidemiology in canine population combines some of the advantages of two research traditions:

Animal experiments Human epidemiology

Short follow-up times Ethical considerations

More monotonous diets Shared environment

Feeding in human control Similar health problems

Phenotyping… with numbers

• Diagnostic tools: Clinical examination, lameness exam, force plate, carpet, scales, x-ray, MRI, CT, thermography…

• Validated indexes: HCPI, F-CSI, neuro (FinFun),… CADESI, CIBDAI, VAS

Taking and using biological samples

• Blood, urine, feces, biopsies, (saliva), hair…

• Creating reference values

• Creating a sample bank, - mostly for own use

• Phenotyped samples

• Time for

anamnesis

Metabolomics• Analyses were done in FIMM

Metabolomics Unit

• Serum samples from 21 dogs and urine samples from 8 dogs (unpublished)

Trace elements, vitamins and fatty acids

• Analyses were done in Mineraalilaboratorio MILA Oy– Trace elements from whole blood (Li-He)– Vitamins A, E, D from serum samples– Fatty acids from EDTA plasma

• Would need: lab for Vit B12, K2, different A,D and E vitamins/provitamins

K R

7.5

8.0

8.5

9.0

9.5

10

.01

0.5

11

.0

Fe

K R

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

Mg

• 16 RNA samples from skin biopsies havebeen sent to FIMM Sequencing Unit

– RNA sequencing

• qPCR in YES

– RNA from skin biopsies

• To validate the results from RNA sequencing

– RNA from blood samples

• Evaluation of immune response using a candidategene approach

Diet intervention studies in dogs

BEFORE diet intervention (DI):Firmic: p=0.070Fusobact:p=0.086Bacterioidetes: p=0.520

AFTER DI:Firmic: p<0.001**Fusobact:p<0.001**Bacterioidetes: p=0.012*

(n=26)(n=16)

Dogs given an only 100% raw or dry food diet for 4-5 months, before and after DI (unpublished)

Gut microbiota:

Diseases we work with now…

• Osteoarthritis

• Atopy / allergy/ (food sensitivity)

• IBD (~Chron’s disease, Ulcerative colitis)

• Epilepsy

• Hypothyroidism (in dogs)

• Hyperthyroidism (in cats)

• Cancer…

…..(diabetes, heart diseases, lever and kidneydiseases, eye diseases….48)

DOGRISK goes cancer…

• Sniffing dogs sniffing cancer from urine samples

• Together with Wise nose sniffer dog association, East Finland University, HUS – Dept of Oncology and Cancer clinic, Cancer society of Finland, Small innovation firms and start-ups.

• Validating the dogs

• Training for different diseases

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaK79osKYzs

Ideas…towards innovations…

• New pharmacological or nutraceutical products

• New registered validated outcome measures

• New quick-tests in analyzing

• New apps for canine and human health

• Diagnosing via currents of the body

• Treating via light or a sound

• Mobilizing the inner healing in the body

• E-mail: anna.hielm-bjorkman@helsinki.fiTel: +358-(0)44-3270462

Thank you!