Unusual IgM-secreting multiple myeloma in a dog

Dingoes, companions in life and death: The significance of archaeological canid burial practices in Australia

The dingo, also known as the Australian native dog, was introduced in the late Holocene. Dingoes were primarily wild animals but a number resided in Aboriginal people's camps. Traditionally, these individuals were taken from wild litters before weaning and raised by Aboriginal people. It is generally believed that these dingoes were not directly provided for, and upon sexual maturity, returned to reproduce in the wild. However, some died while in the company of people and, were buried in occupation sites. This Australian practice parallels the burial of domestic dogs in many regions of the Asia-Pacific and beyond but has attracted very little research. We explore the historical and archaeological evidence for dingo burial, examining its different forms, chronological and geographic distribution, and cultural significance. Dingoes were usually buried in the same manner as Aboriginal community members and often in areas used for human burial, sometimes alongside people. This practice probably occurred from the time of their introduction until soon after European colonisation. We present a case study of dingo burials from Curracurrang Rockshelter (NSW) which provides insights into the lives of ancient tame dingoes, and suggests that domestication and genetic continuity between successive camp-dwelling generations may have occurred prior to European contact.

Multiple myeloma, a quintessential malignant disease of aging: a geroscience perspective on pathogenesis and treatment

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy, which is predominantly a disease of older adults (the median age at diagnosis is 70 years). The slow progression from asymptomatic stages and the late-onset of MM suggest fundamental differences compared to many other hematopoietic system-related malignancies. The concept discussed in this review is that age-related changes at the level of terminally differentiated plasma cells act as the main risk factors for the development of MM. Epigenetic and genetic changes that characterize both MM development and normal aging are highlighted. The relationships between cellular aging processes, genetic mosaicism in plasma cells, and risk for MM and the stochastic processes contributing to clonal selection and expansion of mutated plasma cells are investigated. In line with the DNA damage accumulation theory of aging, in this review, the evolution of monoclonal gammopathy to symptomatic MM is considered. Therapeutic consequences of age-dependent comorbidities that lead to frailty and have fundamental influence on treatment outcome are described. The importance of considering geriatric states when planning the life-long treatment course of an elderly MM patient in order to achieve maximal therapeutic benefit is emphasized.

Hypoglobulinemia in a dog with disseminated plasma cell neoplasia: Case report and review of the diagnostic criteria

This is the first reported case of hypoglobulinemia in a dog with disseminated plasma cell neoplasia. A 6-year-old male intact Rottweiler was referred to the U-Vet Animal Hospital (Werribee, Vic, Australia) for weight loss, hyporexia, lethargy, vomiting, and soft stools. Examination of a buffy coat preparation and splenic and liver aspirates revealed a monomorphic population of plasmacytoid cells, and the same cells comprised approximately 90% of bone marrow samples submitted for cytologic and histologic evaluation. Biochemistry revealed a hypoglobulinemia, and the presence of an M-protein was not supported by serum and urine protein electrophoresis or serum immunofixation. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated strong nuclear labeling for MUM-1.

Associations between proteinuria, systemic hypertension and glomerular filtration rate in dogs with renal and non-renal diseases

Proteinuria and systemic hypertension are well recognised risk factors in chronic renal failure (CRF). They are consequences of renal disease but also lead to a further loss of functional kidney tissue. The objectives of this study were to investigate the associations between proteinuria, systemic hypertension and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in dogs with naturally occurring renal and non-renal diseases, and to determine whether proteinuria and hypertension were associated with shorter survival times in dogs with CRF. Measurements of exogenous creatinine plasma clearance (ECPC), urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC), and Doppler sonographic measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP) were made in 60 dogs with various diseases. There was a weak but significant inverse correlation between UPC and ECPC, a significant inverse correlation between SBP and ECPC and a weak but significant positive correlation between UPC and SBP. Some of the dogs with CRF were proteinuric and almost all were hypertensive. Neoplasia was commonly associated with proteinuria in the dogs with a normal ECPC. CRF was the most common cause leading to hypertension. In the dogs with CRF, hypertension and marked proteinuria were associated with significantly shorter survival times.