Canine health product containing antibodies against canine parvovirus type 2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition which includes antibodies against one or more specified virus, bacteria and/or pathogen for use to improve dog health, wherein the composition is administered before 24 hours of age of the dog or between 24 hours and up to 90 days of age of the dog.

Claims

1. A method of improving dog health, the method comprising orally administering to a dog a composition containing antibodies against Canine parvovirus type 2 in combination with antibodies against one of the following; Canine coronavirus, E. coli, Canine Herpesvirus, optionally, also in combination with antibodies against one or more of the following: Bordetella bronchiseptica Giardial Canine parainfluenza virus, Canine distemper virus, Adenovirus type 1, Streptococci, Staphylococci or Isospora; wherein the oral administration occurs at least once during the first 24 hours of the dog's life and at least every three days between 48 hours of age and 60 days of age and wherein the antibodies are produced by a mammal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition also comprises a hydrolysable carbohydrate and/or oil.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the oral administration occurs at least twice during the first 24 hours of the dog's life.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the improvement in the dog's health is an improvement in the dog's digestive immunity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the improvement in the dog's health is an increase in the dog's growth.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the improvement in the dog's health is a reduction in the dog's stress.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the administration results in an increase in the systemic immunity of the dog.

8. A method for preventing disease or enhancing weight gain in a dog, comprising orally administering to a puppy at least once before 24 hours of age and at least every three days between 48 hours of age and 60 days of age a composition comprising antibodies against canine parvovirus type 2 in combination with antibodies against at least one of canine coronavirus, E. coli, canine herpesvirus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Giardial, canine parainfluenza virus, canine distemper virus, adenovirus type 1, Streptococci, Staphylococci and/or Isospora, wherein the antibodies are produced by a mammal.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

(1) Introduction:

(2) Immunoglobulin therapy has been used for decades in human and veterinary medicine to treat or prevent infectious diseases in preterm neonates or those with passive immune failure. Undeniably, correct weight gain (WG) reflects a good health status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of immunoglobulins administration on weight gain in puppies.

(3) Materials and Methods:

(4) The protocol is conducted in a commercial kennel with various breeds (300 bitches).

(5) Protocol:

(6) Two schemes of supplementation are evaluated: Early supplementation: four and eight hours after birth, puppies receive an oral supplementation with immunoglobulins Late supplementation: puppies receive an oral supplementation every 3 days from Day 2 until Day 60.

(7) Puppies are fed by maternal colostrum/milk and are then progressively weaned. At birth, they are allocated in one of the four following groups: No supplementation (00) Early supplementation only (E0) Early and Late supplementation (EL) Late supplementation only (0L)

(8) The work is conducted as follows:

(9) Proof of concept: supplementation is provided through canine immune serum.

(10) Impact of the Immunoglobulins Supplementation on General Immunity, Digestive Health and Mortality Rates: Supplementation with Canine Serum

(11) Canine Serum Collection

(12) Adult dogs are vaccinated against Distemper, Adenovirus, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Bordetella (one injection) and against Herpesvirus 1 (two injections, two weeks apart). Two weeks after the second vaccination, blood is collected by catherization of the jugular vein after surgical preparation of the area.

(13) Blood collection (for serum preparation) is be performed on: adult dogs with a body weight higher than 10 kg for males, no restriction other than body weight is applied; for females, those within the last month of anoestrus, those pregnant or within the first month of lactation are excluded.

(14) Each animal is weighed before blood collection. The quantity of blood collected is calculated as 7 mL/kg body weight. For non-repetitive blood sampling, Hohenhaus, (2006) and Frey (2009) found non deleterious collection rate of 17 mL/kg, Schneider (1995) collecting 22 mL blood/kg body weight.

(15) Serum is extracted by clotting at room temperature and centrifugation. It is aliquoted in 4 mL tubes under sterile atmosphere (laminar hood). A bacteriological analysis (anaerobe and aerobe culture) is conducted before administration.

(16) Management of Puppies (FIG. 3)

(17) 240 OR 320 puppies are included. Allocation within a group is randomised taking into account the weight at birth (division in quartiles in proportion of the adult weight). Puppies are identified thanks to a coloured wool collar. This technique has already proven to be safe in the same kennel for the puppies and their mother (no strangulation, no ingestion, no limb striction). The collar is renewed every week at the time of manipulation for sampling, in order to follow the puppies growth.

(18) From Day 1 to Day 4: weight

(19) From Day 7 to Day 63 once a week:

(20) weight, clinical examination, rectal temperature measurement (smooth appropriate tip) administration of 15 mL serum/kg puppy per os (feeding tube during the first week and feeding syringe after) faeces collection

(21) Method: Faeces are collected after spontaneous defecation and by intrarectal cotton swabbing (one swab for virus load; one for microbiota) for: faecal scoring (from Day 28) based on Royal Canin scale adapted for puppies by Grellet faecal microbiota quantification of the viral charge (parvovirus/coronavirus) quantification of the parasitological charge (Isospora, Toxocara, Giardia) digestive health markers assay (calprotrectin) digestive immunity markers (total immunoglobulins A; antiparvovirus and anticoronavirus antibodies) blood collection

(22) Method: Blood is collected from the jugular vein in puppies maintained in lateral or dorsal recumbency. The vein is evidenced with some sterile water being poured locally. Collection is performed thanks to a 23 G needle and a 2 mL syringe. Digital compression of the puncture site is then ensured for 1 minute. The puppy is released only after checking of the absence of any persistent bleeding. A maximum of 0.7 mL of blood per 100 g body weight puppy is collected. The collection of 10% of the circulating volume is possible without any disturbance, with circulating volume representing 8% body weight: the maximal volume is thus 0.8 mL per 100 g puppy. Such a protocol has already been used successfully in 56 puppies sampled at Day 0, Day 2, Day 7 and once a week until Day 60 without any mortality induced by blood collection (Chastant-Maillard et al, 2010) and in 20 puppies collected once a week from Day 0 to Day 56 (Casseleux, 2007).

(23) for

(24) total immunoglobulins assay specific antibodies assay (parvovirus, herpesvirus, coronavirus) citrullin

(25) Serum originating from hyperimmunized dogs has been prepared and stored in ?20? C. before the experiment onset. Breed size, weight and health status of each newborn puppy were recorded since birth till d56 every week. Depending on type and time of serum administration puppies were assigned to 4 different groups early (EO, n=36), early and late (EL, n=34), late (OL, n=41) and control (OO, n=38). Puppies from EO and EL received serum orally (1.5 ml/100 g b.w.) 2 times within the first 8 hours of life. Puppies from EL and OL received serum orally (3 ml/puppy) 2 times per week since D2 til D52. Data were analysed with Chi square (morbidity) and ANCOVA (weight gain) tests.

(26) Results

(27) During the first 21 days of life puppies from groups early supplemented (EO and EL) presented significantly less clinical signs of diseases than puppies from other groups (OL and OO) (16% (11/70) vs. 30% (24/79), p=0.045). Within D2-28 there was a tendency to greater WG in large breed puppies early supplemented (EO, EL mean 786.6 g vs. OL, OO 717.9 g; p=0.078) and in small breed puppies late supplemented (EL, OL 730.4 g vs. EO, OO 731.8 g). The results are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Within D29-49 WG was significantly greater in large breed puppies late supplemented comparing with other puppies (EL, OL 2445.7 g vs. EO, OO 2294.0 g; p=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

(28) In this study, puppies supplemented with adult serum before gut closure manifested any pathology within the neonatal period less often. Better WG was observed in early and late supplemented animals until weaning. It shows that immunoglobulin therapy is a prophylaxis against morbidity and for health in puppies.

(29) Results are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(30) FIG. 1 shows first results on morbidity. Significant results from startStep 1Morbidity=visible signs of a disease on an alive puppy in a period. Early supplementation significantly REDUCED MORBIDITY.

(31) FIG. 2 shows first results on growth. Significant results from startLARGE DOG growth rate improved. A control group in a breeding kennel is NOT a safe group (virus and parasite infections). Before 2 months of age the fastest growth is the safest for the puppy.

(32) FIG. 3 shows the sampling protocol.