From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris) Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative,sci.med Subject: Re: Heart Disease Halted (do animals get atheroscerosis?) Date: 21 Dec 1997 22:08:50 GMT Scudamore doesn't post this kind of malarky on veterinary medical groups because they'd doubtless tell him they see atherosclerosis commonly in pet birds (Maca, pigeons), rabbits and monkeys. And even the occasional overfed dog. And I'm sure that then Scudamore would say that he and his ignormamous doc Rath were only talking about animals in the WILD eating the natural diet, that never get heart disease. Except this isn't true either. Several primate species, including baboons and howler monkeys, get atherosclerosis in the wild. And so do a variety of other animals from turkeys to hares to wild deer. This stuff about wild animals being immune to human degenerative diseases is a sort of Rouseavean nonsense. We see it pop up all the time. It's the 19th century romantic view of nature, The Garden of Eden, where all the animals live forever and all of man's problems are due to eating what he's not supposed to (see Genesis). But it's a load of crap, of course, and won't withstand even a cursory knowledge of zoology. You would have thought the romantic view of nature wouldn't survive the teachings of Darwin and the great naturalists, but there's no shortage of uneducated people. Steve Harrris, M.D. Adv Exp Med Biol 1976;67(00):77-87 The baboon in atherosclerosis research: comparison with other species and use in testing drugs affecting lipid metabolism. Despite the deomnstration of spontaneous atherosclerosis in the wild state, the baboon is not the best species for the production of atherosclerosis experimentally since it develops only a mild hypercholesterolaemia when fed cholesterol. Nevertheless, it is useful for the study of mild lipid deposition in the aorta and the effect of drugs thereon, particularly if protein antigens are also employed in addition. For studies of the hypocholesterolae- mic effect of potential therapeutic compounds in man, the baboon fed a high protein commercial diet, with and without cholesterol, is a useful second species to smaller laboratory animals. Experientia 1993 Sep 15;49(9):820-824 Fatty acid profiles of major food sources of howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in the neotropics. Chamberlain J, Nelson G, Milton Wild howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) get most of their calories from carbohydrates (65%) and fats (18%) of native tropical plants, but little is known about their intake of individual fatty acids. The fatty acid composition of several natural food sources of howler monkeys collected in Panama was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The predominant fatty acids were palmitic (30%), linoleic (23%), alpha-linolenic (16%) and oleic (15%). Fatty acids with less than 16, and more than 18, carbon chains were uncommon (0-7%). Although total saturated fatty acids were high in some specific food sources (22-54% of total fatty acids and 8 energy %), most of the calories from fat in the animals' diets are derived from mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (9.75 energy %). All food sources had significant amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (2.9 energy %). In terms of human diets, the howler monkey's fat consumption would not be considered atherogenic. Unless these animals show a particular adverse susceptibility to dietary fat, it is unlikely that their fat intake is the primary cause of the low, but significant, incidence of atherosclerosis that develops in these animals in the wild state. Am J Vet Res 1988, 49(9):1582-1 Atherosclerosis in coronary, aortic, and sciatic arteries from wild male turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Krista LM, McQuire JA Atherosclerosis in coronary, aortic, and sciatic arteries from wild male turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Heart, aorta, and sciatic arteries were collected from 157 wild male turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) by hunters in 9 states during the spring 1983 and 1984 hunting seasons. In descending order of extent and severity, intimal vascular changes were observed in the left sciatic artery, aorta at the celiac region, cranial abdominal portion of the aorta, sciatic bifurcat- ion, caudal abdominal portion of the aorta, coronary arteries, and thoracic portion of the aorta. Only the aorta from the celiac region and right sciatic artery had significant differences (P less than 0.05) among turkeys from various locations. Turkeys from Indiana had significantly (P less than 0.05) larger plaque scores in the celiac region than did those from Alabama, Missou- ri, and South Carolina. Turkeys from Indiana also had significan- tly (P less than 0.05) greater plaque scores in the right sciatic artery than did turkeys from Arkansas. When all tissues were considered, tissues from turkeys from Michigan had the highest plaque scores and those from Iowa had the lowest. Plaque scores for turkeys from Michigan were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher overall (including all blood vessels) than were plaque scores for turkeys from Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, and South Carolina. Few significant (P less than 0.05) correlations were detected among plaque scores in turkeys from within states of origin (geographic location). Also, only a few significant (P less than 0.05) correlations were determined between age or body weight and atherosclerosis for blood vessels from turkeys within various states. J Wildl Dis 1987 Oct;23(4):527-533 A review of wildlife diseases from Scandinavia. Borg K The epidemiological and historical aspects of some important and representative wildlife diseases from Scandinavia are discussed. In noninfectious diseases, examples include cataract in moose (Alces alces), atherosclerosis in hybrid hares (Lepus timidus X L. europaeus), and ethmoid tumors in moose. The epizootiological and historical aspects of the recent epizootics of myxomatosis in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and rabies and sarcoptic mange in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are reviewed. The decline and subsequent increase in population abundances of tetraonids including the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), and hazel hen (Tetrastes bonasia) are discuss- ed, and an hypothesis on predation by foxes is presented as a possible explanation for these population fluctuations. The potential impact of environmental pollution on wildlife populati- ons is emphasized with reference to mercury in wildlife from Sweden and the possible effects of cadmium and selenium resulting from acidification. A bibliography of important references is presented pertaining to these and other diseases of wildlife from Scandinavia. Med Interne 1976 Jul;14(3):215-218 Spontaneous aorta and coronary lesions in mountain mammals. I. The Carpathian deer (Cervus elaphus) Cucu, F Arterial lesions were investigated in 48 adult wild Carpathian deers (Cervus elaphus). Aortas from 36 animals and fragments from the main coronary trunks of all the animals were studied histolo- gically and histochemically. In 44.4% of the animals the specim- ens studied presented gross intimal lesions in the aorta consist- ing histologically of fibrous plaques (especially situated in the thoracic segment) and/or intimal musculo-elastic thickenings with lipid deposits or fatty streaks (especially in the abdominal segments). In only 5 of the 48 animals the coronary arteries presented slight intimal thickenings, free of lipids. The results obtained are discussed in relation with the possible effect of natural nutrition. |