RENAL-ALLOGRAFT SURVIVAL IN OUTBRED MONGREL DOGS USING RABBIT ANTI-DOG THYMOCYTE SERUM IN COMBINATION WITH IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUG-THERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT DONOR BONE-MARROW

Therapeutic renal transplantation in dogs is currently being investiga ted as a treatment for end-stage renal disease. This pilot study exami nes the effect of donor bone marrow (DBM) infusion and antithymocyte s erum (ATS) in combination with immunosuppressive drug therapy in prolo nging renal allograft survival in dogs. Seven normal outbred mongrel d ogs received an unmatched renal allograft. All dogs received rabbit an ti-dog thymocyte serum (RADTS), prednisone (Pr), cyclosporine-A (CsA) and azathioprine (Aza). In addition, three dogs (group 1 test) receive d DBM and four dogs (group 2 control) did not receive DBM. Serum CsA l evels were measured throughout the study. Immunosuppressive therapy wa s gradually reduced with Pr, CsA, and Aza withdrawn at 200, 450, and 6 80 days, respectively. Allograft rejection was treated with prednisolo ne sodium succinate. One dog in group 1 and one in group 2 died as a r esult of infectious canine rhinotracheitis and rejection early in the study. Renal allograft torsion occurred in one group 1 dog. The remain ing four dogs survived the 2 years of the study. The dogs in group 2 ( three dogs) all rejected the renal allograft after total drug withdraw al, the surviving dog in group 1 did not. This study demonstrates that RADTS, Pr, CsA, and Aza in combination can prolong renal allograft su rvival in mongrel dogs, whereas DBM may enhance the unresponsive state . (C) Copyright 1994 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons