Scientific Thoughts Regarding SARDS in Canines

Scientific Thoughts Regarding SARDS in Canines

Veterinary ophthalmologists agree that there is no treatment for Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS). But for the most part, they do agree that SARDS is an autoimmune disease, probably caused by deregulated T-lymphocytes that are no longer controlled due to an imbalanced endocrine system, causing the loss of their recognition of self-tissue and causing cell mediated destruction of the patient’s retinal tissue.

When SARDS develops, the veterinary ophthalmologists will identify the SARDS disease by performing an electroretinogram (ERG), which will be normally flat lined. But recent information has indicated that with proper endocrine immune testing and correction, vision may return, however the ERG may still remain flat lined.

Retinal tissue is made up of both rods and cones, and vision return in a SARDS dog may rely on one or the other, or possibly when both regain function. This definitely needs to be researched by the veterinary ophthalmologists as these clinical studies progress.

The veterinary ophthalmologists know that rods are responsible for vision at low light levels (scotopic vision). Cones are active in active light levels (photonic vision) which is responsible for a high acuity central focus.

There are three types of cones. Those cones that refer to Short-wave lengths. Medium-wave lengths and Long-wave lengths and are called S-cones, M-cones and L cones.

Veterinary ophthalmologist are specialists and are educated to treat eye diseases in animals, however, SARDS is an autoimmune retinal disease.

SARDS should be identified by veterinary ophthalmologists and the treatment of SARDS should be shared by the veterinary ophthalmologists and the endocrine immune veterinary specialists, because once the imbalanced endocrine immune system is corrected, the patient’s sight may return.

The first sight that will return will usually be far sight.

My clinical studies indicate that SARDS develops due to the loss of control of the immune system, based upon a damaged, regulatory, endocrine system.

I would like to share with you my clinical findings regarding SARDS, and these findings are as follows:

Each SARDS patient will have developed the following endocrine immune imbalances.

No. 1 - An imbalanced cortisol that is produced by the middle layer adrenal cortex that is not recognized by the hypothalamic–pituitary axis.

NOTE: Often the SARDS patient will have an elevated amount of inactive or defective cortisol. Because of the elevated amounts of inactive or defective cortisol, SARDS is mistaken for Cushing’s Syndrome, which is incorrect.

Cushing’s Syndrome is caused by the over production of excessive amounts of active cortisol, which originally occurred because of a pituitary tumor producing excessive amounts of ACTH. NOTE: This was originally reported in 1938 by Dr. Edward Cushing who was an MD pathologist. Dr. Cushing’s finding have been assigned to all cortisol production whether elevated and active, or elevated and inactive.

Atypical Cortisol Estrogen Imbalance Syndrome (ACEIS) shows that active and inactive cortisol does exist and that inactive or defective cortisol will cause the production of huge amounts of adrenal estrogen, which is not being routinely measured in humans or in animals. This is one reason why allergies, autoimmunity and cancer are still out of control.

Large amounts of active cortisol are given to patients with autoimmune diseases like SARDS. Autoimmune diseases normally DO NOT occur with Cushing’s Syndrome, which means there is very little reason to test a SARDS patient, or any patient with an autoimmune disease or cancer for Cushing’s Syndrome, since Cushing’s Syndrome involves elevated amounts of active cortisol.

Large amounts of active cortisol will cause immune suppression without elevated amounts of adrenal estrogen.

Atypical Cortisol Estrogen Imbalance Syndrome (ACEIS) or what the public calls, Plechner’s Syndrome, is caused by the production of inactive or defective cortisol that allows for the development of a deregulated and destabilized immune system and leads to the production of imbalanced amounts of adrenal estrogen. This causes the immune system to become out of control, and then the immune system will not only not function to protect the patient’s body, but will lose recognition of self-tissue. The use of many chemical, immune modifiers will also cause the deregulation and destabilization of the immune system.

Once the immune system becomes suppressed and deficient, it will now cause the patient to have two major nonfunctional systems, the endocrine and the immune system, which will cause the patient to develop other catastrophic diseases.

No. 2 - The cortisol imbalance may come from genetics, acquired from the use of estrogen mimicking chemicals (xenoestrogens), plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) anti-flea, tick and heart worm chemicals, anesthetics, vaccines, radiation, stress, poor nutrition and poor exercise, etc.

NOTE: I personally believe that the Achilles tendon of the human and animal body is the middle layer adrenal cortex and its production or lack of production of active cortisol.

No. 3 - When the genetic and/or the environmental inputs cause this cortisol imbalance, the lack of recognition of this imbalance in cortisol, causes the hypothalamic–pituitary axis to continue producing ACTH (adrenal corticotrophin hormone.)

No. 4 - When this occurs, the defective cortisol goes unrecognized, and the inner layer adrenal cortex responds in a direct feedback mechanism and causes an excess production of adrenal estrogen which is not measured usually in animals and people, particularly when the patients have allergies, autoimmune diseases, including SARDS, and cancer. Only ovarian hormones in female species is considered, as well as only estradiol in male species.

No. 5 - When the imbalanced cortisol causes an elevated amount of adrenal estrogen, the estrogen not only binds the receptor sites of the thyroid hormones but also deregulates the immune system, which will now not protect the body, and will lose recognition of self-tissue.

No. 6 - Allergies, SARDS and other autoimmune disease, including cancer, come from this endocrine imbalance, causing a deregulated immune system non-protective, endocrine deregulated, self-tissue, destructive, immune, system.

I have successfully restored eye sight in many, many SARDS dogs around the world and will keep doing so.

The success ratio for doing this sight restoration will depend on how well the dog adapts to their developing blindness, how soon the pet owner realizes their dog has become blind, and how quickly the veterinary acts or not.

What seems to be even more important than sight restoration, is the importance of correcting the endocrine immune imbalance before other autoimmune diseases and cancer develop.

I would like to report some clinical blood test data below that show as the endocrine immune levels are corrected in a patient with SARDS, sight will be restored as long as permanent retinal damage has not already occurred.

All of these SARDS cases, regarding sight return, are governed by how well the patient deals with and hides the developing blindness, how quickly the pet’s owner responded to the realization that their pet was now blind, and how quickly their veterinarian acted upon this blindness.

The following 3 year, clinical case studies, will be shared with you, in hopes that the academic world might develop an interest in my findings as a clinician, who has successfully identified the cause of SARDS and has suggested the proper treatment to help correct the endocrine immune imbalance that causes SARDS.

Please also remember that the development of SARDS may not be the final problem and not the first problem that develops, due to your pet’s endocrine immune imbalance.

SARDS definitely may be preceded by other autoimmune diseases, including cancer.

The following clinical studies will involve SARDS patients that have had perfect eye sight restored, partial eyesight restored (far vision) and those that once again gained good health with no eyesight return, without the development of any other autoimmune diseases including cancer.

For further information on some of these SARDS patents, please go to my SARDS Corner and see some of the SARDS patients that have had normal sight returned.

This list contains only those patients that have completed the Suggested Protocol Treatment, which will indicate, as the endocrine immune balance is corrected, so are the effects of SARDS.

NOTE: Please realize when looking at many of the cortisol levels in the first endocrine immune tests done on these SARDS patients, that many of the cortisol levels are elevated because the cortisol is inactive or defective and NOT ACTIVE.

This type of abnormal cortisol will not be recognized by the negative feedback mechanism involving the hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

As the ACTH production continues, so does the production of abnormal cortisol from the middle layer, adrenal cortex. Once an active cortisol is given to the SARDS patient, whether by injection or with oral administration (if their IgA level is above 58mg/dL.) the negative feedback mechanism is now funded and as the ACTH production decreases, so does the stimulation of the middle layer adrenal cortex and its production of abnormal cortisol.

This is why the second endocrine immune test results indicate a lowered abnormal cortisol. You want this abnormal cortisol to be reduced as much as possible, because it will still remain necessary for the liver to break down the abnormal cortisol and the kidneys will still have to excrete the break down products. At the same time, the abnormal cortisol helps create excess adrenal estrogen that not only binds the thyroid receptor sites of the SARDS patient, but also leads to deregulation of the immune system.

If this were active cortisol (Cushing’s Syndrome) and not Atypical Cortisol Estrogen Imbalance Syndrome (ACEIS), you would expect giving a Cushing’s Syndrome patient more cortisol, that it might increase the patient’s cortisol level and definitely not decrease it.

Please also remember, SARDS is an autoimmune disease, and autoimmune diseases are treated with high levels of active cortisol.

SARDS and other autoimmune disease generally do not occur in patients that have active cortisol (Cushing’s Syndrome).

CASE STUDIES:

Please realize, a successful identification and treatment for SARDS does exist.

To be told there is no treatment for SARDS and “go home and learn how to live with a blind dog”, WILL NEVER BE THE ANSWER!

Sincerely,

Dr. Al Plechner