Re: DMSO and blindness in dogs

[Guest guest]

It appears that there is an effect at very high doses, but it is not

blindness and seems to be reversible once DMSO is discontinued. The

studies were not conducted properly in that pretreatment eye exams were

not done so the investigators did not know if there were pre-existing

conditions.

In DMSO Nature's Healer Dr Morton reports:

p 79

" ... there were refractive index changes in the lenses (not an opacity)

fo dogs, rabbits and pigs. After being dosed with approximately 5 g/kg

[equivalent to 1/3 c per day for a 30# dog] for three months, the

animals became slightly nearsighted [not blind]. No microscopic or

chemical differences could e found between the lenses of the treated

animals and the control animals.

In the affected animals, there appeared two distinct zones of different

refraction. This could easily be observed with an opthalmoscope and with

the slit lamp. It apperaerd to be related to the dose, and the problme

diminished as the dose was reduced. These animals were exposed to 50 -

100 times the usual human therapeutic dose.'

p82

" Oral administration of 5- 10 g/kg/day to dogs caused alterations of the

eye lenses after treatment periods of 9 -63 days. ...Lines of

discontinuity ar eproduced and sometims opacity of the lens. When DMSO

administration is discontinued, some but not all of the changes

disappear. "

As with many therapuetic agents or procedures we often have to weigh the

relative risks. And keep in mind that many toxicity studies are

conducted at well above therapeutic doses. If you drink 4 gallons of

water in rapid succession you will die -- this does not mean water is

going to kill you, but in acutality it keeps you alive.

Garnet

> Me again, :-D

>

> I've read many times now that DMSO has been known to cause blindness in

> canines (one of the reasons the FDA thumbed their noses at it).

> However, I *assume* this is only in very large doses and perhaps

> internally. Would light topical application likely cause such a

> reaction?

>

> Thanks in advance (again)!

>

> Dee and Mojo

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