February reminds us that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., but at the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary where more than 300 of humans’ closest living relatives reside, heart disease also is a top threat, inspiring veterinarians there to turn to state-of-the-art human technology to help save lives.
Chimpanzees and humans biologically have much in common, and caregivers at Chimp Haven, a 200-acre forested sanctuary near Shreveport, LA., are looking to extend and improve the lives of the chimps who live there by learning to perform echocardiograms. An ultrasound machine is used to get a clear look at the heart, potentially alerting veterinarians to the disease before symptoms appear.
“Performing regular echocardiogram diagnostics can really be a game-changer in saving and improving the lives of chimpanzees in our care at Chimp Haven — and that’s the goal,” said Dr. Raven Jackson, DVM, Chimp Haven’s Director of Veterinary Care.
About half of the chimpanzees at Chimp Haven, most of whom were formerly used in biomedical research, are considered geriatric. Jackson estimated that 20-30% of chimpanzees at the sanctuary have some type of known cardiac abnormality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among humans, about 5% of adults aged 20 and over have coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease.
“As these retired chimpanzees now live their best lives in sanctuary, it is our responsibility to ensure they live as long as possible and in the best health possible,” Jackson said.
Chimp Haven veterinarians recently trained with the Great Ape Heart Project (GAHP) to learn to perform echocardiograms that allow the team to see the heart and its compartments. Over two days, the team examined seven chimpanzees.
“Through our collaboration with the Great Ape Heart Project, we are learning to truly identify whether a cardiac abnormality is present, characterize that abnormality and make determinations about what treatment regimens are needed,” Jackson said.
As part of this training, Jackson and Dr. DaShaunté Coleman, DVM, assisted GAHP Cardiologist Dr. Trevor Gerlach, DVM, DACVIM, in getting diagnostic images from seven chimpanzees during their regular well-being examinations. They found most had mild cardiac conditions within the normal range for the animals, but one chimp – 31-year-old Jake – did not fare as well.
“Jake was found to have pretty severe cardiac abnormalities,” Jackson said. “The good news is, because we were able to capture these detailed images of his heart, we are now providing Jake the therapeutic care he needs.” Jake’s new treatment regimen includes close follow-up monitoring including regular mobile electrocardiogram (EKG) readings and blood pressure assessment as well as the use of blood pressure medications that are most often prescribed for humans with similar diagnoses.
“Information is key, and now we can give Jake exactly what he needs,” Jackson said.
While the veterinary team is relieved to have uncovered Jake’s cardiac care needs, the process of evaluating the more than 300 chimpanzees at the sanctuary has just begun and will take many months, if not years, to complete, Jackson said.
“With more than 300 chimpanzees in our care, it is vital that the Chimp Haven veterinary medical team be able to add echocardiogram diagnostic technology and expertise to the chimps’ regular medical exams, but that will take time and money,” Jackson said. “Echocardiograms require a great deal of technical knowledge and the appropriate equipment can cost tens of thousands of dollars.”
Jackson said she is confident that through additional training with the cardiac experts at the GAHP, she and Dr. Coleman will be able to add the echocardiogram diagnostics. The team is still evaluating what additional equipment may be necessary to conduct the exams at Chimp Haven without using GAHP-borrowed equipment. GAHP will still be needed to analyze the data captured in the echocardiogram.
“It’s a win-win because Chimp Haven has the largest subset of chimpanzees in the world, so the Great Ape Heart Project, which is committed to understanding and treating cardiac disease in all ape species, may be able to identify a trend from our colonies that can inform improved outcomes for chimpanzees elsewhere,” Jackson said.
To learn more about Chimp Haven, visit www.chimphaven.org.