Boxers with lymphoma
The Small Animal Internal Medicine and Oncology services are currently recruiting Boxers with lymphoma. They are looking to determine whether exposure to certain environmental chemicals contributes to lymphoma risk in Boxer dogs. Investigators hope the results of this study will help find better ways to prevent lymphoma in dogs.
Eligibility: Any purebred Boxer dog diagnosed with lymphoma by a veterinarian performing cytology or biopsy, and any healthy unaffected Boxers of the same age and sex to act as controls.
Owners will collect a voided 25 mL urine sample (about 2 tablespoons) at home using a kit that is provided. Owners will also be asked to fill out a questionnaire about the dog's household and collect drinking water and air samples from the home using materials provided by the study.
The samples and environmental questionnaire will be processed by Dr. Lauren Trepanier's laboratory. Please contact Torrey Tiedeman at ttiedeman@wisc.edu or Dr. Lauren Trepanier at lauren.trepanier@wisc.edu with any questions or to obtain a sampling kit and questionnaire.
Clinically Healthy Dogs
Bladder Cancer Early Detection
The Small Animal Internal Medicine Service is helping the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine to screen dogs for bladder and prostate cancer, called urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma (UC/TCC).
They are looking to determine if the CADET® BRAF Mutation Detection Assay can be used to diagnose UC/TCC before clinical signs develop. Investigators hope that early diagnosis will allow them to initiate treatment earlier to delay progression and improve survival for dogs with this disease.
Eligibility: Any clinically healthy American Eskimo Dog, Beagle, Jack Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, or West Highland White Terrier that is at least 6 years of age with no sign of urinary tract infection.
If interested in applying to participate in this study, you can do so here. You can view a short video about this study on the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine Facebook page. Please contact Amanda Brooks at simons5@wisc.edu or Dr. Michael Wood at michael.wood@wisc.edu with any questions.
clinically healthy greyhounds
Hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress in Greyhounds
The Small Animal Internal Medicine Service is recruiting clinically healthy adult Greyhound dogs with no recent or chronic illness. They are investigating why Greyhound dogs have higher levels of the metabolite homocysteine compared to other dog breeds.
They are looking to obtain blood and urine samples from healthy Greyhound and non-Greyhound dogs.
Eligibility: Any clinically healthy adult Greyhound or non-Greyhound dog with no recent or chronic illness may be a candidate for this study.
This study will help promote better understanding of a unique blood abnormality found within the Greyhound breed, which may help treat Greyhounds in the future. Results of this study may support followup studies on genetic mechanisms for this abnormality.
Please contact Amanda Brooks, CVT, at simons5@wisc.edu or 608-890-3484 or Dr. Kelsey Johnson at kjohnson224@wisc.edu. The PI for this study is Dr. Lauren Trepanier.
Dogs with BLADDER CANCER
The Small Animal Internal Medicine and Oncology Services are recruiting patients with bladder tumors. They interested in determining whether urinary exposure to certain environmental chemicals contributes to bladder cancer risk in the dog. A second part of this study is to determine whether owners of dogs with bladder cancer have similar urinary chemical exposures.
They are looking to obtain a urine sample from dogs of any breed diagnosed with bladder cancer. Owners will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their dog's environment. It is optional for owners to also provide their own urine sample and to collect household dust, drinking water, and air samples from their home.
Eligibility: Any dog diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder or urethra, or any dog that is identified as an unaffected matched control. Dogs should ideally be enrolled prior to any surgery or chemotherapy.
Owners will collect a 25 mL urine sample (about 2 tablespoons) from their dog at home with a special kit. Materials will also be provided for additional optional sample collection at home.
The samples and environmental questionnaire will be processed by Dr. Lauren Trepanier's laboratory. Please contact Torrey Tiedeman at ttiedeman@wisc.edu or Dr. Lauren Trepanier at lauren.trepanier@wisc.edu with any questions or to obtain a sampling kit and questionnaire.
Dogs with chronic gastrointestinal signs
The Small Animal Internal Medicine Service is recruiting patients with chronic vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, and weight loss. They are investigating whether or not dogs need to be fasted for a commonly recommended test in dogs with these symptoms.
They are looking to obtain blood samples at scheduled times throughout the course of a day from dogs affected by chronic vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, and weight loss.
Eligibility: Any adult medium-to-large breed dog experiencing the above-noted symptoms. All dogs must be willing to eat a normal meal in the hospital setting. All dogs must be current patients of UW Veterinary Care and be first evaluated by a veterinarian.
This study may indicate that the current standard fasting requirements for the gastrointestinal panel blood test are not necessary. Removing or reducing these fasting requirements will result in decreased patient stress, as well as reduction of challenges for owners and clinicians in the investigation of chronic gastrointestinal disease.
Please contact Amanda Brooks at simons5@wisc.edu or 608-890-3484 or Dr. Alex Saver at saver@wisc.edu for more information regarding this study.