Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study

UW Veterinary Care's Oncology Service is recruiting dogs for the Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study (VACCS trial), the largest clinical trial conducted to date for canine cancer.

The goal of the VACCS trial is to evaluate a new vaccine strategy for the prevention, rather than treatment of dogs with cancer. Healthy dogs of certain breeds, 5.5 to 11.5 years old, will be randomized to receive either a series of vaccines similar to other routine vaccines that are given to dogs currently, or placebo vaccines. Dogs will live at home and be checked 2-3 times yearly for 5 years after enrollment. A financial incentive will be offered to defray the cost associated with diagnostics and treatment of any cancers that dogs develop, regardless of whether they are receiving vaccine or placebo.

In addition to potentially providing a new strategy for cancer prevention in dogs, if successful, this study could provide important justification for eventually looking at a similar approach in humans.

TO QUALIFY, DOGS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

• Owners must live within 150 miles of one of the participating trial sites
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison · Madison, Wisconsin
  • Colorado State University · Fort Collins, Colorado
  • University of California–Davis · Davis, California
• Age: 5.5 to 11.5 years old
• Weight: 12 pounds (5 kg) or more
• No history of previous cancer
• No significant other illness that could result in a life span of less than 5 years
• No history of previous autoimmune disease
• No current treatment with oral or injectable immunosuppressive medications such as prednisone, cyclosporine, mycophenolate, or tacrolimus