Small Animal Internal Medicine is the branch of medicine specializing in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system, hematology, respiratory tract, kidneys and urinary tract, and infectious diseases. Common disorders seen by Internists include hormonal imbalances such as Cushing’s or Addison’s, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, diabetes, liver disease, and chronic kidney disease. Abdominal ultrasound, CT scans, specialized blood tests, and scoping procedures are common diagnostic tools. Our Small Animal Internal Medicine service has many studies involving these disorders as well as new treatment options, so please check back often to see if your pet may qualify to enroll in one of our studies. Thank you!
*NEW 10/1/2025 - Cats with Kidney Infections
We are studying a systemic biomarker, serum amyloid A (SAA) to help determine when to stop antibiotic treatments in cats diagnosed with a kidney infection (or pyelonephritis).
Your cat may qualify if they have a working diagnosis of pyelonephritis based on work-up and positive urine culture, and has started treatment with antibiotics -AND- either have newly elevated kidney values OR cats with a history of chronic kidney disease.
You must pay for the initial diagnostics needed to confirm that your cat is eligible for the study. Once enrolled, the study will pay for the initial SAA levels and all the bloodwork, urine tests, and blood pressure done at the follow-up visits.
We will need to see your cat for follow-up visits on days 7, 14, and possibly 21 to determine when to stop antibiotics. We will need to see your cat 3 weeks after antibiotics are finished to ensure your cat does not have relapsing infection. Follow up visits will include a brief exam and sample collection for a renal panel, urinalysis with culture, SAA, and blood pressure. You will fill out a questionnaire at each visit about how your cat is feeling at home. We will contact you after the antibiotics are finished to see how your cat is feeling at home.
For more information contact Dr. Crystal Ma at cxma@wisc.edu or Amy Elbe, CVT, LAT, at clinicalstudies@vetmed.wisc.edu or 608-890-3484.
Cats with Idiopathic Cystitis
Does your cat strain in the litterbox, have blood in their urine, or urinate frequent, small amounts?
We are recruiting 90 cats for a new study testing monthly Solensia injections as a way to combat Feline Interstitial Cystitis (FIC).
There is no cost to participants! The study pays for baseline screening (exam, bloodwork, UA/Cx, and bladder ultrasound) plus monthly treatment medications for 6 months.
CLICK ON THIS LINK or scan the QR code below to fill out the eligibility survey. Email ficstudy@vetmed.wisc.edu or call 608-890-3484 with questions.
Dogs hospitalized with Nasogastric Vs Nasoesophageal feeding tubes
This study is using a Bravo pH capsule placed along with the feeding tube to take pH readings. We want to see if there is a difference in pH (to reflect acid reflux) in nasoesophageal versus nasogastric feeding tubes.
Eligibility
- Dogs hospitalized for feeding tube placement and monitoring are eligible.
- Dogs must be over 5kg
- Dogs cannot be brachycephalic
- Dogs cannot have a history of reflux or megaesophagus
- Dogs cannot have been on gastric acid suppressants or prokinetics 2 weeks before tube placement
What happens
Your dog will be randomly selected to be in either the NE or the NG group. The Bravo pH capsule will be placed in the esophagus when the feeding tube is placed and verified with radiographs. A sensor will report pH levels every 6 seconds for 2-5 days while the feeding tube is in place during hospitalization. Your dog will pass the capsule naturally.
Incentives
The placement radiographs are paid for by the study. Help science and dogs!
More Information
For more information contact Dr. Katie Anderson at klanderson33@wisc.edu or Amy Elbe, CVT, LAT, at clinicalstudies@vetmed.wisc.edu or 608-890-3484.
Monitoring Blood Pressure in Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease
We are looking for 20 dogs with stable, IRIS Stage 2 or 3, chronic kidney disease. We are investigating if gabapentin used to help with vet visit anxiety affects the blood pressure in dogs with chronic kidney disease. Gabapentin is processed by the kidneys and blood pressure is affected by blood flow through the kidneys. We want to see if there is a difference in the blood pressure of dogs who have been given gabapentin and if this is different for healthy dogs versus dogs with kidney disease.
This study involves 3 visits to UW Veterinary Care. The first visit is to screen for eligibility and will pay for your dog to have a physical exam, blood, and urine tests. The second and third visits will need to be a week apart and your dog will receive either the gabapentin or a placebo (one at each visit) and then relax in the hospital for a few hours and have their blood pressure monitored at the end of 3 hours.
To enroll, or if you have questions, contact Amy Elbe, CVT, LAT, at clinicalstudies@vetmed.wisc.edu or 608-890-3484.
dogs with Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia
We are looking for 4 more (as of 3/31/25) dogs newly diagnosed with primary immune mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) for a clinical trial measuring cytokine levels to see if they are a good marker of inflammation and can help guide treatment and predict relapse. Dogs will need to have blood collected at enrollment, recheck appointments at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 or until relapse. The owners will get a free recheck CBC at each appointment. Please contact Amy Elbe, CVT, LAT with any questions or to enroll at 608-890-3484 or clinicalstudies@vetmed.wisc.edu
Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease
We are looking for dogs with chronic kidney disease level II, III, or IV to spend one day in the hospital. They will have baseline bloodwork done to confirm their stage. Then they will get a single oral dose of doxycycline. They will be taken outside for potty breaks at 9am, 1pm, and 6pm to measure the amount of doxycycline passing into the urine. The study will pay for all the bloodwork and samples and you will get a copy of the results.
For more information or to enroll in the study, please contact Amy Elbe, CVT, LAT, at 608-890-3484 or clinicalstudies@vetmed.wisc.edu.