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Small Animal Surgery
 Welcome to the Small Animal Surgery Studies Page!
If you would like more information about a study, or think you would like to enroll your pet, contact the person listed under the study. You may also Contact Us at the CIC.
A pilot study to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhancement MRI characteristics of canine malignant and benign pulmonary nodules
Current Status: Active and enrolling
Principal Investigator: Travis Saveraid, DVM,DACVR
Contact:
Dr. Saveraid: saver006@umn.edu or 612-625-1200
Dr. Vicki Wilke: wilke175@umn.edu
Alexa Hart: 612-624-5695, pager: 612-613-6979, email: hart0318@umn.edu
Dogs with a lung mass, masses or focal lung infiltrate (cancer, infectious, or benign) are needed for a clinical trial of MRI of lung diseases. Seeking dogs with one or more radiographically identified lung mass. Clients pay for sampling to diagnose the lung pathology, but the study pays for anesthesia and thoracic MRI.
Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2) implanted in dogs with diaphyseal fractures
Current Status: Active and enrolling
Principal Investigator: Michael Conzemius, DVM, PhD, DACVS.
Contact: Alexa Hart, phone: 612-624-5695, pager: 612-613-6979, email: hart0318@umn.edu
Fort Dodge Animal Health is developing Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2) for the enhancement of fracture healing during the treatment and management of long bone diaphyseal fractures in dogs. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the product’s safety and effectiveness under clinical field conditions.
The client is responsible for the cost of surgery, but the study covers the costs of all study-related procedures including the scheduled rechecks, radiographs, and blood tests. At the conclusion of the study clients will receive an additional $500.
To be eligible, dogs must be skeletally mature and have only one limb fracture. This should be an acute open (Gustilo-Anderson I, II, IIIA) or closed fracture in the tibia, radius, ulna, radius/ulna, femur, or humerus which will require surgical reduction and stabilization without bone grafting. The dog must be presented for initial wound treatment and/or fracture immobilization within approximately 24 hours of the injury that caused the fracture. The dog must be capable of undergoing the surgery and procedures, and there must not be purulent discharge from the fracture site or evidence of active osteomyelitis. The dog must have surgical repair of the fracture within seven days of the initial injury.
Factors that will exclude dogs from the study include a history of cancer, heterotopic ossification, osteodystrophy, autoimmune disease, metabolic disease, or hypersensitivity to protein-based pharmaceuticals or collagen. Dogs must not be pregnant or lactating. The dog cannot participate if it is currently receiving systemic corticosteroids.
Following surgery the client must agree to bring their dog to the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Medical Center on a fixed schedule of visits every 3 weeks for 18 weeks.
The genetics of injury to the cranial cruciate ligament in Newfoundland dogs
Current Status: Active and enrolling
Principal Investigator: Vicki Wilke, DVM, PhD, DACVS
Contact: Alexa Hart, phone: 612-624-5695, email: hart0318@umn.edu
We are studying an orthopedic condition, cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR), that causes hind limb lameness in nearly 20% of dogs. The study hypothesis is that mutations may exist in genes predisposing some dogs to CCLR. Newfoundland dogs are the focus of this study because they are at high risk for CCL injury, and previous study has shown that this is a hereditary condition.
We are collecting blood samples for DNA from Newfoundlands affected and unaffected with CCLR. We are looking for dogs under 2 years old with CCLR, and over 8 years old without CCLR. These samples will be searched for genetic markers that may serve as disease predictors. These markers will then allow identification of carriers of CCLR, and potentially the reduction or elimination of CCLR from the dog population.
For more information or to enroll your pet, contact Alexa Hart (see above).
The study of the genetics of osteochondrosis dessicans in the Great Dane
Current Status: Active and enrolling
Principal Investigator: Vicki Wilke, DVM, PhD, DACVS
Contact: Alexa Hart, phone: 612-624-5695, email: hart0318@umn.edu
Osteochondrosis (OC) is a developmental orthopedic disease that results in areas of cartilage that do not properly develop into bone. The abnormally thickened cartilage is prone to damage which can result in lameness, swelling of the joints, and osteoarthritis if fractured (a flap is formed, known as osteochondrosis dessicans, OCD). The Great Dane is considered a high risk breed for the development of OC.
We aim to collect DNA samples and, when available, pedigrees from 200 Great Danes, 100 affected and 100 unaffected with osteochondrosis (OC). Our hypothesis is that osteochondrosis in the Great Dane is a heritable condition and predisposition to OC is associated with individual gene defect(s). Particpants will receive a $50 incentive. Owners must provide a copy of the dog’s pedigree (at least three generations) to receive the incentive.
For more information or to enroll your pet, contact Alexa Hart (see above).
Canine Thyroid Carcinoma
Current Status: Active and enrolling
Principal Investigator: Vicki Wilke, DVM, PhD, DACVS
Contact: Alexa Hart, phone: 612-624-5695, email: hart0318@umn.edu
Follicular thyroid carcinomas (a type of thyroid cancer) can be locally invasive and can spread to other locations in the body. There are currently no methods that are reliable to predict the outcome and prognosis for these tumors in dogs or people. We aim to identify other factors, such as gene expression, that may more accurately predict prognosis in both species. The study will evaluate normal thyroid tissue and two types of thyroid cancer, invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma and non-invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma, using genetic analysis to determine differences in gene expression between the types.
Dogs enrolled in the study will receive the standard of care for all dogs that are diagnosed with thyroid carcinoma. Blood specimens, histopathology, radiographs, and a CT scan of the thyroid region are an integral part of the treatment program and will be performed at the time of tumor diagnosis.
Dr. Wilke, a board certified veterinary surgeon at the VMC, will perform a biopsy to remove thyroid tissue for study. Based on each dog’s individual case, this may be an incisional biopsy that removes a sample of tumor or an excisional biopsy that removes the entire tumor.
For more information or to enroll your pet, contact Alexa Hart (see above).
For more information about the Surgical Research Laboratory, please see our website: http://www.cvm.umn.edu/vcs/surgery/srl/home.html
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