by Maggie Baum
What if there was a meaningful way to honor and celebrate the human-animal bond while at the same time working toward improved health and wellbeing for our pets? The Companion Animal Fund (CAF) at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) does just that. Gifts to this fund — which come from individuals as well as many of our valued veterinary friends and partners (see sidebar) — support a range of critical health care studies. The common thread of these studies is that they are designed to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the diseases that afflict companion animals. What we learn in these studies is sometimes directly translated to human health, as exemplified by the projects in this article that focus on laryngeal paralysis. On the flip side, sometimes improved practices and treatments in human medicine — such as the dried blood spot tests — offer ways we can test and treat our companion animals more safely and efficiently. As we work to create the future of veterinary medicine, we’re grateful for the generous CAF donors who help advance incredible SVM research initiatives that work toward longer and healthier lives for pets. The following are a selection of projects that CAF funds have supported this year.
IS FASTING TRULY NECESSARY BEFORE A GI PANEL?
Principal investigator: Katie Anderson (Department of Medical Sciences)
When a dog or cat is suffering from chronic vomiting or diarrhea, veterinarians often recommend a blood test called a GI panel to determine the cause. The GI panel assesses digestive health by measuring cobalamin (B12), folate (B9), trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI), and pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (PLI). These test results often guide treatment decisions, such as dietary changes, vitamin supplements, or enzyme therapy, which can improve a pet’s health and quality of life.
Currently, laboratories recommend fasting a pet before performing the GI panel, but this advice has not been proven through scientific research. This study aims to determine whether fasting — which can be stressful for pets and owners and often requires an extra trip to the vet — is truly necessary before the test.
CAN A PACEMAKER HELP OPEN THE AIRWAY OF A DOG WITH LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS?
Principal investigator: Robb Hardie (Department of Surgical Sciences)
Laryngeal paralysis is a relatively common problem in older, large breed dogs that results in laryngeal obstruction and respiratory distress. The current standard of care for dogs with laryngeal paralysis is a surgical procedure that opens the larynx. The procedure is relatively successful in relieving an obstruction but can lead to coughing and aspiration of food and water.
Similar to cardiac pacemakers, laryngeal pacemakers provide an electrical stimulus to the muscles that open the larynx resulting in a more physiological function compared to current surgical techniques. This study is testing whether a commercially available pacemaker can stimulate the muscles of the larynx and adequately open the airway in dogs with laryngeal paralysis.
DOES TRAZODONE AID IN GAIT AND LAMENESS EVALUATIONS IN HORSES?
Principal investigator: Jordan Kirkpatrick (Department of Surgical Sciences)
The goal of the research is to evaluate the effects of trazodone, a calming medication that can be given to animals prior to a potential stressful event – such as, for horses, gait assessment and lameness evaluation.
If there are minimal to no effects of trazodone on gait and lameness, this medication may benefit horses that become stressed by veterinary evaluations if given prior to their assessment. This would help make the assessments less stressful and safer for the horse, owner, and veterinarian without compromising the veterinarian’s ability to accurately assess gait abnormalities and lameness.
UNDERSTANDING HOW LATE-ONSET PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AFFECTS NERVE AND MUSCLE
Principal investigator: Susie Sample (MS’07 DVM’09 PhD’11; Department of Surgical Sciences)
Late onset peripheral neuropathy (LPN), commonly termed laryngeal paralysis, is a devastating and life-limiting disease. Labrador retrievers represent about 75% of cases, and there is currently no disease modifying therapy for LPN.
The objective of this project is to understand how LPN affects the interface between the nerve and muscle, and to determine whether dogs with LPN have altered sensation through sensory nerve fibers. This work will build foundational evidence into potential sensory involvement for the disease and inform how LPN results in weakness. Ultimately, this work will provide necessary data that will inform management, clinical decisions, and discovery of treatments.
TESTING CRUCIAL VITAMIN D LEVELS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR LARGE-VOLUME BLOOD SAMPLES
Principal investigator: Alyssa Scagnelli (Department of Surgical Sciences)
Measuring vitamin D in reptiles is crucial for their health and in making sound recommendations on their care. Unfortunately, our knowledge of what constitutes normal vitamin D concentrations is lacking and we cannot make appropriate dietary recommendations for these species.
Currently, vitamin D testing requires large blood volumes, serum separation, and overnight shipping, posing challenges for small patients. For human blood samples, dried blood spots (DBS) offer a practical alternative by allowing small blood samples to dry on filter paper with proven long-term stability and minimal storage and transport needs.
This study aims to determine whether DBS can assess vitamin D concentrations in reptile blood to offer a simpler diagnostic tool, enabling broader studies on reptile vitamin D metabolism and improving clinical care for these popular pets.
Learn more about the studies supported by CAF here.
There are many ways to commemorate and honor a pet or a person with a gift to the Companion Animal Fund. Learn more about making a gift here.
• Express sympathy for the loss of a cherished companion
• Thank a veterinarian for exceptional care
• Honor a friend or family member who loves and values animals