Penn Vet Recruiting Dogs with Chronic Gastrointestinal Problems for New Clinical Trial

by Ashley Berke

[February 24, 2015; Philadelphia, PA] – Penn Vet is currently recruiting dogs for a clinical trial evaluating the role of the intestinal microbiome in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal problems. Dogs with chronic symptoms such as diarrhea and/or vomiting may be eligible. All initial diagnostics and standard-of-care treatment during the study period (2 to 8 weeks) are included free of charge.

By studying dogs with clinical signs of Canine Chronic Enteropathy (CCE), Dr. Mark Rondeau, Staff Veterinarian in Internal Medicine, and Dr. Daniel Beiting, Research Assistant Professor, aim to determine the composition of the microbiome (the naturally occurring bacteria in the intestine) of the gastrointestinal tract before, during, and after treatment. Understanding how these bacteria change in dogs being treated for CCE may lead to better diagnostics and treatments for chronic gastrointestinal diseases in pets.

CCE is a common syndrome in dogs, resulting in diarrhea, vomiting, and/or weight loss. The duration and severity of these symptoms vary, as does response to treatment, suggesting that there are multiple factors that contribute to this disease. Common causes include food sensitivity and inflammatory bowel disease. The microbiome has been shown to play an important role in inflammatory bowel disease in humans.

Pet owners interested in enrolling a dog in this study should email Penn Vet’s Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center at vcic@vet.upenn.edu or call 215-573-0302. Full eligibility and trial details can be found here.

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=72074

Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 25 2015. Filed under Health & Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.