New dog on the job provides comfort to child victims
On October 4th, 2016, the much anticipated new employee at the London courthouse arrived. Merel, an 18-month old Labrador / Bernese Mountain dog cross, is part of a national service-dog program that specially trains dogs to help ease the stress of court proceedings for young, vulnerable witnesses.
Merel will be partnered with Child Witness Project (CWP) program co-ordinator, Rachel Crawford. The team has just come together to start the final stages of their training and are expected to be working on site by the end of the year. According to Crawford, the clinic receives about 400 referrals a year. Merel will likely work with 100 to 150 children annually. Merel is one of just 17 canines working as facility dogs in Canada. Most of these specially trained dogs are in service in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Only two have been placed in Ontario.
A year ago, the CKC Foundation awarded money to the London Family Court's Child Witness Project (CWP) to assist with the costs associated with acquiring Merel. The CKC Foundation’s Pawsitivity Grants are awarded with the primary objective of enhancing the health and welfare of dogs in Canada by supporting education on the diverse and beneficial role of dogs in society.
Recently, the Foundation donated $2,900 to fund additional training and dogs. The CKC Foundation is pleased to have played a small role in providing service dogs to help children navigate such a traumatic time in their lives.
Merel will be partnered with Child Witness Project (CWP) program co-ordinator, Rachel Crawford. The team has just come together to start the final stages of their training and are expected to be working on site by the end of the year. According to Crawford, the clinic receives about 400 referrals a year. Merel will likely work with 100 to 150 children annually. Merel is one of just 17 canines working as facility dogs in Canada. Most of these specially trained dogs are in service in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Only two have been placed in Ontario.
A year ago, the CKC Foundation awarded money to the London Family Court's Child Witness Project (CWP) to assist with the costs associated with acquiring Merel. The CKC Foundation’s Pawsitivity Grants are awarded with the primary objective of enhancing the health and welfare of dogs in Canada by supporting education on the diverse and beneficial role of dogs in society.
Recently, the Foundation donated $2,900 to fund additional training and dogs. The CKC Foundation is pleased to have played a small role in providing service dogs to help children navigate such a traumatic time in their lives.
micro-RNA Analysis in Dogs with Lymphoma
Host Institution: Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College (University of Guelph)
Principal Investigators: R. Darren Wood and Geoffrey A. Wood
Duration: January 11, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Project Duration: 12 months
Breeds: All Dogs
CKCF Grant Contribution: $17,700
Abstract:
Lymphoma is the most commonly diagnosed malignant cancer of dogs (accounting for up to 24% of all canine tumours) and has many similarities to the human disease. The most frequent manifestation of this tumour in dogs is the multicentric form, where multiple lymphnodes are enlarged. Diagnosis involves physical examination, blood testing, and microscopic assessment of lymphnode cells or tissues (biopsies). Treatment usually involves chemotherapy and drugs that suppress the immune system. Although remission can be achieved with current therapies, there are no good tools available to suggest which dogs will respond well and which will relapse after an initial therapeutic response.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been detected in many different tissue samples from human patients with a variety of cancers, including lymphomas. miRNAs are small molecules found inside cells that are released in extracellular fluids, including blood. Alterations in specific miRNAs have been shown to correlate with the presence of cancer in people. Recent preliminary evidence has shown that some miRNAs detected in fresh tissue samples of dogs with lymphoma may similarly correlate with those found in humans with the disease.
Our research aims to determine whether blood and preserved tissue samples from canine lymphoma patients are suitable for miRNA detection. If yes, we will also look at what changes in the microRNA profile occur during standard therapy and whether those changes correlate with response to therapy (positive or negative) and length of remission.
Principal Investigators: R. Darren Wood and Geoffrey A. Wood
Duration: January 11, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Project Duration: 12 months
Breeds: All Dogs
CKCF Grant Contribution: $17,700
Abstract:
Lymphoma is the most commonly diagnosed malignant cancer of dogs (accounting for up to 24% of all canine tumours) and has many similarities to the human disease. The most frequent manifestation of this tumour in dogs is the multicentric form, where multiple lymphnodes are enlarged. Diagnosis involves physical examination, blood testing, and microscopic assessment of lymphnode cells or tissues (biopsies). Treatment usually involves chemotherapy and drugs that suppress the immune system. Although remission can be achieved with current therapies, there are no good tools available to suggest which dogs will respond well and which will relapse after an initial therapeutic response.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been detected in many different tissue samples from human patients with a variety of cancers, including lymphomas. miRNAs are small molecules found inside cells that are released in extracellular fluids, including blood. Alterations in specific miRNAs have been shown to correlate with the presence of cancer in people. Recent preliminary evidence has shown that some miRNAs detected in fresh tissue samples of dogs with lymphoma may similarly correlate with those found in humans with the disease.
Our research aims to determine whether blood and preserved tissue samples from canine lymphoma patients are suitable for miRNA detection. If yes, we will also look at what changes in the microRNA profile occur during standard therapy and whether those changes correlate with response to therapy (positive or negative) and length of remission.
Hemostasis in Breeding Bitches
Host Institution: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College (University of Guelph)
Principal Investigators: Cathy J. Gartley, DVM, DVSc, DACT and Elizabeth L Scholtz, DVM, PhD, DACT
Duration: January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Project Duration: 12 months
Breeds: All Dogs
CKCF Grant Contribution: $14,800
Abstract:
Life-threatening bleeding commonly occurs in bitches undergoing surgery during or just after their heat or at whelping/C-section. Bleeding can occur when clots do not form properly or quickly enough to stop blood loss or when there is too much clot formation throughout the vascular system, using up blood clotting factors that should normally be available to stop bleeding. Current tests to evaluate clotting ability are rarely predictive of blood loss during or after surgery while bitches are in heat or at term. However, new tests for evaluation of overall clotting ability have recently been validated.
The research question at the heart of the study is: Can we identify which bitches may have bleeding problems and use strategies to to prevent excess bleeding? Study objectives are:
1) To determine whether there are differences in blood clotting among bitches at weaning (controls) and the same bitches during heat and at whelping;
2) To investigate which mechanism(s) may be contributing to these clotting defects;
3) To determine if these hemostasis issues are associated with any of the commonly measured reproductive hormones.
With owner permission, blood will be obtained during anestrus (just after weaning), during heat and at whelping/C-section from 15 bitches presented to the Reproduction service at the Ontario Veterinary College. Hormonal assays and new clotting tests will be performed on the blood samples.
By identifying those clotting paramaters which differ among bitches after weaning, in heat and at whelping, veterinarians should be able to screen for and prevent unwarranted bleeding in breeding bitches.
Principal Investigators: Cathy J. Gartley, DVM, DVSc, DACT and Elizabeth L Scholtz, DVM, PhD, DACT
Duration: January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Project Duration: 12 months
Breeds: All Dogs
CKCF Grant Contribution: $14,800
Abstract:
Life-threatening bleeding commonly occurs in bitches undergoing surgery during or just after their heat or at whelping/C-section. Bleeding can occur when clots do not form properly or quickly enough to stop blood loss or when there is too much clot formation throughout the vascular system, using up blood clotting factors that should normally be available to stop bleeding. Current tests to evaluate clotting ability are rarely predictive of blood loss during or after surgery while bitches are in heat or at term. However, new tests for evaluation of overall clotting ability have recently been validated.
The research question at the heart of the study is: Can we identify which bitches may have bleeding problems and use strategies to to prevent excess bleeding? Study objectives are:
1) To determine whether there are differences in blood clotting among bitches at weaning (controls) and the same bitches during heat and at whelping;
2) To investigate which mechanism(s) may be contributing to these clotting defects;
3) To determine if these hemostasis issues are associated with any of the commonly measured reproductive hormones.
With owner permission, blood will be obtained during anestrus (just after weaning), during heat and at whelping/C-section from 15 bitches presented to the Reproduction service at the Ontario Veterinary College. Hormonal assays and new clotting tests will be performed on the blood samples.
By identifying those clotting paramaters which differ among bitches after weaning, in heat and at whelping, veterinarians should be able to screen for and prevent unwarranted bleeding in breeding bitches.