Clinical Trials
Patients Needed for Clinical Trial: Continuous Wound Infusion of Local Anesthetic for Post-Operative Analgesia in Dogs Following Limb Amputation
The usual treatment for pain after limb amputation of a dog is to use a variety of drugs, including narcotics. These drugs have side effects such as respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting and sedation. Dr. Bonnie Hay Kraus, board-certified anesthesiologist at the VMC, has received a grant to evaluate the effectiveness of using a wound infusion catheter to deliver local anesthetic drugs to the surgical site after limb amputation. It is hoped that this method of pain alleviation will be more effective and less side effects than current pain control methods. Veterinarians who are referring patients to the ISU Oncology or Soft Tissue Surgical service that may be candidates for this clinical trial may contact Dr. Hay Kraus at (515) 294-4900.
Download Consent to Conduct Research in the Course of Veterinary Treatment
Ophthalmology Clinical Trial: Medical Treatment for Cataracts in Diabetic Dogs
Cataracts will occur in at least 70% of diabetic dogs–even wellmanaged patients. Many of these dogs are euthanized when blindness complicates the chronic need for insulin, monitoring, and a special diet. Surgical cataract removal with a prosthetic lens implant is usually successful in restoring functional vision, but that is expensive, and likely will require ongoing medication and monitoring.
In the spring of 2011 Dr. Dan Betts will be one of five veterinary ophthalmologists around the U.S. who will conduct a year long, multicenter clinical trial of a topical medication to prevent cataracts in diabetic dogs. Preliminary results have been very positive and NIH funding has been secured for the final testing
to clear the product for marketing.
to clear the product for marketing.
We plan to enroll at least 32 clinical diabetic patients with naturally occurring diabetes mellitus that do not have evidence of cataracts or other ocular disease. Dogs that already have cataracts or concomitant liver, heart, adrenal or other organic diseases cannot be included in the study. The diabetes will be treated and regulated under the attending veterinarian’s direction and discretion.
Dogs should be referred to Dr. Betts. They will be given an initial ophthalmic examination and accepted for the study if the lenses are without cataracts and there are no other ocular lesions. The owners must agree to give the medication 3 times daily and keep a log of the treatment.
The eye examinations will be performed at the beginning and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months following entry into the study, and blood will be drawn at each exam for monitoring fructosamine and routine serum chemistries. Evaluation and regulation of DM will be performed by the attending veterinarian. The ophthalmic examinations and laboratory tests will be covered by this grant and the owners will not be charged. The study’s primary endpoint will be the incidence or lack of cataracts at one year.
This is a double blind study in which there will be a placebo given to a randomly selected, small portion of the test dogs. If a dog develops cataracts within the time of the study, the
code will be broken and placebo treated dogs will be offered the treatment drug. This drug has already been shown to reverse early cataract formation.
code will be broken and placebo treated dogs will be offered the treatment drug. This drug has already been shown to reverse early cataract formation.
For further information on referring diabetic dogs for inclusion in this trial, contact Dr. Betts at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center, 515-294-4900.
