Experiments using dogs and cats
Clinical studies with dogs or cats
Veterinary medicine, like human medicine, is based on scientific research. In the final stage of research, the effect of promising new medical treatments in the body is investigated: these are clinical studies. People can participate in clinical studies as patients or as healthy volunteers. The trials at Ghent University with companion animals such as dogs and cats are almost always clinical studies, for medical treatments for these species themselves. The vast majority of such studies are conducted with animals from private pet owners: for dogs and cats this was the case in 97 and 98% of the trials over the last 10 years respectively. As with people, these can be healthy animals or patients.
Clinical studies are animal experiments
These clinical studies are always reported as ‘animal experiments’ and submitted to the legally competent ethics committee. In order to be allowed to work with animals from private owners, researchers must also apply for a so-called exemption per study from the Flemish government, which then requests advice from the Flemish Laboratory Animal Commission. These ‘animal experiments’ are absolutely essential for veterinary medicine, and therefore for the well-being of countless dogs, cats and other pets.
At the Ghent University Small Animal Clinic, dog and cat owners can choose to have their animal participate in a specific study after an oral explanation by a veterinarian and after signing an informed consent.
Example: determining reference values in blood
When developing a new diagnostic test for dogs, researchers must also determine reference values: these demarcate which blood values are normal, for example, and which are abnormal (which may indicate diseases). For this, a blood sample must be taken from at least 40 healthy animals. It goes without saying that such a thing cannot be tested in any other animal species than the dog itself.
Benefits for the species and for the individual animal
The research with dogs and cats at Ghent University almost always has the goal of improving veterinary knowledge about the cause, diagnosis or treatment of diseases specifically in dogs and cats themselves. This also applies to studies for cattle or horse medicine, for example.
For the patient animals participating in studies there are certain associated advantages, such as close health monitoring or access to certain medicines that are not (yet) on the market.
Example: early screening for age-related diseases
In a recent study on screening for early chronic kidney disease in cats, 259 apparently healthy middle-aged and older cats were screened using a comprehensive questionnaire, thorough physical examination, blood pressure measurement, and complete blood and urine tests. 201 older cats were then voluntarily presented by their owners for a check-up every six months for two years. In as many as 21% of these cats, diseases such as chronic kidney disease or thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism) were detected at the start of the study. Thanks to this research, these animals could be treated early, with a better quality of life and a longer life expectancy. The (still) mild symptoms were not noticed by the owners themselves.
Every year, Ghent University reports how many dogs and cats were involved in experiments. This report also includes studies such as the one above. The fact that this type of study ends up in the statistics as animal experiments is hardly known to the public.
Humans and animals: “One Health”
It is often forgotten that veterinary medicine also relies heavily on insights from human medicine. These areas of knowledge cannot be separated from each other: many veterinary treatments are, after all, based on treatments for humans. Much more research is conducted worldwide into human medicine than, for example, canine medicine.
This approach is part of the One Health principle: pursuing a holistic approach in health research in humans, animals, their environment and society.
Example: cardiac rhythm disorders in dogs
At Ghent University, a catheter procedure for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias was ‘translated’ from humans to dogs. After practical validation of the treatment in eight test dogs, the technique was applied to five owner animals. Because the treatment of these dogs also fitted into the clinical doctoral research, all these numbers were also reported as animal experiments. Thanks to this research, dogs with cardiac arrhythmias now have access to a new treatment.
Animal welfare comes first
There are often good reasons to choose animals from private owners as much as possible. In some cases (2-3% of the tests) so-called test dogs or cats are used. These are animals that are bred and kept for this purpose. The welfare of these animals is very well-guarded. Caretakers and researchers take the time to handle the animals correctly. They are trained to recognize every sign of discomfort. This allows them to take into account the individual character of each animal. Volunteers regularly go out with the dogs, and there is a cuddle program for the cats. In addition, the dogs and cats are trained to feel comfortable, for example, sitting on the scales for weighing.
After the maximum age at which test dogs and cats are used, a successful adoption program comes into effect. Caretakers and veterinarians guarantee a smooth transition for the animal to its new environment by means of an extensive screening and long-term guidance of the new owner before and after adoption.
For educational activities in the context of the training of veterinarians, students voluntarily bring their own dog, after an assessment whether the animal is sufficiently social for this.
Socially sensitive animal species
Dogs and cats are animals that many people have a close, often very emotional bond with. For this reason, these species also receive above-average attention in the social debate about the use of animals in research. With the information on this page, Ghent University hopes to contribute to the social knowledge about research in feline and canine medicine, and the indispensable role that clinical studies play in this. Another important goal is to nuance the image that people have of the term 'animal experiments’.
Even more examples
Some other examples of research benefiting the health and well-being of cats and dogs:
Example: more sustainable food for dogs and cats
Dogs and cats are carnivores and need animal proteins, but this food production has a significant ecological impact. In addition, it is expected that animal by-products, which are now widely used in animal feed and are sustainable, will become scarcer due to changing eating habits in humans. That is why researchers at Ghent University are looking for more sustainable alternatives, such as insect proteins. Before new protein sources are fed to dogs or cats, they are first tested in laboratories (in vitro). Based on these tests (e.g. in vitro protein digestibility, in vitro fermentation tests), one or more options are selected for further studies in dogs or cats. In this way, researchers can limit the use of laboratory animals as much as possible. Studies such as these are essential to guarantee that new protein sources are not only sustainable, but also healthy and tasty for our pets.
Example: surgical treatment of cancer
Dogs and cats also sometimes get cancer. For most tumors, surgical removal is still the best treatment method, but during such an intervention the surgeon must be able to determine which tissue must be cut away and which can be preserved. If too little tissue is removed, the cancer will return. But if too much tissue is removed, the impact on the organs is greater than necessary: this is also undesirable. In dogs with cancer, new fluorescent dyes are used that can clearly show where the tumor is located. Research is being done into the most ideal time of administration and the best dose, so that the surgeon can clearly distinguish the cancerous tissue from the normal tissue. Such research is useful for animals with cancer, but the insights gained are also crucial for similar applications in humans.
Actual examples can be found on the website of the Ghent University Small Animal Clinic (in Dutch).