Posts Tagged ‘canine cancer’

National Canine Health Initiative Discussed

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

National Canine Health Initiative Discussed at Golden Retriever Foundation Annual Gala

Denver/Oct. 27, 2009 — Though one of America’s favorite breeds, golden retrievers are also the No. 1 dog breed to get cancer, and more than half of those diagnosed will die of the disease. That statistic may change in the future. Morris Animal Foundation is planning to launch a new National Canine Health Initiative in 2010. David Kinghorn, president of the Golden Retriever Foundation, discussed Morris Animal Foundation’s cancer initiative at the organization’s annual gala Oct. 26, 2009.

Morris Animal Foundation will announce specific project details in the spring, but the goal of the initiative is to determine the genetic, nutritional and environmental risk factors for cancer. While studying cancer risks, researchers will also be able to capture risks for other chronic diseases. To begin, Morris Animal Foundation will be recruiting 1,000 golden retrievers that are healthy and cancer free. As additional funding becomes available, golden retriever puppies and other breeds will be added to the project. The study will last throughout the lifetimes of the enrolled dogs—making it the largest study of its kind for dogs—and will be supervised by scientists, veterinarians and project managers. Considerable information will be obtained on each dog throughout its life, including what it eats and whether it is exposed to potential carcinogens.

The Golden Retriever Foundation is a longstanding partner in the fight against canine cancer, and the organization will be instrumental in helping Morris Animal Foundation move forward with this cancer initiative.

Tags: cancer initiative, canine cancer, golden retriever
Posted in Dog | No Comments »

Littleton Veterinary Clinic Honors Patients at Estes Park K9K

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Littleton Veterinary Clinic Honors Patients at Estes Park K9K Walk to Cure Canine Cancer

Denver/Sept. 15, 2009 — National canine cancer statistics are startling—and for staff members at Colorado Veterinary Specialists, the fatal disease too often strikes close to home. Some are cancer survivors themselves, some have seen their pets struggle with the disease and all have given cancer diagnoses to pet owners too frequently.

That personal and professional experience prompted this veterinary hospital in Littleton to participate in the K9K Walk to Cure Canine Cancer in Estes Park on Sept. 19, 2009. The event benefits Denver-based Morris Animal Foundation’s (MAF) Canine Cancer Campaign, which funds research into cancer prevention and treatment.

“It is important for people to understand that we are dedicated to a cure,” says Beth Lewis, DVM, DACVS, whose basset hound Dash is undergoing treatment for lymphoma.

Elizabeth Hanssard, a customer service representative who organized the hospital’s K9K team, lost her Airedale terrier Elszie to osteosarcoma, an all too common and painful bone cancer. “As a cancer survivor myself, I would like to see treatments developed for our canine friends that have a higher success rate.”

The Estes Park K9K was organized by Patty Henderson, whose best friend lost her dog, Emily, to canine cancer. The event will feature three speakers, including Robin Downing, DVM, CVA, CCRP, DAAPM, owner of Windsor Veterinary Clinic and the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management; Deanne Worley, DVM, DACVS, a surgical oncologist at Colorado State University’s Animal Cancer Center; and Patricia Olson, DVM, PhD, MAF President/CEO. Learn more at www.caninek.org/EstesPark/.

(more…)

Tags: canine cancer, canine cancer campaign, dog cancer, hemangiosarcoma, K9K, K9K Walk to Cure Canine Cancer, lymphoma, osteosarcoma
Posted in Events | No Comments »

Searching for the next top dog

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Your dog could be a top model. MAF has teamed with Orvis and Eukanuba to help find a cure for canine cancer through Orvis’s annual photo contest. Submit photos of your favorite canine at http://www.orvis.com/coverdog by Jan. 24, 2010. The winning photograph will grace the cover of the fall 2010 Orvis Dog Book, and the winning photographer will win a $500 Orvis gift card. Vote for your favorite dog for just $1 per vote, with all voting proceeds going toward MAF’s Canine Cancer Campaign. Orvis and Eukanuba, together, will match your contribution up to $30,000. So, every vote you cast becomes $2 toward research to prevent, treat and cure cancer.

Tags: canine cancer, canine cancer campaign, dog cancer
Posted in Dog, General | No Comments »

Insight Into Chemotherapy Resistance

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Study Results:

Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death in dogs, which is why Morris Animal Foundation has invested considerable resources into understanding this group of diseases and developing more effective treatments. Cancer develops when genes that control the balance of cell division and survival cease to function normally and cause a cell to become malignant. One of these genes is called PTEN. The protein product of this gene generally restrains cell division, in part by controlling p21, another protein. Scientists at the University of Minnesota and the University of California–Davis found that using compounds to lower the levels of p21 in some tumors decreased resistance to conventional chemotherapy drugs. They also concluded that chemotherapy resistance is sometimes unrelated to abnormalities of PTEN, though it is often associated with elevated p21 levels. The results from this MAF-funded project allowed the investigators to justify efforts to move these compounds to the next step of clinical development. (D06CA-065)

Tags: cancer, canine cancer, chemotherapy drugs
Posted in Dog | No Comments »

MAF Successful Outcome

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Identifying Genes that May Improve Bone Cancer Treatment: Large and giant dog breeds have a high risk for osteosarcoma, a highly aggressive bone cancer that spreads (metastasizes) to the organs. Despite aggressive treatment with surgery followed by chemotherapy, most dogs survive less than one year after diagnosis because the cancer recurs in other bones or organs, particularly the lungs. Scientists from Colorado State University are studying the biological mechanisms (prognostic biomarkers) that contribute to the disease’s spread and resistance to standard therapy. This would help veterinary researchers identify common genetic features that contribute to the disease’s ability to spread, develop tailored therapeutic approaches and identify new drug targets—all of which would help veterinarians and owners make more successful treatment decisions for dogs that are fighting osteosarcoma. To date, they have identified and validated 11 genes that could serve as biomarkers to determine whether a patient is likely to respond to standard therapies.

Tags: canine cancer, osteosarcoma
Posted in Dog | 2 Comments »

Zelda: A Cancer Survivor’s Tale

Monday, June 29th, 2009

tough times never last...tough people do

This Bulldog’s Tougher than Cancer

Truly, America loves its celebrities. Even ones with wet noses and four legs. Asked to name a few, you might list Rin Tin Tin and Lassie. Maybe Checkers or Benji. Oh yes, and Zelda.

Who’s Zelda? A canine star for today’s generation. A doggie diva who has made the talk show rounds, appearing on Oprah, Good Morning America, the Today Show, Martha Stewart, and more. A survivor who has outlived cancer, not to mention her own life expectancy.

This sassy English Bulldog rose to fame as the star of Zelda Wisdom, a wildly successful business venture by Zelda’s owner, Carol Gardner. Combining Zelda’s costumed poses with Gardner’s funny, heartwarming captions, the company designs greeting cards, calendars, books, figurines and dozens of other items. “I think there have been close to 200 Zelda products,” Gardner exclaims, “It’s pretty amazing.”

Zelda’s high-profile image has given her the opportunity to help raise awareness for worthy causes such as the Delta Society and Pet Peace of Mind, both organizations that promote the power of animals to heal human suffering.

In September 2008, Gardner had a lunch date with a representative from the Morris Animal Foundation, well known for its Canine Cancer Campaign. She recalls that Steve Strand, who is very interested in pet insurance as, CFO of Pets Best Insurance, had urged the two to get together. “He said ‘you’ve just got to meet them because the work they’re doing on cancer is extraordinary.’ The irony of it was that Zelda didn’t have cancer at the time.”

(more…)

Tags: canine cancer
Posted in Dog | 1 Comment »

MAF at Thorntonfest

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

Thorntonfest

Raja, the official Canine Cancer Campaign “spokespuppy” came out to show his support on Saturday, May 16, at Thorntonfest in Thornton, CO. Unfortunately, golden retrievers are one of the breeds with the highest risk for cancer, and 60 percent of golden retrievers will die of this devastating disease. Click here to learn more about what Morris Animal Foundation is doing to cure canine cancer.

Tags: canine cancer
Posted in Events | 3 Comments »

MAF hot topics