research studies

research studies » current studies

In 2008, Morris Animal Foundation will fund nearly 200 new and continuing studies for dogs, cats, horses, llamas/alpacas, and wildlife as well as more than 40 veterinary student projects.

We also have numerous studies nearing completion. You can search our current study database by species and/or disease to learn more about the studies we are funding in the areas you care most about. The results will also show you whether a study is available for sponsorship.

D07CA-064: Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate and Polyethylene Glycol in Canine Spinal Cord Injury

principal investigator: Dr. Natasha Olby, North Carolina State University

Co-sponsor: Ken Kail and Ivy Hwang; Danny and Diana Beck

needs sponsorship

Year: 2 of 2. $39,960

Intervertebral disc herniations are common in certain breeds of dogs and can cause severe spinal cord injuries that result in permanent paralysis. Surgery to remove herniated disc material is the standard method of treatment, but it is not always successful. Often surgery is combined with drug administration of either methylprednisolone or polyethylene glycol, but neither has been scientifically proven to be beneficial. Researchers will compare these two drugs with a placebo in a blinded clinical trial to determine which drug can best treat acute disc herniation. They will also monitor the type and incidence of side effects associated with each therapy. This will provide the first objective data on the optimal medical therapy for this common and serious problem.

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