Developing a Prognostic Test for Neural Injuries

Neurological emergencies are a common problem in dogs. With limited tools – as well as the added expense of imaging that some owners simply can’t afford – gauging the severity of these cases often is challenging. Studies show structural proteins of the central nervous system (CNS) can be detected in the blood following injury. The blood levels of these important proteins can be used to quantify injury severity and help predict recovery. Researchers will design a rapid, point-of-care test to measure CNS structural proteins following injury and then evaluate the test’s performance on banked blood samples from 100 dogs with spinal cord injury who have known outcomes. An inexpensive test that provides rapid prognosis of a wide range of CNS injury will give owners and veterinarians crucial information to make the best treatment decisions for an injured dog.