Research News
-
Bacteria and corneal ulcers
The cornea is a key component of the eye that allows it to focus on light, enabling people and animals to see clearly. But what happens if a dog’s cornea is no longer clear and healthy? Corneal health can be affected by diseases such as bacterial ulcerative keratitis, a common eye infection that causes inflammation and severe pain and can …
July 10th, 2021 Full story »
-
Funds back training and new research
Two longtime research funds at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are investing nearly $270,000 for supporting equine and companion animal health research, education and training for 2021-22. For more than 40 years, the Companion Animal Health Fund (CAHF) and Townsend Equine Health Research Fund (TEHRF) have supported pet health and horse health research, specialized training and awareness at …
June 16th, 2021 Full story »
-
Sights set on genetic test for eye disease
Researchers hope to extend the golden years for beloved pets by addressing a condition causing blindness in senior dogs. A Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) research team is working to pinpoint the genetic cause of pigmentary uveitis (PU), a painful, inherited condition that commonly affects golden retrievers. “When it gets to the point when it causes them to go …
November 18th, 2019 Full story »
-
Cannabis: potential anti-vomiting therapy?
Cannabis products are rapidly increasing in popularity for treatment of every sort of ailment in people, and many dedicated users say they can help treat your pet, too. But are these claims valid? A research team headed by Dr. Al Chicoine, a board-certified veterinary pharmacologist and assistant professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), aims to find out …
October 02nd, 2019 Full story »
-
Ramp walking helps diagnose lameness
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are taking tips from the field of human medicine and rehabilitation to develop a technique to help detect and diagnose injuries in dogs. Gait analysis, pressure walkways, and angled walking are popular techniques used in human medicine. Their use has improved prosthetics, rehabilitation, medicine and more. But, while …
January 20th, 2019 Full story »
-
Retrieving a better parvovirus therapy
Taking your adorable new puppy to play at the dog park: priceless. Potential cost of not fully vaccinating your puppy first: several days in the veterinary hospital, thousands of dollars in intensive-care fees … and still no guarantee your puppy will survive. Many new pet owners face this shocking and unfortunate situation. Millions of puppies world-wide are at risk of …
January 08th, 2019 Full story »
-
New cancer therapy appeals to pet owners
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) is now offering a new treatment option for pets with certain types of cancer. Veterinary oncologists Dr. Monique Mayer and Dr. Jerome Gagnon, along with their team, are studying stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a treatment choice for dogs with soft tissue sarcomas, a specific type of tumour commonly found on the …
April 03rd, 2018 Full story »
-
“Protein illusion” in pet food
Having trouble deciding on a new pet food for your furry family member? With the hundreds of pet food brands stocked on store shelves, choosing the most nutritious one can be a daunting task for any pet owner. Because controversy often surrounds pet food companies, consumers are legitimately concerned that their pets may be consuming questionable ingredients that could be …
January 29th, 2018 Full story »
-
Understanding X-rays can save dollars and lives
Dr. Jiaying Ng’s interest in the topic of gas in the abdomen began when she helped care for a canine patient that developed this potentially serious issue three weeks after surgery to remove a foreign body. “We were uncertain whether this gas was due to persistence from previous surgery or perforation of bowel from a suspected foreign body,” says Ng, …
January 23rd, 2018 Full story »
-
CAHF funds support AMR research
Funding received from the Companion Animal Health Fund (CAHF) has become a cornerstone of support for Dr. Joe Rubin’s research into antimicrobial resistance. This research area has broad implications for both human and animal health. The rise of antimicrobial resistance – in which commonly-used drugs to treat bacterial infections no longer work – is influencing the way veterinarians and human …
July 06th, 2017 Full story »
