What are clinical trials?

Clinical trials at the OVC HSC are research studies used to facilitate the improvement of healthcare in companion animals. They allow clinicians to discover new and improved ways to prevent disease, diagnose or treat existing patients and future patients in all specialties of veterinary medicine by enabling new medical devices, vaccines, diagnostic tests, surgical procedures and treatments to be evaluated.

Participation in clinical trials at OVC HSC may provide our clients & their companion animals with unique access to new tools and treatments. Clinical research in companion animals may also help humans and vice versa.

For all clinical trials performed at the Ontario Veterinary College, informed consent will be obtained from a patient’s owner. The clinical care of a patient will not be compromised regardless of participation status.

Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium

OVC HSC is currently the only Canadian centre in the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (COTC – 20 sites) of the NIH-NCI-Center for Cancer Research’s Comparative Oncology Program set up to conduct clinical trials in dogs with cancer to assess novel therapies.

Our second trial in collaboration with NIH-NCI-COTC was recently launched (Mar 2018): Evaluation of a recombinant, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes expressing a chimeric human HER2/neu protein in dogs with osteosarcoma in the adjuvant setting. Recruitment closed in Nov 2017 for the first study : Standard of Care Therapy with or without Rapamycin in Newly Diagnosed Dogs with Appendicular Osteosarcoma).

For information on oncology & oncology-related clinical trials currently recruiting companion animal patients at the Ontario Veterinary College please click on the links below:

Canine oncology studies:

  • **NEW** Evaluation of a recombinant, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes expressing a chimeric human HER2/neu protein in dogs with osteosarcoma in the adjuvant setting
  • Profiling and validation of extracellular vesicles as circulating biomarkers in canine osteosarcoma: a DOGBONe project
  • Minimal residual disease detection in canine lymphoma
  • Identification of response to chemotherapy in relapsed canine lymphoma patients
  • Investigating biomarkers for metronomic cyclophosphamide treatment of canine soft tissue sarcoma
  • Prognostication of canine T-cell lymphoma
  • Acute Myeloid Leukemia Study
  • Effect of lymphoma on the blood test for kidney disease SDMA (patient recruitment is currently on-hold)

Oncology-related studies:

  • ** NEW ** Evaluation of bedside ultrasonography of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) to assess elevated intracranial pressure in dogs
  • Evaluating crossmatch incompatibility to increase safety of blood transfusion in cats and dogs
  • Investigation of high flow nasal cannula respiratory support systems in brachycephalic dogs recovering from general anesthesia
  • Investigation of high flow nasal cannula respiratory support systems in dogs with clinical disease
  • Feline acute kidney injury study

For further information on current and upcoming clinical trials please contact:

Vicky Sabine (PhD), Clinical Research Co-ordinator

Work cell #: 226-218-0338

Email address: clinical.research@uoguelph.ca