Intestinal biopsies from dogs and cats for organoid development
Purpose of study
Like people, dogs and cats can get intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal adenocarcinomas. In fact, the intestinal bacteria in animals has a 60% overlap with human intestinal bacteria and animal and human gut function is strikingly similar. Because of these similarities, dogs and cats are starting to get attention as possible intestinal microbiome models. One way to model the canine and feline intestinal tracts is to use very small samples from a dog or cat’s GI tract to create something called a cell culture. Cell cultures are made when cells are grown in an artificial environment that mimics the part of the body where the cells came from. Using cell cultures allows us to recreate the conditions found in the canine and feline intestinal tract without causing harm to dogs or cats. The goal of this study is to develop dog and cat cell-culture models that will help us investigate human intestinal diseases. Using these dog and cat cell culture models, we hope to identify exact causes of various intestinal diseases. This discovery would help us develop effective treatments for humans, dogs and cats.
Benefits
Your dog or cat will not receive a direct benefit by participating in this study. However, you and your pet may help us identify the exact triggers of various intestinal diseases and our study could lead to the identification of novel treatments for dogs, cats and humans. You will receive a $25 Amazon gift card for your pet’s participation in this study.
Enrollment requirements
For this study we will be collecting small intestinal samples from two groups of dogs and cats: dogs and cats with suspected GI disease and dogs and cats without GI disease.
- Dogs and cats WITH suspected GI disease: Dogs or cats who have had >3 weeks of GI symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or weight loss and are scheduled to have an endoscopic procedure at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital (WSU VTH) will be eligible for this study. Dogs and cats with parasites or other non-GI diseases and dogs receiving immunosuppressive medications will be excluded from this study.
- Dogs and cats WITHOUT GI disease: Pets in this group must be healthy, with no history of chronic disease, and between 1-10 years of age. To be eligible, they must be scheduled for an elective procedure requiring anesthesia (spay/neuter, dental, etc) with the WSU VTH Community Practice Service.
Treatment methods
Endoscopy is done under anesthesia and is not associated with any obvious discomfort to the patient, even when multiple samples are taken.
- Dogs and cats WITH suspected GI disease: Your dog or cat will be anesthetized as part of a planned GI workup with Small Animal Internal Medicine at the WSU VTH and will undergo an endoscopic procedure to diagnose the cause of their symptoms. During that procedure, your veterinary internist will collect several small intestinal samples for this study. While your pet is under anesthesia, we will also collect a small amount of blood to be analyzed for this study.
- Dogs and cats WITHOUT GI disease: Your pet will be anesthetized as part of the elective procedure scheduled with your veterinarian at the WSU VTH. The gastrointestinal endoscopy will then be performed to obtain several small intestinal samples. While your pet is under anesthesia, we will also collect a small amount of blood to be analyzed for this study.
Owner responsibilities
Owners are responsible for the costs associated with their pet’s planned procedure and any other tests or treatments associated with your dog’s appointment.
Contact information
Jennifer Heusser
Clinical Studies Coordinator
cell: 509-592-3668
jpmarcus3@wsu.edu