26 Nov 2024
The research, which aims to explore how the treatment affects quality of life in dogs, is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Surrey and is funded by the Morris Animal Foundation.
James Westgate
Job Title
Simon Hodgkinson (front of house, AURA), Quentin Fournier (medical oncology clinician, AURA), Zoe Clothier (research fellow, School of Health Sciences, UoS), Sarah Holliday (senior medical oncology nurse, AURA, kneeling), Todd (a chemotherapy patient), Jenny Harris (senior lecturer in cancer care and health statistics, School of Health Sciences, UoS), Carl Rudkin (medical oncology nurse, AURA), Nick Bacon (clinical director, AURA) and Gordon Taylor (commercial director, AURA.
AURA Veterinary in Guildford has launched a research study to explore how chemotherapy affects quality of life in dogs.
The study, which has been launched to coincide with Veterinary Cancer Awareness Month in November, is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Surrey and is funded by the Morris Animal Foundation.
While cancer treatment side effects are well-documented in human medicine, research on how chemotherapy impacts animals – particularly dogs – remains limited.
In partnership with researchers led by the University of Surrey’s Jenny Harris, AURA’s Nick Bacon and Quentin Fournier, the team has designed a smartphone-based questionnaire that enables owners to report their dog’s side effects and quality of life in real time during chemotherapy treatment.
The study aims to test the questionnaire for accuracy, consistency and safety, ensuring it reliably captures both side effects and quality of life without missing any critical clinical signs.
During the course of the study, its is hoped 100 families with dogs undergoing chemotherapy will provide feedback to fine-tune the tool.
If successful, organisers hope the tool could transform how dogs receiving chemotherapy are monitored and what steps could be taken to improve their well-being during treatment.
Prof Bacon said: “At AURA Veterinary, we are committed to advancing veterinary cancer care through innovative research. This study represents an important step forward in our understanding of quality of life – a topic that is often overlooked in veterinary medicine.
“By developing tools to better monitor and respond to the needs of our canine patients, we aim to not only improve individual treatment outcomes, but also set new standards in cancer care for animals.”
During the next 18 months, AURA will be inviting eligible clients to take part in the research – anyone interested in learning more can email contact AURA at [email protected]
