Clinical Trials
Submitted protocols are reviewed by both the Clinical Protocol Review Committee (LSU SVM Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences) and LSU’s Institutional Animal and Care Use Committee (IACUC) with the intent to ensure that welfare and confidentiality matters are observed. These reviews are patterned on “Good Clinical Practices” for conduct of clinical trials in human medicine.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON GOOD CLINICAL PRACTICES
Goal
The GI microbiome plays an important role in the digestive and general health of dogs. Antibiotics are commonly used, and their impact on the GI microbiome can be important and long-lasting. Our study will assess the benefit of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) performed using frozen fecal capsules given by mouth in accelerating recovery of the GI microbiome after a short antibiotic treatment in healthy dogs. We will collect feces from each dog prior to treating them with antibiotics and give each dog frozen FMT capsules made with their own feces. If we can demonstrate a faster recovery of the GI microbiome with oral FMT, our study might change how antibiotics are administered in clinical situations involving sick dogs.
Eligibility
We are recruiting healthy dogs between the ages of 1 and 10 years weighing between 8 and 24 kg. They should have no history of GI disease or antibiotic treatment in the last year. Finally, they should not be receiving any medication except heartworm preventative.
Components of the Study
- Each participant will receive a free physical examination by us, including basic blood work (CBC, chemistry), urine specific gravity and fecal parasitologic test to confirm good health status.
- Feces will be collected by you and processed by us to manufacture frozen FMT capsules
- Each participant will receive a 7-day antibiotic treatment (metronidazole) given by mouth twice daily
- Dogs will be randomly assigned to the test or the control group. Dogs in the test group will receive FMT immediately after antibiotic treatment, while dogs in control group will receive FMT 24 days after discontinuation of antibiotic. You will administer the frozen fecal capsules by mouth at a weight-dependent dose of 1 to 3 capsules twice daily for 10 days.
- Each dog will be enrolled for a total of 6 weeks. We will ask you to collect and bring us feces for analysis at 6 time points throughout the study duration.
Compensation
Upon completion of the study, each participant will receive $100 on a prepaid card.
How to Enroll
If you’re interested to enrol or have additional questions, feel free to contact: Dr. Yi Kwan (Jocelyn) Lee, DVM at ljocelyn@lsu.edu
Goals
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a common disease that affects all breeds of dogs and can be fatal. It is an autoimmune disorder where the body makes antibodies that recognize your dog’s own red blood cells. These antibodies damage the red cells leading to their removal from the circulation - a process called hemolysis. The purpose of this study is to determine if OKV-1001 is safe and more effective than prednisone alone for the treatment of IMHA. OKV-1001 is a new formulation of a drug called mycophenolic acid (MPA) that is used in the treatment of IMHA.
Eligibility
Dogs presenting to the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital for IMHA.
Compensation
Your dog will benefit from the provision of diagnostic testing and follow-up monitoring at zero cost to you. You will be responsible for all costs related to standard-of-care treatment of IMHA including hospitalization, blood transfusions, costs of medications, etc. Any tests or procedures unrelated to the study are the responsibility of the owner.
How to Enroll
Email vet-research@lsu.edu and include the following:
- Pet owner name, email, and phone number
- Pet name, weight, date of IMHA diagnosis
- Referral clinic, referral veterinarian name, and phone number
Principal Investigators
Andrea Johnston, DVM,DACVIM (SAIM), PhD, Assistant Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine
Frederic Gaschen, Dr.med.vet., Dr.habil., DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA (IM), AGAF, Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine
Description
Have you seen a cat with goopy eyes recently? The Lewin Lab for Innovative Eye Research is currently searching for cats with ocular Feline Herpes Virus (FHV-1) for clinical trials. The trial is to test a new drug treatment modality for FHV-1.
We have developed a novel slow-release ocular implant that contains a well-known and commonly used antiviral drug. The purpose of this clinical trial is to test the efficacy and tolerability of this implant in cats with the feline herpes virus. Enrolled animals will receive either the ocular implant under general anesthesia or eye drops containing antiviral medications. All animals will receive topical ophthalmic antibiotics as well. Outcomes will be assessed using eye examinations, amount of virus shed and owner satisfaction surveys over a 90-day period.
Qualifications
FHV-1 will be confirmed or excluded during the first examination at LSU.
Prior testing does not have to have been performed at your clinic.
The patient must have ocular diseases consistent with FHV-1.
The patient must weigh over 1kg.
The patient must not have severe concurrent systemic disease.
The owner must agree to all of the study conditions listed in the protocol.
Cost
The owner is responsible for paying the initial LSU Ophthalmology Service examination fee of $178.50.
If eligible, pets will receive the following items free of charge.
- Free upper respiratory pathogen diagnostic panel
- Free feline herpes testing to monitor response
- Free treatment for FHV- 1
- Topical antibiotics for 14 days
- Either topical anti-viral medication for 14 days OR novel antiviral implant and associated general anesthesia
- 3 free follow-up examinations to assess the response to the treatments, at designated time points.
Benefits for Pets/Owners
If eligible, the pet will receive testing and treatment for FHV-1 at a minimal cost
to the owner
The pet’s participation in this study will aid in scientific advancement to develop
a new antiviral implant to treat FHV-1, which could help thousands of animals in the
future.
Contact
If you are interested in participating in this clinical trial, please contact us at the information below for further consideration:
Dr. Erinn Mills
LSU Small Animal Clinic
(225)-578-9600
Call for Dogs with Active Clinic Signs of Pythium Infection
Summary
The organisms Pythium, Lagenidium and Paralagenidium are frequently encountered in the southeastern United States, particularly in Louisiana. These are aquatic fungus-like organisms that can cause devastating and extremely difficult to treat disease of the skin and / or gastrointestinal tract in dogs. Response to medical management is often poor, and the lesions often return after surgical excision.
The purpose of this study will be to determine the ability of an immune stimulating bacterial extract to enhance the immune response to infections with these organisms in dogs.
Inclusion Criteria
- Dogs must have active clinical signs compatible with cutaneous infection with Pythium, Lagenidium, or Paralagenidum.
- The diagnosis will be confirmed by histopathology (biopsy), culture, and immunological or molecular analysis (PCR and or ELISA).
- Patients must fit the following criteria:
- Lesion recurrence after surgical excision
- Surgical excision not recommended based upon location or extent
- Surgical excision declined by owner
- Clients must be willing to participate in a placebo controlled study
- Clients must be willing and able to return the patient for scheduled rechecks
Exclusion Criteria
- Patients with current or recent treatment with steroids
- Patients with concurrent medical issues will be evaluated individually for inclusion in this study
Description of the Study
- The study will require 17 visits to LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
- All patients will be treated with a current medical management protocol
- Patients will also receive intradermal injection of either a killed bacterial product or placebo (saline)
- Blood and skin biopsy samples will be acquired periodically to enable evaluation of the patient’s immune response
- Antibody level testing will also be performed periodically in patients infected with
Cost
- The study will pay for all visits, examinations, intradermal injections, and the costs associated with acquiring skin biopsy samples
- The study will not cover CBC and chemistry (evaluation of organ function), antibody level testing (Pythium patients only) and medications other than the study compounds. The study also will not cover costs for pathology, culture and immunological or molecular analysis (if these procedures have not already been performed prior to enrollment in the study).
Contact
To find out more about the study and the possibility of enrolling your dog, please contact the LSU small animal clinic (225 578-9600). Referring veterinarians should contact the dermatology service for further information.