Page 9 - act-annual-review-2022-2023
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OUR IMPACT ON VETERINARY RESEARCH
The ACT funds pioneering research to RVC research groups focusing on tumour biology, 64 dogs completed the randomised, double-
improve the health and care of animals. epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases are blinded, placebo controlled behavioural trial,
Recent projects we have funded include currently making use of the facility. In addition, comparing the effects of two behavioural
the Companion Animal Brain Bank (CABB) the CABB has supported important collaborative interventions to a control group of seizures and
which has provided a significant resource research looking at the impact of injury and anxiety in dogs with epilepsy. Bella, Dairylea and
for neurology research and an epilepsy birth on the brain of animals and new-born Dylan (pictured) are just some of the epileptic
study, funding a PhD student to investigate human babies. patients helping Sarah with this research. There
whether behavioural interventions can Alternative treatments for epilepsy has been resoundingly positive feedback from
reduce seizure frequency. owners and a large quantity of high-quality data
The ACT funded Sarah Hobbs a Research to analyse. If successful, the results from this trial
Companion Animal Brain Bank Assistant in the Canine Epilepsy Team, to will lead to a new management tool for epilepsy
The CABB collects and stores samples undertake her PhD to investigate the influence of treatment and most importantly will help those
of brain tissue and other biological behavioural interventions on the seizure frequency dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy and those that
specimens for research and educational and emotional wellbeing of dogs with drug- suffer from the side effects of anti-seizure drugs.
purposes. The bank is available to a resistant epilepsy.
wide range of researchers looking into Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological “I was first interested in taking part in the epilepsy
neurological conditions which affect animals disease in dogs and has detrimental effects upon study because we have battled with Bella’s
and humans. the quality of life of both affected dogs and their epilepsy for some time now. It’s a cruel disease
Over the last 30 years, significant advances owners. Dogs with epilepsy experience recurrent so if we could take part in some research to
potentially help other dogs with epilepsy and
in neurological disease research have seizures, which are most commonly managed contribute to scientific research to better manage
resulted from examining brain tissue. by anti-seizure drugs with the aim of reducing epilepsy, then I was definitely up for that!”
However, there has been a shortage how often and how severely affected dogs have
of brain tissue available to researchers seizures. Unfortunately, around a third of these Feedback received from a trial participant
globally. The CABB is a significant step dogs will continue to seizure despite medical
forward in supporting the advancement of treatment and some epileptic canine patients
knowledge and developing treatments for also suffer from adverse side effects from
these complex and distressing diseases. anti-seizure drugs.
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