
A program called ‘Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium’ has the objective of studying the natural occurrence of cancer in dogs, to find any indication of why this disease develops in pets and people.
The researchers analyzed DNA obtained from saliva of dogs to find the root of some of the rarer cancers.
“Rare diseases in humans also occur in dogs,” said Mark Neff, director of the program. “By studying the DNA of dogs, hopefully we can get faster to the discovery of the causes of this evil and soon we will find the best way to treat dogs and humans.”
The project, developed by the Translational Genomics Research Institutes (TGen) and Van Andel Research (VARI), will have the cooperation of owners of various breeds of dogs, they will donate samples of saliva from your pets, and even tumors blood, to be examined. And is that about half of all dogs over 10 years, die from some form of cancer.
“Many suffer from rare cancers that humans are very communes in dogs,” said Jeffrey Trent, president and research director of TGen and VARI. The leaders of this research say that no dog will be hurt in the process of this research which seeks to improve cancer treatments administered to patients both as veterinary oncologists.