Human scanner helps ease pain for crippled pups Sep 27 2005
By Sam Lister Daily Post Staff
A MOBILE hospital scanner used to diagnose human diseases is being used to check on Labrador pups as part of groundbreaking research to find a cure for canine arthritis.
The crippling illness strikes the breed in old age and can leave them lame.
So researchers at Liverpool University's Small Animal hospital are recruiting pet Labradors to have regular MRI screenings to help them monitor the incurable disease and find a way of treating it.
The university is looking for 20 adult Labrador dogs less than two years old that are showing early signs of elbow osteo-arthritis.
The pets will undergo regular scans over six months using a mobile MRI scanner - a large cylinder that runs through a magnet.
The dogs will be sedated before they are passed through it because they have to remain still for 20 minutes while the scan is completed. It works by sending radio waves through the body and the scanner picks up the signals and turns them into 3D images.
The scanner will also be used to examine dogs and cats referred to the hospital for special diagnosis for diseases such as cancer, slipped discs, and brain disorders.
Professor John Innes, who is in charge of the project, said: "Arthritis is an inherited dis-ease that causes considerable pain for the animals.
"It leaves them in agony and can cause lameness, which sometimes means they have to be put to sleep.
"There are around 100,000 Labradors in the UK and about 20% will get arthritis so this research could make a huge difference."
Derek Hughes, managing director of Burgess Diagnostics, the firm which runs the mobile animal scanning unit, said: "The scans show up so much more than a normal X-ray.
"It doesn't harm the animals at all and they are anaesthetised, so they are not distressed at all."
Veterinary surgeon, Andrew Maclaughlan said: "The benefit of this simple procedure means that we do not have to put the dog through surgery to look at the joints.
"We will use MRI to look inside the elbow joint of dogs up to two years of age."
For more information, call 0151 794 4290 or email Andrew Maclaughlan on a.s.maclaughlan@liv.ac.uk
samlister@dailypost.co.uk
Rufus is first Labrador to sign up for project
LABRADOR puppy Rufus is already well used to trips to the small animals hospital.
Just six months ago he had to undergo surgery on his shoulder after struggling to run around like other dogs his age.
Since then he has had regular checkups and his owners feed him codliver oil to help stave off crippling arthritis.
The 18-month-old is the first dog to be signed up for the scheme and will be monitored by vets there for the rest of his life as part of the research project.
Owner Terry Smith, 47, a service engineer from Huyton and his son, Peter, were keen to help the hospital in any way they could.
Mr Smith said: "Every time we took him for a walk, he would come back limping.
"We took him to the vet and they suggested we brought him to the hospital. They operated on his shoulder and he has been in brilliant health ever since.
"Labradors are prone to arthritis so when we found out about the research project we just wanted to do what we could to help."
A PUPPY stolen from an RSPCA rescue centre could die without treatment.
The cocker spaniel, named Ralphie, was taken from the Liverpool Animal Centre kennels in Halewood on Saturday. Staff say the four-month-old has a heart problem and needs regular medication.
Centre manager Karen Falconer said: "Whoever has taken Ralphie clearly doesn't realise that he is poorly and needs medication every day. All we ask is that they return him to us before he begins to deteriorate.
"We are very concerned for his safety."
Anyone with information should contact the centre on 0151 4861706.
By Sam Lister Daily Post Staff
A MOBILE hospital scanner used to diagnose human diseases is being used to check on Labrador pups as part of groundbreaking research to find a cure for canine arthritis.
The crippling illness strikes the breed in old age and can leave them lame.
So researchers at Liverpool University's Small Animal hospital are recruiting pet Labradors to have regular MRI screenings to help them monitor the incurable disease and find a way of treating it.
The university is looking for 20 adult Labrador dogs less than two years old that are showing early signs of elbow osteo-arthritis.
The pets will undergo regular scans over six months using a mobile MRI scanner - a large cylinder that runs through a magnet.
The dogs will be sedated before they are passed through it because they have to remain still for 20 minutes while the scan is completed. It works by sending radio waves through the body and the scanner picks up the signals and turns them into 3D images.
The scanner will also be used to examine dogs and cats referred to the hospital for special diagnosis for diseases such as cancer, slipped discs, and brain disorders.
Professor John Innes, who is in charge of the project, said: "Arthritis is an inherited dis-ease that causes considerable pain for the animals.
"It leaves them in agony and can cause lameness, which sometimes means they have to be put to sleep.
"There are around 100,000 Labradors in the UK and about 20% will get arthritis so this research could make a huge difference."
Derek Hughes, managing director of Burgess Diagnostics, the firm which runs the mobile animal scanning unit, said: "The scans show up so much more than a normal X-ray.
"It doesn't harm the animals at all and they are anaesthetised, so they are not distressed at all."
Veterinary surgeon, Andrew Maclaughlan said: "The benefit of this simple procedure means that we do not have to put the dog through surgery to look at the joints.
"We will use MRI to look inside the elbow joint of dogs up to two years of age."
For more information, call 0151 794 4290 or email Andrew Maclaughlan on a.s.maclaughlan@liv.ac.uk
samlister@dailypost.co.uk
Rufus is first Labrador to sign up for project
LABRADOR puppy Rufus is already well used to trips to the small animals hospital.
Just six months ago he had to undergo surgery on his shoulder after struggling to run around like other dogs his age.
Since then he has had regular checkups and his owners feed him codliver oil to help stave off crippling arthritis.
The 18-month-old is the first dog to be signed up for the scheme and will be monitored by vets there for the rest of his life as part of the research project.
Owner Terry Smith, 47, a service engineer from Huyton and his son, Peter, were keen to help the hospital in any way they could.
Mr Smith said: "Every time we took him for a walk, he would come back limping.
"We took him to the vet and they suggested we brought him to the hospital. They operated on his shoulder and he has been in brilliant health ever since.
"Labradors are prone to arthritis so when we found out about the research project we just wanted to do what we could to help."
A PUPPY stolen from an RSPCA rescue centre could die without treatment.
The cocker spaniel, named Ralphie, was taken from the Liverpool Animal Centre kennels in Halewood on Saturday. Staff say the four-month-old has a heart problem and needs regular medication.
Centre manager Karen Falconer said: "Whoever has taken Ralphie clearly doesn't realise that he is poorly and needs medication every day. All we ask is that they return him to us before he begins to deteriorate.
"We are very concerned for his safety."
Anyone with information should contact the centre on 0151 4861706.
