Assessment of Circulating Inflammatory Mediators in Dogs with Tracheal Collapse
This study is investigating whether dogs with tracheal collapse have increased levels of blood inflammatory markers. Dogs with tracheal collapse can experience significant airway narrowing and thus airflow limitation. This can lead to mild or intermittent changes in oxygenation which may stimulate inflammation throughout the body. The investigator aims to determine if this occurs in dogs with tracheal collapse with the future goal of determining if inflammatory markers could be used to provide information about disease progression, response to therapy, or outcome.
Participation Requirements:
Two categories of dogs will be considered for inclusion
- Healthy dogs with no history of cough or increased respiratory effort
- Dogs diagnosed with tracheal collapse based on radiographic, fluoroscopic, or endoscopic evaluation
Dogs diagnosed with concurrent inflammatory, immune-mediated, or cancerous disease or dogs receiving steroids will not be eligible for this study. Dogs that are in respiratory or cardiovascular distress or otherwise deemed to be unstable by the attending veterinarian will not be eligible for inclusion in this study until stabilized.
Owner Responsibilities (Samples and information to be collected):
A blood sample (4 ml of blood) will be collected from your dog as part of this study.
Name: Tekla Lee-Fowler, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Email: tml0005@auburn.edu
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.