Doggy dementia trials: no guarantees

They say a dog is a man’s best friend – now, our favourite four-legged canines could be a scientist’s most loved companion.

New revelations last week indicate scientists are attempting to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease by conducting trials on dogs with the neurological disorder. Questioning how ethical this scientific approach may be, some critics claim problems could arise if the research is not handled correctly or ‘by the book’.

Dr Michael Valenzuela, who is head of the University of New South Wales’ school of psychiatry’s regenerative neuroscience group, tells The Age exploiting dogs for medical research is not the intention of the study.

“I’m really talking about including [dogs] and their owners in the medical research process,” he explains, adding it would be “up to the owner to weigh up the pros and cons of potentially going into a trial which may help their pet in the long-term”.

Research into canine cognitive dysfunction (CDD) or dog dementia reveals similarities to Alzheimer’s disease in humans.

Dr Valenzuela claims CDD is an “opportunity to bridge a gap” in Alzheimer’s research, but admits, as in all medical research, “there are no guarantees”.

“The canine brain is much more similar to the human brain than it is to mice or rats, and there is evidence older dogs naturally develop Alzheimer’s pathology, as do humans, but rats and mice do not.

“Some pet owners might be keen to have their older dogs take part in trials to help treat their dementia and get their dog back,” he adds.

Australian Veterinary Association Victorian president, Dr Susan Maastricht, tells DPS News trialling experiments on dogs would be “fantastic” – but only by approval of an ethics committee.

“The reality is the use of dogs as an experimental model engenders a high degree of emotional response in every person in the community who loves dogs because they are man’s best friend,” Dr Maastricht says, adding she has been told dogs are “much better species” for experimental subjects than rodents.

She says if testing on canines is granted ‘appropriate’, it could mean great things, not only for humans, but also for dogs in regard to CDD.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this was not only a therapeutic approach for humans, but as well as for dogs. While nothing is guaranteed, wouldn’t it be fantastic and truly great?” she asks.

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