Animal Health Trust

Osteosarcoma in the Irish wolfhound

Dear Mr Harmer,

Re: Animal Health Trust study on the predisposition of Irish Wolfhounds to developing osteosarcoma

I am writing to thank you personally for the second generous donation that the Irish Wolfhound Society has made to us this year. I am particularly pleased to be able to write to you at this time because it gives me the opportunity to provide you with an update on the progress with our study.

When I wrote to you in March I explained that we were in the process of applying to the US-based Morris Animal Foundation for funds to allow us to begin the study of the genetics of osteosarcoma in the Irish Wolfhound. To my delight, our application for funding was successful and we have recently been awarded $52,401 (currently about £29,400) for a one year project. The project has just begun, and I sincerely hope that within 12 months we will be within sight of locating one, or more, inherited genetic mutations that increase the likelihood of Irish Wolfhounds developing osteosarcoma.

Although we have started the research study and secured grant funding we still need to collect samples from Irish Wolfhounds for the second phase of the study. The collection of new samples is not covered within the Morris Animal Foundation grant and your kind donation will enable us to collect samples from another 61 dogs.

Please pass on my thanks to your colleagues within the Society. We greatly appreciate the continued invaluable support and assistance of the Irish Wolfhound Society and its members.

Yours sincerely,
Mike Starkey BSc PhD MSc(CCI)(Open)
Head Molecular Cytogenetics
Oncology Research Group

Animal Health Trust Cancer Work to Benefit Irish Wolfhounds

The Animal Health Trust

The Animal Health Trust (AHT) is a unique charity; an independent, highly professional institute which undertakes pioneering work in the fields of veterinary research, clinical veterinary medicine and education. It has been making an outstanding contribution to improving the health and welfare of companion animals for over 60 years.

The AHT's main focus is the development and application of new technology and scientific knowledge for the better diagnosis, prevention and cure of disease in dogs, cats and horses. Veterinary surgeons refer cases to AHT's specialists from all over the United Kingdom and last year its Small Animal Centre alone saw over 3,500 cases, most of them complex. The neurology, oncology and ophthalmology units are particularly busy and are staffed by specialists in their field.

Treating Cancer

Cancer is the most curable chronic disease among companion animals. It is most often cured by good surgical practice. However, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have roles to play in appropriate treatment protocols. In March 2007 the new Chemotherapy Suite at the Trust was opened and is now fully functional. This suite allows staff to administer systemic anticancer drugs in a way that mirrors facilities found in human hospitals across the country. AHT oncology staff can now deliver the best of patient care, operating in an unrivalled, safe and modern environment. Most animals can maintain an excellent quality of life during their treatment and after, which is the prime aim of the oncology unit.

Irish Wolfhounds and Cancer

Unfortunately Irish wolfhounds are prone, like some other large breed dogs, to osteosarcoma which is a tumour found particularly in the long bones of the legs close to the joints, such as by the stifle, or close to the shoulder joint. This tumour has a high risk of spread elsewhere. Life expectancy without treatment varies from a few weeks to 3-6 months. In the USA it is estimated that approximately 25% of IWs die from this disease. Currently treatment for this disease is surgery plus anticancer drugs to deal with the spread from the primary.

Cancer Research

The best way to treat cancer is to try to understand more about what triggers the disease in the first place. The Oncology Research Group applies a multidisciplinary approach to the study of a number of canine and feline cancers that are common and of considerable welfare importance. The group combines the expertise and experience of clinicians, pathologists, epidemiologists, molecular geneticists and statisticians to address the multifaceted nature of cancer and expedite cancer research at the AHT. We only use tissue left over from clinical investigations, never taking tissue especially for research. The objectives of the research work are varied, but include developing tests that are better able to detect tumours at an early stage, or predict how a cancer in an individual animal will behave and respond to treatment, identifying the underlying causes of cancer, and developing and optimising new cancer treatments.

Irish Wolfhounds and Cancer Research

A specific example of the AHT's cancer research is a proposed study to identify the gene mutations that are associated with the increased risk of Irish Wolfhounds developing osteosarcomas. Since June 2005, with the support of The Irish Wolfhound Club and The Irish Wolfhound Society and their members, for which the Trust is very grateful, samples from 115 Wolfhounds have been collected, of which 15 are from dogs with osteosarcoma. The study will proceed if a sufficient number of samples from affected dogs can be collected, and in the long term it is hoped that the research will lead to the development of tests to identify dogs that carry the gene mutations conferring an increased risk, allowing breeders to take this into consideration in their breeding programmes. A realistic objective would be to attempt to reduce the incidence of dogs affected with osteosarcoma. Identification of 'osteosarcoma susceptibility genes' will also improve understanding of how these tumours develop, thereby ultimately assisting the development of new therapies.

The AHT is also a participant in a European consortium aiming to identify the genetic mutations that predispose particular breeds of dog to developing certain cancers that are also common in man. Because of the similarities between the cancers concerned in man and in dog, the genes that confer susceptibility to developing a cancer in a particular breed of dog are also likely to confer susceptibility to developing the same cancer in man.

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Dear Mr Harmer

New Kennel Club and Animal Health Trust Partnership starting at Crufts 2009

As you may be aware from advance publicity there will be renewed emphasis on the health and happiness of pedigree breeds at Crufts 2009 and the Animal Health Trust is pleased to be involved in this initiative.

The Animal Health Trust (AHT) is a charity which has been at the forefront of scientific and clinical advances in canine medicine for over 60 years. Our expert veterinarians are continually developing better ways to diagnose and treat serious illness. We are also leading efforts to tackle canine inherited disease and canine cancers in the UK and we are grateful for the support the Irish Wolfhound Society is giving to our Molecular Oncology Team, headed by Dr Mike Starkey.

Our canine genetics research receives generous funding from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. Thanks to a new partnership, to be announced at Crufts, the KC and AHT are taking steps to accelerate this work over the next five years.

The involvement of breed clubs such as yours in the collection of samples and financial support for Dr Starkey's research into osteosarcoma is extremely important to us. Dr Starkey and members of his team will be at the AHT section within the Kennel Club's Dog Health Stand in Hall 3 every day at Crufts this year and we invite you to take the opportunity to meet him there. He would be delighted to talk with you. Members of our Canine Genetics Group and clinicians from our Small Animal Clinic will also be in Hall 3 at Crufts and will be happy to answer questions and discuss their work. We hope that you will distribute this invitation to your members. I enclose a copy of a document giving more details regarding the Kennel Club stand at Crufts 2009. If you would like to support the vital research work of the AHT, a donation of any size would be welcome. Such donations can be allocated specifically towards molecular oncology if you wish. Furthermore, you may be interested to know that in 2009 we will be launching a new supporters' scheme with breed clubs and societies such as yours in mind. We will be contacting you by letter or telephone later in the year with details.

Thank you once again for your active support for our vital long-term research. We look forward to meeting you at the Kennel Club stand in Hall 3 in March.

Yours sincerely
Dr. Peter Webbon
Chief Executive
23rd February 2009

PS On our AHT stand, we will be promoting the 'Make your Dog a Star' competition. Entrants will be given the opportunity to have a photo of their dog taken on the dfs "set". The winning dog will be featured in the next dfs television advertising campaign. Good luck!

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How Irish Wolfhound owners can help

http://www.aht.org.uk/

If your dog has a suspected Osteosarcoma:

• Collect a blood sample, OR cheek swab sample and send it to the AHT

If the vet is taking a blood sample for a clinical reason, ask the vet to save a surplus sample (1-2ml) in an EDTA tube

OR Contact the AHT (contact details below) to request a cheek swab kit

• Collect a small piece (3-5mm cube) of the biopsy of the suspected tumour (normally removed for diagnostic histopathology) and send it to the AHT

If you have advance notice of the vet removing a biopsy, contact the AHT to ask for a special solvent ('RNAIater'), in which to collect the small piece of tissue, to be sent to the vet

OR If you don't have advance notice, ask the vet to place a small piece of the biopsy of the suspected tumour in a freezer, and then ask the vet to contact the AHT to ask to be sent a special solvent, in which to transport the piece of tissue

If your dog does not have cancer (and has not had cancer) and is at least 6 years old

• Collect a blood sample, OR cheek swab sample and send it to the AHT

If the vet is taking a blood sample for a clinical reason, ask the vet to save a surplus sample (1-2ml) in an EDTA tube OR Contact the AHT to request a cheek swab kit

• Please let us know if your dog develops cancer within the following 4 years

Lisa Jeffery, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk, CBS 7UU. Tel: 01638 751000, ext. 1214; Fax: 01638 555643; E-mail: lisa.jeffery@aht.org.uk

Latest updates on the AHT Osteosarcoma Research Project

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