In memory of our beloved Holly, Lady and Keesha
In Honor of Joey, who is still fighting the fight (June 2008)

Dog Genome Project for Canine Cancer Research

Every year, thousands of families receive the heartbreaking news that their beloved dog has cancer. We are shocked and anguish over the diagnosis. We ask “Why did this happen to my dog? What can I do to help him? What can I do to save her?” First, we cry and deny the possible outcome. Then we rally, we pray and hope for a miracle cure. We get ourselves motivated and do everything in our power to save our cherished companion.

Because of the advancements in both human and veterinary cancer research, some of us will find our ‘miracle’. For the lucky ones, our dog will be cured or experience a long term remission, sometimes with years of good quality life. For others, the outcome for our dog is bleak and swift. Sadly, we must say goodbye to our dearly loved companion.

I know all of this because that is what happened when my beloved Keeshond "Holly" was diagnosed with stomach cancer (adenocarcinoma) in 1999. Based on the veterinary advice available at that time, we opted to do surgery to try and remove the malignant mass in her stomach, as we were told there was no chemotherapy for her disease. The surgery was horrible. A massive incision, 26 staples and she had lost 1/2 of her stomach. She had to spend 5 days in intensive care, with supportive care and she was in pain even though she was on morphine to control her pain. The tumor started to grow back immediately and her quality of life was not good. She started to vomit frequently and began to lose weight. She died seven weeks later at age 10 1/2. There was nothing we could do for her, to stop cancer from taking her life.

In December 1999, five months after Holly died, we rescued two senior Keeshond girls, Tasha and Keesha. Tasha was 10 and Keesha was 12 1/2. What we did not know was that Keesha had cancer that had already spread to her liver and lymphatic system and there was nothing we could do to stop the disease, except to make her comfortable. We only had her five months, but it was a great five months. Keesha celebrated her 13th birthday and her quality of life was very good, until she took a sudden turn for the worse. We lost Keesha May 1, 2000.

Several years after we lost Holly & Keesha to cancer, my parent’s 12 year old Chihuahua was diagnosed with Lymphoma. By then, there was a cancer chemotherapy protocol for "Lady" and she did remarkably well getting 51 weeks in her first remission! She would be sick for about a day after her chemo, but then would rally and bounce back to her sweet personality. Overall, Lady had a very good quality of life during her 19 months of chemotherapy. So, science is making progress in the fight against canine cancer.

How You Can Help Beat Canine Cancer

Now, there is a way for all of us to help find new treatments and possible cures for canine cancers. The Dog Genome Project at the Broad Institute (an affiliation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and affiliated hospitals in Cambridge Mass.) finished sequencing the canine genome last summer. They are now looking for participants who are willing to send in DNA samples (a small amount of blood) from their purebred dogs.

Why do they need purebred dogs for their DNA samples?
The unique breeding history of dogs, with their extraordinary behavioral and physical diversity, offers the opportunity to find important genes underlying diseases shared between dogs and humans, such as cancer, diabetes and epilepsy.

The goal of the Dog Genome Project is to better understand and ultimately treat the variety of genetic diseases found not only in humans, but in canines as well. In order to achieve this goal, they need help from our dog community. By comparing DNA samples from healthy dogs and dogs with illness, they can locate areas on the genome that differ. This will help develop tests to identify carrier dogs and ultimately lead to improvements in the treatment of diseases.

If you would like to assist in the Dog Genome Project, it will require you invest a little time, a little money and a willing canine participant. The end results of the research could mean longer, healthier lives for our dogs. Here is what you need to do:

• Have a healthy purebred dog(s), with known pedigree documentation (dog can be AKC registered or ILP'd). Dogs 8 years and older are especially needed for blood samples.

• Have a purebred dog(s) that has been diagnosed with any of the following diseases: Osteosarcoma, Hemangiosarcoma, Lymphoma, Mammary Tumors, Mast Cell Tumors or Melanoma.

• Samples are especially needed from the following breeds: Bullmastiffs, Chinese Shar Peis, English Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Greyhounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Labrador Retrievers, Leonbergers, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Pugs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Rottweilers, Saint Bernards and Scottish Deerhounds.

• Have your veterinarian obtain a 5 ml sample of blood from your dog (EDTA, purple top tube). If your dog has cancer, please have your vet send along a copy of the pathology and histology reports with the sample.

• Fill out the release paperwork, include a printed copy of your dog’s pedigree information, pack up the blood samples and mail it back to the Dog Genome Project.