UF study kills two dogs

UF Veterinary Clinical Trial Kills Two Dogs

UF’s vice president of research, David Norton, filed a report detailing the study.

The study tested the effects of an adeno-associated viral vector in two groups of dogs with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Both groups received AAV vector injections on 24 June and 19 August, respectively.

AAV vectors are typically used in gene therapy to target specific cells.

“The process went smoothly. And the dog recovered well,” Norton wrote.

Dogs from Group 2 were admitted to UF Small Animal Hospital after exhibiting abnormal breathing behaviors on Aug. 20. Upon admission, The dog’s condition deteriorated rapidly and eventually apnea.

That dog died the same day.

two weeks later The dogs from the first group were reported to have “regurgitation”.

In the following days, the dog had a fever, loss of appetite, and unusual tremors. After a short stay at UF Small Animal Hospital The dog continued to be cared for on September 12.

Three days later, the dog was rushed to the hospital again after suffering a fever and difficulty breathing.

The dog was killed on September 18, according to reports.

The report did not clarify who was responsible for the study or how it was funded. But it said it was not funded by the Health Service.

The UF Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee temporarily suspended the trial in October, citing a “lack of response from the principal investigators” and “concerns about animal welfare,” according to Norton.

The IACUC meets again on Nov. 1 to discuss reinstatement. But the outcome of the meeting was unclear.

UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan released a statement confirming that UF’s animal care and use programs have received full and ongoing accreditation from AAALAC International. It is a non-profit organization that promotes the scientifically sound humane treatment of animals.

“The University of Florida is committed to the ethical use of animals in the pursuit of advances in medicine that benefit both humans and animals,” Roldan wrote.

Michael A. Budkie, executive director of animal rights organization Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! UF was performed for this experiment.

Budkie said UF’s efforts to convince the public that they were concerned about the welfare of lab animals.

“The truth is that if true These reports would not exist,” Budkie said.

In February, Budkie filed a complaint against UF with the United States Department of Agriculture. The complaint accuses the university of violating the Animal Welfare Act.

Budkie followed up on his complaint on May 20 and called for an end to the trial in a letter to UF president Ben Sasse.

Stop exploiting animals immediately! It has previously accused UF of violating animal rights.

In 2021, SAEN called for universities to be fined under the Animal Welfare Act. After the US Department of Agriculture claimed four cats were euthanized because they had not received proper anesthesia prior to undergoing bone marrow surgery.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back for updates

Contact Garrett at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @garrettshanley.