Dogs with brain tumors have few good options. Two clinical trials at the University of California, Davis are now enrolling dogs with suspected or confirmed glioma, both funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Gliomas grow from the glial cells that support the brain and include astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. Signs in dogs look like what you would expect from a mass growing inside the skull: seizures, disorientation, behavior changes, and vision loss. Most dogs diagnosed with glioma eventually die from it.
The CARE trial pairs radiation therapy with an experimental drug designed to block autophagy. Dogs get the drug by IV twice a week for four weeks alongside standard radiation, with a biopsy before and after so researchers can compare tissue. The study pays for study-related procedures and puts $4,000 toward radiation therapy. Families cover the rest, and since the drug is investigational, nobody is promising it works.
The PRISM trial follows 60 dogs over time through an observational and palliative pathway or a radiation pathway, tracking how tumors change and how that lines up with how the dogs do. Both trials are described in dvm360.
What this means for your dog
Brain tumors turn up most often in older dogs, so a first seizure in a senior dog is a same-week vet visit. Ask your vet what imaging would confirm a glioma and whether a referral fits your dog’s age and health. Enrollment means travel to Davis, California.
If a tumor is ruled out, our guide to dementia in senior dogs covers signs owners mistake for ordinary aging. Older dogs also collect more than one diagnosis, which is why the research on multiple chronic conditions matters for how long they stay comfortable.