The American Veterinary Medical Association now has a list of clinical trials that are underway in the U.S. and Canada. This searchable database includes veterinary schools and other institutions located all over the country.

If you have a sick animal, it may be worth seeing what clinical trials are available in your area. Clinical trials can be useful, as a trial may provide state-of-the-art veterinary care for your animal. Clinical trials vary in how they are set up, how they are run, how much effort (and, sometimes, how much money to pay for some of the care) is required from the owner, etc. For instance, some clinical trials give all of the participating animals the new treatment, whereas other trials give some animals the new treatment and others a placebo. Fully understand the trial before you participate.

Clinical trials are also useful because they offer a window into the future of treatment for many of the diseases that affect Deerhounds. Today’s clinical trial might be tomorrow’s standard of care. For example, the portosystemic shunt procedure that was run as a clinical trial at UC Davis just a couple of years ago is now offered by specialty veterinary hospitals in several areas of the country.