Page 19 - Eclipse - Autumn 2015

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The RVC develops rst ever smartphone app for dogs with epilepsy
RVC canine epilepsy researchers Professor Holger
Volk and Dr Rowena Packer brought the management
of canine epilepsy into the 21st Century this summer with the launch of the ‘RVC Pet Epilepsy Tracker’, the rst app of its kind to help owners manage their dog’s epilepsy. This revolutionary app was launched at a public engagement event ‘21st Century Management of Canine Epilepsy’ on 29th June at the Hawkshead Campus. This event was well-attended by owners, industry, charity and breed club representatives.
Helping owners help their dogs
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disorder seen in dogs, affecting around 50,000 dogs
in the UK. As well as having a negative effect on the affected dogs’ lives, canine epilepsy can be an emotional burden for owners. A high level of commitment is required for caring for affected dogs, including medicating them several times per day, constantly monitoring for drug
side effects, and ongoing nancial costs. The RVC Pet Epilepsy Tracker lets owners map seizure activity and medication requirements on their mobile phone and tablet devices for the rst time. It also includes helpful functions
such as reminders for each medication prescribed because many dogs require more than one drug to treat their seizures. To help increase owners’ understanding of the condition the app contains up-to-date veterinary knowledge on managing epilepsy.
Bene ts for vets
The app will also bene t vets as owners can convert their dog’s up-to-date medical history, seizure diary and medication diary into a pdf le and send it directly to their vet. There is also
the option of recording detailed information for each seizure episode including what happened during and after the seizure, how long it lasted and how severe the owner rated it to be. This will aid vets in better understanding their patient’s condition and whether treatment is effective.
Advancing veterinary science
The app is set to revolutionise the understanding of how epilepsy progresses in individual dogs, and patterns of seizure activity, as owners can share their seizure and medication diaries directly with researchers at the RVC, to be stored on a large anonymous database. This will allow long term studies of seizure activity that researchers have previously been unable to obtain data for, for a large number of dogs.
Development
The app’s contents were designed by the RVC Canine Epilepsy Research team members, Professor Holger Volk, Clinical Director of the RVC’s small animal referral clinic and specialist in Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Dr Rowena Packer, Clinical Investigations Postdoctoral Researcher. The app was developed in collaboration with the human epilepsy charity the Epilepsy Society, who created a successful app to manage
the condition in humans. The app is available to download for free on Google Play for Android devices and Apple iTunes App Store for Apple devices, and has had nearly 800 downloads
in the rst two months since its launch. A video to share with interested owners is available at rvcpetepilepsytracker.co.uk.
and outside the shelter via neutering programmes, ensuring enrichment of lives in the shelter and helping stressed animals, and dealing with forensics and cruelty cases.
The rotation takes place on site at partner shelters and rehoming centres providing students with hands-on experience. We provide veterinary care at two DogsTrust rehoming centres (in Hare eld and Basildon). Students enjoy working alongside the RVC vet in state- of-the-art shelter facilities with Basildon even boasting a hydrotherapy unit.
Our feline medicine vet, Nathalie Dowgray is based at the RSPCA
rehoming and foster centre in Finsbury Park. This centre focuses mostly on caring for and neutering large numbers of cats, from feral colonies to unwanted pets. Students also learn about enrichment and cat behaviour including kitten socialisation which is greatly enjoyed by all!
Final year student Ellie Fay said, “The staff at the RSPCA and DogsTrust are lovely, and provide a friendly and fun environment for learning. If only it could be longer than a week!”
The RVC is currently expanding its
Shelter Programme to join with other charity partners. This will extend students’ experience of different shelters and charity
setups so they can appreciate the different challenges that each organisation faces.
If you would like to get involved or want to know more please email Louise at lallum@rvc.ac.uk.