Student seeking dog owners' and veterinary professionals' experience for final year research project

Dog owners and veterinary professional experience on a genetic neurodegenerative disease in dogs are being sought after as part of a student research project.

Final year BSc (Hons) Veterinary Physiotherapy student, Sophie Wilkinson, originally from Worcester, is collecting survey responses to investigate the current rehabilitative approaches to managing Canine Degenerative Myelopathy – a progressive, incurable, and fatal genetic neurodegenerative disease in dogs that affects the spinal cord.

With this project, she hopes to find out what difficulties both owners and veterinary professionals face when managing dogs with this disease – and what positive impact current rehabilitation exercises have.

Our students will often dedicate their final year research project to a field of interest, or a topic they have first-hand experience with, whether that’s their own pets or as part of their industry placement opportunity – and Sophie’s project is no exception.

Sophie said: “I picked this topic based on a case I was a part of on my placement year – a German Shepherd with the condition, and I had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the family that had the condition many years ago.

“I am interested in finding out the difficulties owners and professionals face when managing this condition, whilst also investigating the thoughts and approaches used when managing the condition.

“It is most commonly seen in German Shepherds. However, it is also seen in Corgis, Golden Retrievers and Pointers – just to name a few.”

Sophie’s journey to Veterinary Physiotherapy began with her love animals, and a desire to put their welfare first.

“I chose my course because I loved the idea of helping animals. I love having relationships with people and animals alike and have always put animals' welfare first.

“I saw this degree as providing me with both whilst also helping and support animals in daily life or their career. Having grown up with horses and dogs the physiotherapy world was not unknown to me and I have always been fascinated by it so to now be apart of that by doing this course and once I graduate was a future I only dreamed of.

“I love how hands on my course has been from day one with a variety of different temperaments of animals and specifically this year the clinic days we do, provides an insight into life as a physio and what each appointment entail whilst also gaining more hands on experience building on things learnt on placement.

“The placement year solidified my choice for this career even further - I loved every minute of it, seeing a multitude of cases and being involved in treatment plans was very insightful. No day was the same.”

Sophie would like responses from owners who have, or have previously owned, a dog affected by the condition, as well as veterinary professionals who currently practice within the UK in a small animal or mixed practice setting. All participants must be over 18 and live in the UK.

You can find the owners’ survey here and the Veterinary Professionals’ survey here