A new lease of life for best friend Elke.

“Within a matter of a fortnight she wouldn’t have been able to swallow and the tumour would have spread”

Cutting edge research at Cork Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) has given one Bandon dog a second chance at life. Elke, a gentle natured seven year old part Elkhound, had an aggressive tumour deep set in her jaw and the gentle dog’s future seemed bleak to worried owner Grace. But all was not lost as persistent Riverview Veterinary Clinic Gavin Russell pursued the case and discovered the innovative new treatment Electro-chemotherapy developed by CCRC scientists. The therapy would ultimately save beloved family pet Elke’s life. I visited the miracle dog and her proud owner to find out more…
On stepping out of my car I was introduced at once to the somewhat gaunt Elke as she bounded towards me only to stop nervously by my side, head tilted and brown eyes questioning. “Elke is very nervous due to her childhood”, Grace informed me sadly. “She was tied to a tree and left alone before being taken to West Cork Animal Welfare Group where I got her.” My heart melted as the playful pouch nuzzled up to me and I patted her thin frame which her chatty owner explained was as a result of dramatic weight loss due to the obstructive tumour in her mouth.
“The vet in the Riverview Clinic thought he would be doing a dental operation but he found a tumour. He said it was very advanced and inoperable due to its location,” explained Grace. Distraught Grace thought that she would loose her treasured hound when the tale took an unexpected turn for the better. “Then he rang to say he’d been talking to the Gilabbey Veterinary Hospital about the case and that they were in the process of trying out a new treatment,” she said, the relief showing on her face.
The new treatment which has put Elke on the road to recovery is called electro-chemotherapy. The treatment has proven successful with topical cancers such as skin cancer and CCRC researchers were keen to try the revolutionary therapy out on a dog in exactly Elke’s situation. “I was just in the right place at the right time.” Grace gratefully tells me.
Basically an electrical pulse is applied to the tumour once a drug, known as Bleomycin, has been injected locally. “This allows the drug to enter the tumour at a much higher rate then it would otherwise. The treatment targets skin based tumours by increasing the absorption of the drug by means of applying a short intense pulse.” Dr Declan Soden, general manager of the CCRC
Benefits of the treatment include a decrease in the concentration of drugs in the body in comparison to other cancer fighting therapies such as Chemotherapy. There are no known side effects experienced. The therapy has been tried and tested from the lab to small animal trials and is being offered as a last resort to per owners such as Grace. Today the therapy has moved to clinical trials which mean that it is being tested on human volunteers as seen on Nationwide recently. It is currently being further researched to determine whether it can be expanded to treat internal cancers such as such as cancer of the colon.
The treatment really is an amazing discovery and for pets such as Elke a second lease of life. “Within a matter of a fortnight she wouldn’t have been able to swallow. The tumour would have spread and she would probably have died. It was a win win. She may live for many years now.” For owner Grace it has bought her more cherished and valuable time with her best friend Elke.