The Morris Animal Foundation announced this morning that a new early detection test for lymphoma, the second most common cancer in dogs, is helping veterinarians make treatment decisions for dogs.

A scientist at Colorado State University developed the successful test, which can detect lymphoma even when no clinical signs are present. Research for developing the test was funded by Morris Animal Foundation.

"Our test helps to distinguish between a big lymph node due to infectious disease and one that's caused by a tumor," says Dr. Anne Avery, lead investigator on the CSU study. Thanks to this study, Colorado State University now houses the only lab in
the country that performs this test. Every year, the university receives more
than 1,000 canine blood and tissue samples from around the world for testing.

The Morris Animal Foundation has given Dr. Avery funding through another grant to develop a similar test for diagnosing lymphoma in cats. For fiscal year 2005, the Foundation has committed nearly $800,000 for cancer studies in dogs and cats.