NORTHGATE PET CLINIC
CLINICAL TRIALS
WHAT TO EXPECT
WHAT TO EXPECT
Participation
Our goal at Northgate Pet Clinic is always to provide the highest standard of care for your pet. As a selected site for clinical trials, we are proud to help evaluate new treatments that have the potential to improve the outcome for veterinary patients with a variety of conditions.
Before Your Pet Begins
All requirements necessary for entering and participating in a clinical trial will be carefully explained in advance. Each trial is led by one principal investigator, Dr. Baker, with additional study veterinarians and staff providing expertise and support. Prior to enrolling your pet into a study, you will receive a consent form that provides details about the study, your responsibilities and commitments associated with the study, potential risks and benefits. You will also be given the opportunity to discuss the study with our trained personnel. Should you decide to then enter your pet into the study, you will be asked to sign a consent form.
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Most studies require several visits to our Clinical Trials Facility. In certain instances, your pet may need to stay overnight in our hospital for treatment or monitoring associated with the study. The specific details and commitments of a study will be provided to you to ensure that you understand the visit schedule and time commitments necessary for participation. At all times during any clinical study, the health and well-being of your pet is closely monitored by the study team.
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With respect to the financial aspects associated with the trial, we will outline the details with you at the time the informed consent is signed. Our team will work closely with the study sponsor to ensure charges are properly directed and that any financial incentive in the form of a hospital account credit is applied, if applicable, when your pet's participation is complete.
During The Trial
Your primary veterinarian, as well as, our study staff and attending veterinarians at Northgate Pet Clinic will evaluate your pet to determine whether she/he is eligible to enroll.
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Since many therapies represent new treatment approaches, it is important that the participants adhere to strict protocol guidelines to minimize the possibility of side effects.
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Most often, you will visit Northgate Pet Clinic Clinical Trials Facility with your pet for multiple appointments. Typically, clinical trials will include a patient diary that will be sent home with you on enrollment day so you can record how your pet is handling the treatment and any side effects associated with treatment.
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In some clinical trials, you will be required to administer medication at home. For those studies, you will document the details of the dosing (i.e., date, time, dose, administrator's initials, etc.) either in a dosing log or electronically into a data-capture website.
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When you return for visits with your completed diary and, if applicable, remaining study medication and its used packaging, a member of our study team will speak with you about how your pet is feeling, document any side effects and explain what will be happening at this current visit. Your pet will then be taken back into our hospital for the procedure(s) that need(s) to be performed. If it is a procedure that will take an extended amount of time, you will have the option of waiting in our reception area or leaving with a general idea of when to return.
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During the clinical study, your pet will receive care from our specialized support team who will monitor progress in the study very closely. For all of our study patients, quality of life is important, and every effort is made to ensure that your pet is happy and feeling good for the duration of the trial.
After Care
When participation in a clinical trial is complete and follow up care is still recommended, you will be returned to your primary veterinarian. We will provide all records of what occurred during the trial to them.
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CALL 217-877-4393 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR CLINICAL TRIALS