Researchers are investigating focused ultrasound as a treatment option for various veterinary conditions, including cancer, urinary stones, and heart disease. The ongoing studies encompass both early-stage research and clinical trials involving an array of animals such as dogs, cats, and horses. This research seeks to broaden treatment choices for companion animals while also providing insights beneficial to human medicine.

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In the realm of cancer and tumor research, significant efforts are underway. At Virginia Tech, Dr. Joanne Tuohy and her team are evaluating histotripsy, a noninvasive treatment for canine osteosarcoma. Since initiating this project in 2020, they have treated 78 dogs, aiming to destroy tumor tissue while preserving surrounding bone, potentially avoiding limb amputation. Initial findings indicate that histotripsy can effectively target tumors without damaging healthy bone, with some dogs showing longer-than-expected survival rates. In a small study involving limb-sparing treatments, four of six dogs reported meaningful pain reduction.

Purdue University researchers, including Dr. Nick Dervisis, are assessing thermal focused ultrasound's safety and effectiveness in treating appendicular osteosarcoma before standard amputation. This study aims to develop noninvasive imaging methods to monitor tumor and immune response changes.

In further studies at Purdue, thermal focused ultrasound is being combined with chemotherapy for canine lymphoma. The team hopes to discover if local tumor ablation can promote a wider antitumor immune response.

Virginia Tech is also conducting a trial for canine liver tumors, exploring histotripsy before surgical resection. After treating five dogs, researchers are analyzing treated tissue for tumor destruction and immune responses.

Additionally, Dr. Tuohy is investigating histotripsy for difficult-to-treat oral tumors in dogs. Each dog's treatment is tailored based on tumor specifics, with subsequent analysis to evaluate the approach's effectiveness.

Research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is exploring sonodynamic therapy for canine mast cell tumors, combining focused ultrasound with a specialized therapeutic agent.

Feline soft-tissue sarcomas are being treated at Virginia Tech, where researchers conducted a pilot study using focused ultrasound prior to surgery with three cats. Initial results confirmed tissue destruction, although the study was too small to draw definitive conclusions on tumor control.

In equine research, Dr. Sophie Bogers at Virginia Tech is investigating histotripsy for melanoma in gray horses, focusing first on excised tissue before progressing to naturally occurring tumors. The same team is also conducting groundbreaking trials on histotripsy for equine sarcoids, evaluating safety and tumor response prior to surgical intervention.

Beyond oncology, a Virginia Tech trial is examining histotripsy for benign canine lipomas, evaluating whether the liquefied tissue should be absorbed naturally or immediately removed. For canines with heart disease, researchers are exploring histotripsy to create openings in the heart to alleviate pressure related to cardiac conditions.

In a separate study on feline urinary stones, researchers utilized burst wave lithotripsy, which effectively fragmented stones in 11 of 12 treated ureters. While complications did arise, the findings support further investigation into this minimally invasive treatment option for obstructive ureteral stones in cats. Dr. Giulia Menciotti discussed this technology and its potential during an episode of the Curious Conversations podcast.