While all this COVID-19 awareness is happening, pets are still going to be ill. I love that specialists are taking to vlogs to keep pet health awareness going at this time.
I just watched a video posted by Oncologist Dr. Sue Ettinger on bladder cancer in dogs (traditional cell carcinoma). In the video she lists the top breeds that are more likely to develop bladder cancer, where approximately 1/3 of cases are over-represented.
I had to look up the BRAF mutation test, because I have not run one. In those patients with chronic intermittent UTI and blood in their urine, I typically discuss abdominal ultrasound and possible cystoscopy to get a biopsy sample to rule out bladder cancer. So I was itching to learn more about BRAF before her next post!
Edited March 23, 2020: I found out that Dr. Sue Cancer Vet has posted part 2 on her YouTube page describing the BRAF mutation urine test. This is available through Antech Diagnostics. BRAF is an over-active protein that occurs during bladder cancer (TCC). I love that this is non-invasive and gives us another option other than referral for cystoscopy or biopsy of the bladder.
This test is also highly sensitive (95% for the BRAF-plus, 85% with BRAF alone) and has 100% specificity to urothelial carcinoma (TCC and prostate cancer). Check out more information on Dr. Sue Cancer Vet's post in DVM360.