Research Update MAF D24CA-535-April 2026: Studying Hemangiosarcoma Subtypes and Treatment Response

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

SUMMARY: Researchers are studying if hemangiosarcoma (HSA) subtypes influence how affected dogs respond to treatment – a step toward precision medicine for these patients.

THE PROBLEM: Hemangiosarcoma is a serious and usually fatal cancer of dogs. Most dogs die of the disease by within 4-6 months post-diagnosis, even with aggressive treatment. However, some  research suggests that hemangiosarcoma is not one disease but comprised of different subtypes, and  these subtypes might be related to longevity and response to therapy.

THE PROJECT: This research team has previously found that dogs with one type of HSA are more likely to live longer than dogs that have a different type of HSA. This may explain why current treatments  fail to help most dogs with HSA live longer despite aggressive care. To take a closer look at this  finding, researchers will identify the HSA type or signature in tumors from dogs that have lived longer  than other dog patients with HSA. The team is using data from a study in progress to inform their  evaluation of archived tissues to assess prevalence and survival.

PROJECT UPDATE: The team encountered an obstacle when the library generation for the RNA-sequencing portion of the project did not work – the team is in the process of redoing the RNA-extraction and sequencing.
Continue reading “Research Update MAF D24CA-535-April 2026: Studying Hemangiosarcoma Subtypes and Treatment Response” →

Research Update 02946-EY4: Towards Curative Outcomes in Canine Hemangiosarcoma

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

Original Project Description:

Canine hemangiosarcoma is the most aggressive cancer seen in all dogs, but disproportionately affects older, large breed dogs. Despite aggressive treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, more than 50% of dogs die due to metastatic spread of their cancer within 6 months and no significant advancements in the treatment of hemangiosarcoma have occurred in over 30 years. Several challenges have hindered improvements in outcomes including limitations in the capabilities of current imaging and/or blood-based markers to detect early  relapse/metastasis, gaps in current understanding of the molecular biology of hemangiosarcoma, and a lack of effective therapies that effectively alter the aggressive metastatic behavior of this cancer. Continue reading “Research Update 02946-EY4: Towards Curative Outcomes in Canine Hemangiosarcoma” →

Research Update CHF 03194 MY2: A Blueprint to Develop Next-Generation CAR T Therapy for Canine Lymphoma

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

Original Project Description:
High-grade B cell lymphoma is a cancer frequently diagnosed in older dogs, with Golden Retrievers and Bernese Mountain Dogs being particularly predisposed. Standard veterinary care involves chemotherapy and while patients initially respond well, the disease proves to be fatal for most dogs diagnosed. In human medicine, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, in which the patient’s T lymphocytes are engineered to target and kill their cancer, has been remarkably successful for treating B cell lymphoma. However, a significant number of patients become resistant to this therapy due to loss of target antigen on their cancer cells. To overcome this, next-generation tandem CAR T cells were designed to kill cancer cells by recognizing two separate targets, thereby reducing the ability of cancer cells to escape treatment, and greatly improving the outlook for human patients.

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Research Update 03334-EY1: Antiparasitic Treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected Dogs Across Different Stages of Disease for Clinical Cardiac Improvements – the 100-dog Study

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

Original Project Description:
Chagas disease is a deadly parasitic heart disease of dogs, humans, and other mammals. Chagas disease is a risk where ‘kissing bug’ insect vectors are located, including South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southern United States. The risk of Chagas disease in dogs also extends to regions where dogs from the south may travel or be re-located, so dogs across the US may be at risk. However, tools to prevent and manage canine Chagas cases are lacking as there is no vaccine and no widely-validated antiparasitic treatments. The investigators have spent the past 8 years characterizing how natural infections impact the health of dogs, and how disease progresses in the absence of treatment. Given this baseline information, the team will develop and refine a canine Chagas disease scoring system to categorize the severity of the disease (measured by a panel of sensitive diagnostic tests and clinical assessments). This scoring system is a critical prerequisite for deploying new treatments.

Continue reading “Research Update 03334-EY1: Antiparasitic Treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected Dogs Across Different Stages of Disease for Clinical Cardiac Improvements – the 100-dog Study” →

Research Update 03337-EY1: Identification of Bartonella henselae Immunodominant Epitopes for Diagnosis and Prevention of Canine Bartonelloses

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

Original Project Description:
Bartonella species, a genus of gram-negative bacteria with zoonotic potential, are associated with a wide spectrum of life-threatening diseases in dogs. More than 10 Bartonella species have been implicated in association with serious diseases in dogs, including endocarditis, myocarditis, peliosis hepatis, granulomatous hepatitis, lymphadenitis, hemangiosarcoma, vasculitis, panniculitis, polyarthritis, uveitis, meningitis, and others. Despite recent advances in diagnostic technology for canine bartonelloses, currently available molecular (qPCR, dPCR), culture, and serological based assays lack sensitivity for a diagnosis of Bartonella infection in dogs. Bartonella spp. infections in dogs throughout the United States pose a serious threat to dogs, and public health, because of an increased
risk of transmission from dogs to humans via direct contact with infected fluids, via arthropod vectors, and potentially, through bites. There is an increasingly urgent need for the development of a reliable serodiagnostic assay, as well as for effective strategies to prevent canine bartonelloses.

Continue reading “Research Update 03337-EY1: Identification of Bartonella henselae Immunodominant Epitopes for Diagnosis and Prevention of Canine Bartonelloses” →

Building the PWD Reference Genome

Building a Portuguese Water Dog Reference Genome to Unlock Breed-Specific Health Insights

Posted on by Crystal Smith in News

July 27, 2025 07:00 ET — The Portuguese Water Dog Foundation is very excited to join with Drs. Jaime Modiano VMD, PhD and Steven Freidenberg DVM, PhD, DACVECC in a project to improve the lives and well-being of PWDs. The team of Drs. Modiano and Freidenberg will lead a project creating a reference genome specific to PWDs, which will improve our ability to identify genetic drivers of common inherited disorders in the PWD. This project is fully funded by your donations to the PWD Foundation. Once completed, this high-quality reference genome will be made available to the public, allowing researchers from around the world to access this cutting-edge resource that will enhance the breed’s welfare.

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Research Update CHF 03137 MY2: Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Panel for Comprehensive Testing for Reproductive and Neurologic Pathogens of Dogs

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

The goal of this project is to validate respiratory and neurologic disease testing using a targeted nextgeneration sequencing (tNGS) panel we previously developed. We expect this assay, which includes 34 different pathogens known to be associated with reproductive/neurologic disease in dogs, will perform as well as individual real-time PCR assays designed to detect each of these pathogens individually. This type of comprehensive testing takes the  guesswork out of choosing which individual tests or small panel of tests to run to diagnose disease.

We have now completed testing 100% of the pathogens/DNA representing the pathogens that are detectable with this assay, and all but 1 could be detected. The pathogen missed was Campylobacter jejuni. This one was included for its possible role in reproductive disease, but it is more likely to cause diarrhea in dogs. Therefore, we will not redesign the assay at this point. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 03137 MY2: Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Panel for Comprehensive Testing for Reproductive and Neurologic Pathogens of Dogs” →

Research Update CHF 02534 EY5 Update: Clinical Trial for Evaluation of Propranolol and Doxorubicin in the Treatment of Canine Hemangiosarcoma

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

We have completed enrollment for the trial. We are currently analyzing the pharmacokinetic data obtained from the blood samples of dogs enrolled in the study. The project goals have not been modified. Our overall objective is to determine a clinically optimal dose and estimate the efficacy of propranolol in dogs with hemangiosarcoma when given as an adjunct to chemotherapy. Specifically: Objective 1: We will confirm the tolerability and estimate the clinical benefit of propranolol in combination with doxorubicin. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02534 EY5 Update: Clinical Trial for Evaluation of Propranolol and Doxorubicin in the Treatment of Canine Hemangiosarcoma” →

Research Update CHF 03045-A EY2 Oct-24: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Diagnosis of Dog Sperm Morphology

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

Semen samples from 62 dogs have been used to build an image database containing 11,464 images of a single sperm obtained using phase-contrast under 1000X magnification. Three specialists are currently classifying the images and building an annotated database to be used to train and test an optimized algorithm for sperm morphology classification. Considerable progress was made on the development of a neural network for sperm evaluation. Two methods to standardize image size proved satisfactory, with image stretching resulting in better accuracy when compared to use of black borders.

Additional possibilities for improving the performance of the implemented model will be investigated, including adjusting training hyperparameters, performing preprocessing alternatives such as contour detection before feeding the neural network, and optimizing the neural network architecture itself. Other techniques, such as regularization, insertion of normalization layers, and dropout, are also suggested to achieve better results.

The Principal Investigator requested and was awarded a no-cost extension to 12/31/2024.

CHF-03045-A-EY-2-Oct24-Progress-Report-Summary

Research Update CHF 02661 Final: Investigation into Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs

Posted on by Crystal Smith in Research Update

The study titled “Investigation into Subclinical Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Four Dog Breeds” has resulted in 4 peer-reviewed manuscripts published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the American Journal of Veterinary Research and Scientific Reports.

The results of this work demonstrated higher levels of cardiac troponin I in dogs eating grain-free (GF) dog foods or foods that have peas, lentils or potatoes in the top 10 ingredients compared to dogs eating grain-inclusive (GI) dog foods or foods without peas, lentils, or potatoes in the top 10 ingredients. Cardiac troponin I is a blood marker that indicates injury to the heart muscle and therefore this study provides information on how heart disease occurs in some dogs eating GF diets. Additionally, we showed that cardiac troponin I decreased, and an echocardiographic (ultrasound of the heart) measure of contractility improved in dogs fed GF diets that were changed to a GI diet without peas or lentils 1 year after this diet change. This is important information because it shows that apparently healthy dogs can have subtle heart muscle injury that can improve with diet change. Therefore, this data is supportive of causation. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02661 Final: Investigation into Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs” →