Hypoadrenocorticism or Addison’s disease (AD) consists of a life-threatening clinical condition that afflicts multiple purebred and mixed breed dogs. The condition results from autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands leading to life-long cortisol deficiency. Similarly, another autoimmune condition causing pain and suffering to dogs is Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy (SLO). Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02488 Final: Addison’s Disease and Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy in Bearded Collies Provide Common Ground for Identifying Susceptibility Loci Underlying Canine Autoimmune Disorders”
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Research Update CHF 02252 Final: Investigating a Ketogenic Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Supplement for the Treatment of Drug-Resistant Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy and Its Behavioral Comorbidities
Canine epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition, often requiring lifelong medication with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Despite appropriate treatment with available AEDs, seizure freedom may not always be achievable. There is an urgent need to develop alternative treatments to improve the quality of life (QoL) of drug-resistant patients, who may continue to experience unpleasant AED side- effects despite their lack of success. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02252 Final: Investigating a Ketogenic Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Supplement for the Treatment of Drug-Resistant Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy and Its Behavioral Comorbidities”
Research Update CHF 02651 MY2: Discovery of Novel Biomarkers of Canine Atopic Dermatitis through Lipid Profiling
We enrolled 30 dogs with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis and 30 healthy control animals in the study. The dogs with atopic dermatitis were treated with either Apoquel® (n=17) or Cytopoint® (n=10), whereas one dog was switched from Apoquel® to Cytopoint®, one dog was treated with prednisone followed by Apoquel®, and one dog was treated with a topical shampoo. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02651 MY2: Discovery of Novel Biomarkers of Canine Atopic Dermatitis through Lipid Profiling”
Research Update CHF 02643-A MY2: Examination of the Effects of Cannabidiol on Canine Neoplastic Cell Apoptosis/Autophagy and Potential for Chemotherapy Resistance or Sensitivity
We have completed a lot of the proposed work related to the effects of CBD on cell death and autophagy and the upregulation of the MAP kinase pathway which appears to be involved, however the main mechanism of apoptosis has not been elucidated which may just be directly related to the autophagy induction. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02643-A MY2: Examination of the Effects of Cannabidiol on Canine Neoplastic Cell Apoptosis/Autophagy and Potential for Chemotherapy Resistance or Sensitivity”
Research Update CHF 02624 MY2: Embracing Polygenicity of Common Complex Disease in Dogs: Genome-wide Association of Cruciate Ligament Rupture
We have met our recruitment trajectory for this study over the past six months. We will continue to work hard to recruit additional dogs over the coming months and genotype the remaining dogs needed for the study as long as the genotyping service remains open under the Covid-19 pandemic. Public engagement with the project continues to be good. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02624 MY2: Embracing Polygenicity of Common Complex Disease in Dogs: Genome-wide Association of Cruciate Ligament Rupture”
Research Update CHF 02323 EY-3: Efficacy of Cannabidiol (CBD) for the Treatment of Canine Epilepsy
The preparations for the CBD epilepsy study were started in December 2017, including hiring a full[1]time research assistant and part-time work/study student, creating all of the study documents necessary for the trial, and creating a newsletter/announcement for Colorado veterinarians. We began enrolling patients for the study at the end of January 2018. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02323 EY-3: Efficacy of Cannabidiol (CBD) for the Treatment of Canine Epilepsy”
Research Update CHF 02528 MY3: Developing a Next Generation Sequencing Diagnostic Platform for Tick-Borne Diseases
Despite the wide availability of tick-borne disease panels at laboratories in the USA and abroad, most results from sick dogs are negative, which frustrates veterinarians and dog owners trying to reach a definitive diagnosis. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02528 MY3: Developing a Next Generation Sequencing Diagnostic Platform for Tick-Borne Diseases”
Research Update CHF 02502 MY3: Precision Medicine for Canine Lymphoma
The clinical response of dogs with lymphoma to multi-agent chemotherapy is highly variable. Although up to 85% of dogs respond initially, some relapse within weeks, while others enjoy remission times of two years. This heterogeneity in clinical response is in part explained by the recognition that “lymphoma” is not a single disease entity but consists of different subtypes that can be characterized on a molecular level by mutations in specific genes. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02502 MY3: Precision Medicine for Canine Lymphoma”
Research Update CHF 02403-MOU MY and EY-3: Microphthalmia and Delayed Growth Syndrome in the Portuguese Water Dog
Objective A is 100% complete. A draft of the paper describing the clinicopathological findings had been written but we found more data on affected puppies, which were added to the paper. The paper is being submitted for publication within the next 4 weeks. A paper was published about microphthalmia in PWDs recently by a group out of Cornell. However, this paper described only the ocular changes in affected dogs. With our publication, we will show that there can be other abnormalities such as low platelet counts and stunted growth, which makes this a truly syndromic disorder. We have also included pedigree analyses showing the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. In the meantime, we have decided to put all of the clinical data into the final paper describing the disease-causing variant, making this a large landmark paper. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02403-MOU MY and EY-3: Microphthalmia and Delayed Growth Syndrome in the Portuguese Water Dog”
Research Update CHF 02322 MY-4: Analysis of the Health, Behavioral, and Longevity Data Collected in the 9/11 Medical Surveillance Longitudinal Study
Data collected over the 15 years of the 9/11 study represents a massive amount of never before available information on the short and long-term impacts of a search & rescue deployment on the health and behavior of the search dog.
The data analyzed in this project cover three areas: behavior, occupational hazards, and longevity. With the ever changing and improving methods for data collection, the research team has spent most of the time tracking, organizing, validating and preparing the 15 years of behavior data to be analyzed. The foundations of data for all of the analysis is now in place and the remaining missing data has been tracked down and entered for the CBARQ, retirement and longevity. Continue reading “Research Update CHF 02322 MY-4: Analysis of the Health, Behavioral, and Longevity Data Collected in the 9/11 Medical Surveillance Longitudinal Study”
