Protective Role for Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Posted on by Crystal Smith

Project Summary:

Older dogs often develop a form of dementia that is similar to Alzheimer’s disease. We currently know little about  this condition which limits our ability to prevent or manage it. IGF-1 is a hormone that regulates body size in dogs. In  studies with humans and other animals, this hormone has been shown to protect the aging brain. The goal of our research is to evaluate whether dogs with lower levels of this hormone have increased risk for dementia. Results of the study will advance knowledge about the causes of dementia in dogs and will inform the development of new treatments to protect senior dog cognitive health.

Co-sponsored with the Canine Health Foundation, Grant Number: CHF-03576

RESEARCHERS

Evan MacLean, PhD; Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona

Amount: $10,000

Combining Therapies to Improve Osteosarcoma Treatment

Posted on by Crystal Smith

SUMMARY: Researchers will study whether a combination of oral medication and new tumor vaccine provide survival benefit for dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma.

THE PROBLEM: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone cancer in dogs, affecting the long bones of mostly large and giant breeds of dog. The standard treatment for OS is amputation of the limb followed by a course of chemotherapy. Despite this treatment, half of dogs develop spread of their cancer at 6 months after amputation, and half of dogs do not live beyond 300 days; only 25% of dogs live to 2 years. This is because once OS has spread, it is extremely resistant to treatment, with less than 10% of dogs responding to any type of therapy. No improvements for the care of dogs with OS have happened in over 30 years, despite many studies using combinations of chemotherapy and immune-based approaches.

THE PROJECT: It is now known that OS cells prevent the immune system from killing them by creating an environment around the tumor that blocks the ability of immune cells to work. To address this, the research team has combined three oral medications that help to activate immune cells in the tumor and restore immune function. In a recent study of dogs with OS spread to the lungs, 30% of dogs responded to the treatment, with one dog cured of disease. Also, another 40% of dogs had their disease stop growing, more than doubling survival time from an average of 60-90 days after the diagnosis of OS spread to over 150 days. The purpose of this study is to improve on this oral therapy by adding a new OS tumor vaccine. The vaccine uses a special formula to stimulate the immune system. This vaccine formula was found to be safe and was able to partially shrink tumors in the setting of canine brain cancer. The team believes that this combined therapy will improve the response in dogs that already have spread of OS to the lungs and will also improve their survival.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: If the study results are positive, the treatment approach of combining oral medications with a tumor vaccine could become widely available to dogs with OS. Lastly, because the vaccine can be made to be specific for different kinds of cancer using cancer cell lines rather than tissues from a biopsy, this approach has the potential to treat dogs beyond those with OS.

Co-sponsored with the Morris Animal Foundation, Grant Number: 25CAINEI-0016

RESEARCHERS

Cheryl London, DVM, PhD, Tufts University, and Steven Dow, DVM, PhD, Colorado State University,

Amount: $10,000

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and mtDNA Mutations in Canine Hemangiosarcoma: Novel Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis and Personalized Therapy

Posted on by Crystal Smith

SUMMARY: Researchers will study if dysfunction of the mitochondria, the cell’s “powerhouses,” are drivers of tumor aggressiveness.

THE PROBLEM: Hemangiosarcoma is a highly aggressive and rapidly progressing cancer of dogs. Hemangiosarcoma is usually diagnosed when the tumor is in an advanced stage. Nearly 90% of all dogs die within the first year of diagnosis, and long-term survival is rare. New treatments are desperately needed.

THE PROJECT: Recent findings in human oncology strongly indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction serves as a crucial driver of cancer progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Unfortunately, there is a lack of information about how mitochondrial dysfunction could influence cancer progression dogs. This innovative study aims to address this critical gap by investigating mitochondrial dysfunction and associated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations within canine HSA tumors. Utilizing advanced techniques, including spatial transcriptomics, cutting-edge mtDNA sequencing and comprehensive bioenergetic profiling, this study will identify regions of tumors exhibiting severe mitochondrial impairment and hyperactivation. Identifying region-specific mitochondrial dysfunction is vital, as it reveals different metabolic and genetic signatures directly linked to tumor aggressiveness. We hypothesize that region-specific mitochondrial dysfunction drives tumor aggressiveness through oxidative stress, mtDNA mutations, and synergy with oncogenic mutations.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Identifying mitochondrial molecular signatures could lead to non-invasive blood-based biomarkers, enabling earlier detection and personalized therapies, offering new hope for veterinarians, pet owners, and affected dogs alike.

Co-sponsored with the Morris Animal Foundation, Grant Number: 26CAANFT-0005

RESEARCHERS

Krysztof Marycz, Ph.D, CVT; International Institute of Translational Medicine (MIMT)

Amount: $10,000

A combined sensor approach to examine volatile organic compounds as potential markers of canine hemangiosarcoma

Posted on by Crystal Smith

SUMMARY: Researchers will determine the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of hemangiosarcoma using bio-detection dogs as a step toward a diagnostic test for the disease.

THE PROBLEM: Canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is a deadly cancer in dogs that is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment, making early detection crucial. Despite years of research, early detection of the disease remains elusive, and new approaches are needed.

THE PROJECT: This study aims to take the next step toward developing a simple, non-invasive test for HSA by identifying a specific odor fingerprint linked to the disease. Characterizing the VOC profile using analytical techniques is a vital step, providing foundational data that can benefit researchers across various disciplines. Trained bio-detection dogs have been able to correctly identify canine HSA blood serum samples from line-ups which included serum from healthy dogs and dogs unwell with other conditions, with an average accuracy of 71%. Building on this finding, the proposed study will chemically analyze the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in the blood of dogs with confirmed HSA, healthy dogs, and dogs with other illnesses. These VOCs will be recreated as synthetic odors and presented to the trained dogs to help confirm which parts of the odor are most important for detecting the disease. While we do not anticipate the bio-detection dogs as part of the final diagnostic test, they serve as critical biosensors in this research. Their ability to detect specific odors present in HSA will help us define the VOC signature of the disease.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: This results from this study will inform the development of future non-invasive tests, like a blood test, that could be used in regular screenings for at-risk dogs, enabling earlier detection and improving survival rates.

Co-sponsored with the Morris Animal Foundation, Grant Number: 25CAINEI-0038

RESEARCHERS

Cynthia Otto, DVM, PhD,; University of Pennsylvania

Amount: $10,000

Engineering a monoclonal antibody therapy for canine mast cell tumors

Posted on by Janet Boyd

Mast cell tumors (MCT) are the most common skin tumors in dogs. MCTs can vary in their growth from slow-growing to highly aggressive tumors, and treatment options are often limited, especially for tumors that have spread or can’t be removed. Chemotherapy is sometimes used, but has side effects. Despite treatment, most dogs eventually succumb to disease within a year of diagnosis. This highlights the need for more effective and precise therapy.

This study focuses on developing a new treatment using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). mAbs are already used to treat many human cancers. But in veterinary medicine, they are still new and not widely available. The antibodies are designed to target the protein KIT on mast cells. KIT is present on mast cells but not on other immune cells. By targeting KIT, the antibodies can precisely attack cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Researchers will evaluate how well these mAbs bind to KIT and kill cancer cells. The mAbs will be engineered to work more effective for dogs by designing them to look like natural canine antibodies.

The research goal is to develop a safe and effective therapy for dog mast cell cancer that can also serve as a model for treating similar conditions in other species that suffer from mast cell diseases, including humans and cats.

Co-sponsored with the Morris Animal Foundation, Grant Number: 26CAANFT-0005

RESEARCHERS

Marietta M Ravesloot-Chavez, PhD; University of California Davis

Amount: $15,000

Canine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency Program-UPENN

Posted on by Janet Boyd

Offered through the University of Pennsylvania and directed by Dr. Cynthia Otto, this prestigious residence advances the health , performance, and recovery of canine athletes and active companion dogs. Residents train within two distinct arms: at the renowned Penn Vet Working Dog Center, they support working dogs from puppyhood through deployment in service roles; and at the Ryan Veterinary Hospital, they treat performance-related injuries and mobility issues.

The program blends research, clinical practice, and education, preparing residents for board certification in the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Residency Mentor, Dr. Cynthia Otto is a nationally recognized expert in working dog performance, recovery, and resilience. As founder and director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, she leads groundbreaking research of detection dogs, conditioning, and injury prevention. Her leadership shapes a residence rooted in science, servie, and canine well-being.

Co-sponsored with the AKC Canine Health Foundation

Amount: $10,000

The prevalence of Heterobilharzia americana in Portuguese water dogs in the United States

Posted on by Janet Boyd

Heterobilharzia americana (HA) is a trematode parasite of dogs and is the causative agent of canine schistosomiasis. The life cycle of this parasite requires a definitive host (i.e.- dog), an intermediate freshwater snail host, and freshwater source. Dogs become infected when they stand, wade, or swim in cercariae (the infective form of the parasite) infested water. Dogs may remain asymptomatic, but those who experience symptoms most commonly experience vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, blood in stool, reduction of appetite, or changes in thirst and urination.

Diagnosis of HA is typically achieved by specialized fecal testing such as fecal sedimentation, fecal HA PCR, or histopathology of affected tissues. Standardly employed fecal screening tests, such as fecal flotation, are rarely able to detect the eggs of HA as the eggs are too heavy to float. At present, there are no commercially available preventatives labeled for use to protect dogs against HA infection. Further, awareness of HA is limited amongst veterinarians and dog owners. Therefore, dogs may be chronically affected and have very advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. We have found significant prevalence of HA in the dogs that we have tested, surpassing that of other intestinal parasites. These findings support our concern that HA is endemic across a broad range of geographic regions within the United States and is an important parasite of dogs.

We are concerned that the dogs of the PWD breed have at least as much risk as the general population of dogs based on our other prevalence work across the country. However, there is reason to believe that there may be even more risk in the PWDs who participate in water trials as their practice and competitions are held in freshwater sources. In this cross-sectional study, we will perform fecal testing on 200 PWDs attending the 2025 PWDCA National Specialty to determine the prevalence of HA in this population of dogs. Further, we will determine if there are differences in prevalence of HA between dogs that participate in water trials and those that do not. The findings of this study will inform if intermittent screening or preventatives against HA in PWDs is indicated.

Heterobilharzia americana in Portuguese water dogs recruitment flyer

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

Posted on by Janet Boyd

The Portuguese Water Dog Foundation is very excited to join with Drs. Jaime Modiano VMD, PhD and Steven Friedenberg DVM, PhD, DACVECC in a project to improve the lives and well-being of PWDs. The team of Drs. Modiano and Friedenberg 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.

Background of Canine Genome

Both Addison’s disease and hemangiosarcoma impose serious health burdens on Portuguese Water Dogs (PWDs). Other conditions – for example hip dysplasia, dilated cardiomyopathy, inflammatory bowel disease, and hypothyroidism – also disproportionately affect the breed. Efforts to pinpoint the genetic drivers of these disorders have been limited by reliance on canine reference genomes built from other dog breeds, such as the Boxer (CanFam 3.0) and German Shepherd (CanFam 4.0), which miss PWD-specific variation, particularly in complex or repetitive regions of the genome. Human genome studies have shown that relying on a single reference can omit up to 10% of a species’ genetic content – hundreds of millions of bases and the majority of structural variants – highlighting just how much PWD-specific information may be lost without a dedicated genome assembly.

How This Project Will Make a Difference

This project will generate a high-quality, telomere-to-telomere reference genome combining the latest technologies, to produce a PWD genome assembly of unprecedented accuracy and completeness. Crucially, this assembly will be released publicly so that researchers everywhere can align existing and future PWD sequencing data directly to the correct reference. Additionally, this assembly will enable researchers to compare PWD genomes with those of other breeds – unlocking insights into inherited variation that governs morphology, disease risk, and longevity.

This breed-specific framework will immediately accelerate discovery of genetic variants underlying Addison’s, hemangiosarcoma, and the full spectrum of PWD-predisposed conditions. Existing whole-genome and targeted sequencing datasets can be reanalyzed at once, and all future studies will benefit from a precise, breed-specific scaffold for variant calling, functional annotation, and the development of diagnostic tests. By funding a PWD reference genome, the Foundation will help create a lasting, community-wide resource that transforms research, informs breeding decisions, and ultimately improves the healthspan of PWDs.

The Team Behind the Project

The research team will be co-led by Dr. Steven Friedenberg, DVM, PhD, and Dr. Jaime Modiano, VMD, PhD. Together, Drs. Friedenberg and Modiano are uniquely positioned to complete this work because of their deep knowledge of PWDs and complementary skill set. Dr. Friedenberg brings years of experience studying Addison’s disease in Portuguese Water Dogs along with deep bioinformatics expertise, while Dr. Modiano, a world-renowned cancer biologist, has spearheaded hemangiosarcoma research in the breed. Bioinformatics analyses will be driven by Dr. Friedenberg’s graduate student Hayden Hamsher, who already has two years of pipeline development experience, and the project will benefit from the guidance of Dr. Jonah Cullen, whose postdoctoral work on the horse pangenome will provide invaluable genome assembly knowledge. They have also enlisted collaborators at UC Santa Cruz, the University of Washington, and the BC Cancer Research Centre – each contributing specialized expertise in long-read sequencing, Omni-C scaffolding, and Strand-seq methodologies. Together, this multidisciplinary team combines breed-specific veterinary insight, advanced computational skills, and world-class sequencing know-how to ensure the success of the PWD reference genome.

Studying Hemangiosarcoma Subtypes and Treatment Response

Posted on by Crystal Smith

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

DESCRIPTION: Research suggests that hemangiosarcoma, a deadly cancer in dogs, is not one disease but made up of many different subtypes. The team 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 address this issue, 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. They hope their  findings will help uncover the best treatment options for individual dogs with specific types of HSA and improve outcomes for this challenging canine cancer.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: If the team is successful, their findings could have a major impact  on how HSA is treated in dogs as well as provide information on long-term prognosis based on subtype. These results could help both veterinarians and pet parents make more informed decisions for dogs diagnosed with this terrible cancer.

Co-sponsored with the Morris Animal Foundation, Grant Number: D24CA-535

RESEARCHERS

Erin Dickerson, PhD; University of Minnesota

Amount: $10,000

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

Chagas disease is a deadly parasitic heart disease affecting dogs, humans, and other mammals in regions where “kissing bug” insect vectors are found (South America,  Central America, Mexico, and the southern United States). Dogs across the US may be at risk if they travel from or to affected regions. Currently, there is no vaccine and no  widely validated antiparasitic treatments.

After eight years of characterizing natural infections and disease progression, the  team will develop a canine Chagas disease scoring system to categorize disease  severity. They will then treat 100 dogs with a modified dosing regimen of  benznidazole that has shown promise in preliminary studies. Dogs at different  disease stages will be enrolled to determine which patients benefit most from  treatment.

Relevance to PWDs: Regional relevance for PWDs living in or traveling to areas with  kissing bugs, primarily the southern United States.

Co-sponsored with the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Grant Number: 03334

RESEARCHERS

Sarah Hamer, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVPM; Texas A&M AgriLife Research

Amount: $5,000