Prevent Treat Cure Introduction to the AKC Canine Health Foundation

Prevent Treat Cure Mission  To raise funds to support quality research  Causes of disease  Earlier, more accurate diagnoses  Better, more effective treatments  To help dogs, and their owners, live longer, healthier lives longer, healthier lives

Prevent Treat Cure AKC Canine Health Foundation Created in 1995  American Kennel Club always sponsored research  AKC Delegates Health Committee recommended the creation of a specialized organization

Prevent Treat Cure How we fund our work  American Kennel Club  Nestle Purina PetCare Co.  Pfizer Animal Health  Annual Fund  Club Support  Fundraising activities & events  Memorial & Honorarium donations  Planned Giving  Membership

Prevent Treat Cure Since  We have become the largest funder of exclusively canine health research in the world.  Over 550 studies funded Diagnostic Studies Genetics of Disease Molecular Biology Treatment Physiology Epidemiology Education  More than $25 million allocated

Prevent Treat Cure In just 15 years…  More than 90 Universities & research institutions funded world wide  286 researchers funded  200 clubs, individuals and other organizations sponsoring research

Prevent Treat Cure Top Ten Health Concerns  1: Hip Dysplasia  2: Allergies  3: Epilepsy  4: Hemangiosarcoma  5: Hypothyroidism  6: Lymphoma  7: Patellar Luxation  8: Cataracts  9: GDV/Bloat  10: Atopic Dermatitis Information from the 2010 Poll of Parent Clubs

Prevent Treat Cure Animal Treatment & Care  No animals were harmed in the making of this presentation  No animals are harmed in the research we support  Use of blood samples, cheek swabs for genetic studies  Use of free-living (client-owned) dogs for clinical studies

Prevent Treat Cure Types of Programs  ACORNs: Grants of less than $12,000; revolving deadline.  OAKs: Grants of more than $12,000; annual grant cycle.  Educational Seminars & Symposia

Prevent Treat Cure Significant Discoveries to Improve Canine Health CHF research projects investigate the genetic associations with various diseases. Some of these studies resulted directly in the development of genetic tests that help prevent the occurrence of the disease in future generations. Others increased the understanding of complex genetic diseases such as cancer which will help in the development of better diagnostics and treatments of these diseases.

Prevent Treat Cure Genetic Discoveries  Genetic tests developed as a result of CHF grants: Hereditary Nephritis Progressive Retinal Atrophy Congenital Stationary Night Blindness Canine Cystinuria von Willebrand's Disease Copper Toxicosis Fanconi Syndrome Hereditary Cataracts Primary Lens Luxation Hereditary Ceroid Lipofuscinosis Neonatal Encephalopathy Degenerative Myelopathy Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI Coat Color and Merle gene Ridgelessness Exercise-Induced Collapse Hyperparathyroidism Hereditary Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration Exercise Induced Collapse

Prevent Treat Cure Other Discoveries: Medical Surveillance of Dogs Deployed to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon Cynthia Otto, DVM, PhD University of Pennsylvania Pathology and toxicology findings for search-and-rescue dogs deployed to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack sites: initial five-year surveillance. Fitzgerald SD, Rumbeiha WK, Emmett Braselton W, et al. J Vet Diagn Invest 2008;20: Medical and behavioral surveillance of dogs deployed to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon from October 2001 to June Otto CM, Downend AB, Serpell JA, et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2004;225: Field treatment of search dogs: lessons learned from the World Trade Center disaster. Otto CM, Franz MA, Kellogg B, et al. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 2002;12: Deployment morbidity among search-and-rescue dogs used after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Slensky KA, Drobatz KJ, Downend AB, et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2004;225:

Prevent Treat Cure Other Discoveries: Sensitive and Specific Diagnostic Test for Leishmania infantum Christine Petersen, DVM, PhD Iowa State University Immunologic Indicators of Clinical Progression during Canine Leishmania infantum Infection. Boggiatto PM, Ramer-Tait AE, Metz K, et al. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2010;17: Canine Leishmaniasis in North America: Emerging or Newly Recognized? Christine AP, Stephen CB. The Veterinary clinics of North America Small animal practice 2009;39: Leishmaniasis, an Emerging Disease Found in Companion Animals in the United States. Petersen C. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine 2009;24: New Means of Canine Leishmaniasis Transmission in North America: The Possibility of Transmission to Humans Still Unknown. Petersen C. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases 2009.

Prevent Treat Cure Tying It All Together The Canine Genome Sequence, completed in 2005, provided investigators with a tool to allow for more efficient, accurate and cost effective research.

Prevent Treat Cure Human vs. Canine Genomes  Human  13 years  $2.7 billion  Canine  7 months  $50 million  The two genomes are about 85% the same

Prevent Treat Cure Each New Piece of Knowledge Brings...  Genetic tests – breeders can eliminate diseases  Earlier diagnoses and better, more effective better, more effective treatments treatments  Ultimately, cures

Prevent Treat Cure How Do We Do This?  High quality research  Educational programs

Prevent Treat Cure Canine Health Resources  Interactive Website  Podcasts  Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)

Prevent Treat Cure Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)  Mission: To provide a source of health information for owners, breeders and scientists, which will assist in breeding healthy dogs  Joint program between the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals 

Prevent Treat Cure CHIC  Open database for health test results  Required tests determined by Parent Club, not CHF or OFA  Database is about encouraging health testing, not about “normalcy

Prevent Treat Cure CHIC DNA Repository  Accepts both blood samples and cheek swabs  Provides researchers with optimized family groups  Allows breeders to take advantage of future DNA-based tests as they become available.  Foster a team environment between breeders and the research community improving the the research community improving the likelihood of genetic discovery likelihood of genetic discovery

Prevent Treat Cure Canine Health Education  Breeders/Owners Symposia  Presentations made by the President’s Council, CHF Board and Staff  Assistance with finding presenters for club meetings

Prevent Treat Cure Purina Parent Club Partnership Program  Purina and parent clubs work together to help promote canine health and well-being.  Purina’s goal is to provide financial support to national parent clubs and the AKC Canine Health Foundation to help dogs live longer, healthier lives.

Prevent Treat Cure How Purina works with clubs  National Parent Breed Clubs earn money through member participation in Purina Pro Club.  You qualify to join Pro Club if you breed a litter a year or care for more than 5 dogs: PRO-CLUB.  Breed clubs can earn 10 percent of the value of all points from valid Purina weight circles on dog food bags.

Prevent Treat Cure Purina Participation Purina Participation  164 clubs signed up to participate in 2009  Breed clubs raised nearly $300,000 in 2009, half of which came to the AKC Canine Health Foundation. The other half may be allocated to the club’s education, research or rescue efforts.  Since the program began in 2002, more than $3 million has been raised for canine health research, with half the earnings going directly to the AKC Canine Health Foundation  See

Prevent Treat Cure The Purina Challenge: How to increase CHF funds  Parent Clubs must sign up for the program.  Club members must feed Purina, participate in Pro Club and declare their breed.  Parent Clubs must promote the program (advertising, newsletters & club events).

Prevent Treat Cure Let us help you… Let us help you…  Ask for literature,  Ask for speakers;  Ask for publicity

Prevent Treat Cure Membership  Join Now and Become a Member!  Membership is $30 for an individual, $50 for a family at the same address or $5 for a junior under the age of eighteen.  The benefits of membership are:  Wear our AKC Canine Health Foundation lapel pin  Receive our informative quarterly newsletter  Help dogs of all kinds live longer, healthier lives.  Join by visiting our website

Prevent Treat Cure  Toll-Free: ( outside the US) ( outside the US)  Website:   Mailing address: PO Box PO Box Raleigh, NC Raleigh, NC Contact Information