Celebrating the Breakthroughs Shaping the Future of Canine Health. Meet the 2025 Canine Health Discovery Award Finalists.

Lung & Airway Health Research

The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) funds research to better understand and treat respiratory diseases in dogs, focusing on the underlying causes and potential therapies.

Why We Focus on Lung & Airway Health

Infectious, inflammatory, and structural diseases of the upper airways and lungs are serious threats to dogs’ health and can significantly affect their quality of life. Conditions like pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and congenital airway abnormalities can cause difficulty breathing, reduced stamina, and long-term health problems. Understanding the mechanisms behind these diseases is critical to developing targeted treatments and improving early diagnosis. By uncovering the genetic, molecular, and environmental factors that contribute to these conditions, we can identify better treatment options and help prevent further complications, ultimately improving the health and lives of dogs suffering from respiratory issues.

Research Grants

University of Pennsylvania Logo
2025 Active Grant
Lung & Airway Health $31,209.85
03413: Targeted Cytokine Analysis to Identify Hyper- and Hypoinflammatory Subphenotypes in Canine ARDS
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): Tereza Stastny, DVM
University of Pennsylvania Logo
2025 Active Grant
Lung & Airway Health $29,310.12
03413-A: Targeted Cytokine Analysis to Identify Hyper- and Hypoinflammatory Subphenotypes in Canine ARDS
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): Tereza Stastny, DVM
University of New Hampshire Logo
2024 Active Grant
Lung & Airway Health $308,718
03273: Characterizing Potential Novel CIRD Pathogen and CIRD Microbiome Perturbations
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): David B Needle, DVM
University of Georgia Logo
2023 Active Grant
Lung & Airway Health $16,114
03053-A: Genome-wide Association Study to Investigate Genetic Markers for Antimicrobial Resistance in Mycoplasma cynos Associated with Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): Grazieli Maboni, DVM, MSc, PhD
University of Missouri Logo
2022 Active Grant
Lung & Airway Health $49,680
03059: Comparison of Sedated Respiratory-Gated Computed Tomography (CT) to Anesthetized Inspiratory:Expiratory Breath Hold CT in Dogs
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): Carol R. Reinero, DVM, PhD
North Carolina State University Logo
2022 Active Grant
Lung & Airway Health $14,833
03048-A: Thoracoscopic-Guided Autologous Blood Injection for Treatment of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): Valery Scharf, DVM, MS
University of Missouri Logo
2020 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $83,801
02699: The Pathologic Link between Lung and Gut: Diagnosis of Aerodigestive Disorders in Dogs
Breed(s): Norwich Terrier, West Highland White Terrier
Researcher(s): Carol Reinero, DVM, PhD
University of Missouri Logo
2020 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $15,000
02804-MOU: Searching for a Genetic Risk Factor for Idiopathic Chylothorax in Afghan Hounds
Breed(s): Afghan Hound
Researcher(s): Gary S. Johnson, DVM, PhD
North Carolina State University Logo
2020 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $13,829
02690-A: Diagnostic Utility of Thoracoscopy for Localization of Pulmonary Bullae in Dogs with Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Breed(s): Alaskan Malamute, Hound Group, Poodle, Siberian Husky
Researcher(s): Valery Scharf, DVM, MS
North Carolina State University Logo
2019 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $19,440
02788-MOU: Approach to Identification of a Genetic Risk Allele(s) Associated with the Development of Tracheal Collapse in the Pomeranian
Breed(s): Pomeranian
Researcher(s): Kathryn Meurs, DVM, PhD
Auburn University Logo
2019 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $7,984
02680-A: Assessment of Circulating Inflammatory Mediators in Dogs with Tracheal Collapse
Breed(s): Maltese, Pomeranian, Small and Toy Breeds, Toy Poodle
Researcher(s): Tekla Lee-Fowler, MS, DVM
Michigan State University Logo
2018 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $116,076
02507: Characterizing Developmental Lung Disease as a Cause of Sudden Death in the Norwich Terrier
Breed(s): Norwich Terrier
Researcher(s): Kurt Williams, DVM, PhD
2017 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $34,160
0195: Characterization of the Clinical Features of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in the West Highland White Terrier
Breed(s): West Highland White Terrier
Researcher(s): Brendan M. Corcoran, PhD
University of Missouri Logo
2017 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $11,394
02346-A: Blood Culture and Blood Microbiome as Minimally Invasive Diagnostics for Canine Bacterial Pneumonia
Breed(s): All Dogs
Researcher(s): Carol R. Reinero, DVM, PhD
Michigan State University Logo
2015 Closed Grant
Lung & Airway Health $74,496
02232-MOU: Characterization of Upper Airway Syndrome in Norwich Terriers
Breed(s): Norwich Terrier
Researcher(s): Bryden J. Stanley, BVMS

Join Us in Advancing
Canine Health

With over $465,000 invested in lung and airway health research, your support helps fund vital research to improve the health and well-being of dogs.