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Access valuable information to help pet owners and veterinarians improve canine health and quality of life.
Heart Health Research
The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) supports research into canine heart health, focusing on heart development, structural disease, arrhythmias, diagnostics, therapeutics, surgery, and enabling technologies.
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Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs: Hope for the Future through Research and Innovation
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Read More02046: Using a Novel Combination of Drugs to Treat Arrhythmia and Heart Failure in Dogs
Grant Status: Closed Grant Amount: $33,060 Janice McIntosh Bright, DVM, BSN; Colorado State University January 1, 2014 – June 30, 2018 Sponsor(s): American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Charitable Trust, Chihuahua Club of America, Saluki Health Research, Inc., Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Inc., Staffordshire Terrier Club of America Breed(s): -All Dogs Research Program Area: […]
Read More01345-A: Circulating Isoforms of B-type Natriuretic Peptide and the Pathogenesis of Canine Heart Failure
Background: Congestive heart failure is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in many dog breeds. The physiological changes responsible for the debilitating symptoms caused by sodium and fluid buildup are poorly understood. This has hampered the development of appropriate treatments and management of this disease. One important factor responsible for the progression of the […]
Read More02436: Predicting Disease Stage and Diuretic Responsiveness in Dogs with Acquired Heart Disease
Congestive heart failure (CHF) causes difficulty breathing because of fluid accumulation in the lungs. It is an important and common clinical problem. Mitral valve regurgitation and dilated cardiomyopathy are common causes of CHF in dogs, which can develop as these conditions progress in severity. Because there currently is no cure for these heart diseases, the […]
Read More03280: Exploring the Relationship between Serum Chloride Concentrations and the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System in Dogs with Congestive Heart Failure
People with congestive heart failure (CHF) have worse outcomes if their blood chloride concentrations are low, compared to if they are normal. Similarly, low blood chloride concentrations characterize dogs with advanced CHF. Low blood chloride concentrations can be caused by several factors including medications and a failing heart. These concentrations are thought to be more […]
Read More02623: Circulating Cortisol Concentrations in Canine Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common disease in dogs. A major contributor to disease progression is the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), whose end-product aldosterone binds to mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) and causes negative effects on the heart and blood vessels. RAAS activation is associated with a worse prognosis in humans and dogs with CHF. The stress […]
Read More03031: Tolerability and Clinical Efficacy of Oral Potassium Chloride Supplementation for Treatment of Hypochloremia in Canine Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a very common heart condition in older, small breed dogs. Dogs with CHF almost always die of their disease or complications associated with medications used to treat CHF and therefore this is a significant health concern for dogs. Although medications can increase the quality and quantity of life, additional treatment […]
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Hearts to Heal: Advancing Care at the Final Stage of Canine Heart Disease
In some forms of heart disease, the most severe stage progresses to congestive heart failure. At this point, the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Fluid begins to accumulate in the lungs or abdomen, breathing can be difficult, and daily life grows harder for both dogs and the people […]
Read MoreUpdate on Mitral Valve Disease Research
Mitral valve disease (MVD) is a condition where, over time, the mitral valve of the heart degrades. The heart is separated into 4 chambers; top and bottom, left and right. The upper chambers are the atria (singular atrium) and the lower chambers are the ventricles. There are valves which are in place between each of […]
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Hearts to Heal: Improving How We Measure Canine Heart Disease
For families living with a dog diagnosed with heart disease, the hardest moments are often the quiet ones. A follow-up appointment. A new test. A conversation that ends with the words, “Not yet, but we need to watch this closely.” Knowing when to act can be just as important as knowing how to treat it. […]
Read MoreAKC Canine Health Foundation Announces Semifinalists for Inaugural Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award
MEDIA CONTACT:Trent BrownCommunity & Public Relations DirectorAKC Canine Health FoundationE-mail: trent.brown@akcchf.orgPhone: (919) 334-4029 News Release For Immediate Release Raleigh, NC (October 14, 2025) – The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all dogs through research and discovery, is excited to announce the discoveries, and the researchers […]
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Diet-Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs
Introduction When Trisha Brenner’s energetic Weimaraner, Charlie, suddenly collapsed during a walk, she was devastated and confused. Charlie had always been healthy, aside from some early skin issues that were resolved with a special diet. But that same diet was later linked to a serious heart condition. This breakthrough in canine health research explores the […]
Read MoreAKC Canine Health Foundation Announces Finalists for Inaugural Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award
MEDIA CONTACT:Trent BrownCommunity & Public Relations DirectorAKC Canine Health FoundationE-mail: trent.brown@akcchf.orgPhone: (919) 334-4029 News Release For Immediate Release Raleigh, NC (December 3, 2025) – The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all dogs through research and discovery, is excited to announce the discoveries, and the researchers […]
Read More01866-A: Enhancing Treatment of Mitral Valve Disease through the Identification of Biological Markers of Disease
Heart disease, specifically chronic valvular disease (CVD), is a common disease in aging dogs. All dogs can develop this disease, but small breed dogs and especially the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel have a higher risk. Typically, all Cavaliers over the age of 10 years of age are affected. The disease is easy to diagnose, because […]
Read More02632: Canine Chagas Disease: Characterizing Cardiac Disease and Developing Screening Recommendations for Asymptomatic Dogs Seropositive for Trypanosoma cruzi
Chagas disease (Trypanosomiasis) is caused by a parasite that infects the heart of humans and dogs in the United States causing heart disease and acute death. It is transmitted by kissing bugs, and there is no vaccination or approved treatment. Dogs in the Southern U.S. have a higher risk of parasite infection, and while all […]
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Hearts to Heal: Rethinking Canine Heart Disease at the Cellular Level
Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), or “leaky valve disease,” is the most common heart disease that dogs develop—and a leading cause of heart failure. Once a dog enters heart failure, the median survival time is just 11 months. Medications can help manage symptoms and slow progression, but MMVD has no cure. And that comes down […]
Read More02327-MOU: Identification of Genetic Markers for Familial Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis in Bullmastiffs
Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS) is a heart defect characterized by a fibrous ridge located below the aortic valve. Affected dogs are at risk of developing heart valve infections, congestive heart failure or sudden death. Severely affected dogs have an average lifespan of 19 months. SAS is an inherited heart problem reported in Bullmastiffs and other […]
Read More02521-MOU: Identification of Genetic Markers for Familial Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis in Golden Retrievers
Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS) is a heart defect characterized by a fibrous ridge located below the aortic valve. Affected dogs are at risk of developing heart valve infections, congestive heart failure or sudden death. Severely affected dogs have an average lifespan of 19 months. SAS is an inherited heart problem reported in Golden Retrievers. Studying […]
Read More02955: Towards Precision Medicine for Canine Cardiac Disease: A Genomic and Machine-Learning Approach to Prediction of Risk and Outcomes in Canine Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease
Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common cause of heart disease in adult dogs, affecting millions of dogs worldwide. Small- and medium-sized dogs, especially Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Dachshunds, Poodles, and Yorkshire Terriers, are predisposed to MMVD, suggesting that the disease has a genetic basis. MMVD typically progresses slowly, over several years, eventually […]
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