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Access valuable information to help pet owners and veterinarians improve canine health and quality of life.
Infection & Immunity Research
The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) supports research on how dogs’ immune systems fight infections and protect against diseases, aiming to improve treatments and prevention strategies.
Read More03339: The Role of select Enteric Bacteria in Dogs with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system of an animal mistakenly attacks different cells in their own body, like red blood cells. A common autoimmune disease in dogs is immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) where the red blood cells are targeted and destroyed. This syndrome is commonly fatal in dogs and new tests and treatments are […]
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The Canine Immune Response to Valley Fever
Introduction Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) is caused by inhaling spores from the Coccidioides fungus, which lives in desert soil. Dogs, humans, and other animals can breathe in these spores, especially in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico and Central and South America. Thanks to funding from the AKC Canine Health Foundation, researchers have identified […]
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Researching Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia in Dogs
Introduction Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) is a life-threatening condition where a dog’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own red blood cells, leading to severe anemia. This can cause weakness, collapse, and even death if untreated. Thanks to research funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), scientists are uncovering the genetic and immune system mechanisms […]
Read More03209: Discovery of Major Antigenic Determinants of Antibody Responses to Colonizing and Infecting Canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
This study aims to better understand how dogs respond to a bacterium called Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (S. pseudintermedius). This bacterium can cause skin and soft tissue infections in dogs, and it is becoming harder to treat with antibiotics because it is becoming resistant to them. Many dogs naturally carry S. pseudintermedius without getting sick, but it […]
Read More01712-A: Determining the Effect of Pain Medication on Immune Function: Part 2
Introduction: Opioids are often used to treat pain in many situations, including during the post-operative period and often in dogs with a high risk for infection. In addition to providing excellent pain control, opioids directly modulate the immune system. In other species, certain opioids suppress the beneficial aspects (e.g., phagocytosis and microbial killing) while promoting […]
Read More02983: Enhanced Detection and Characterization of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Species in Dogs and Ticks with Focus on a Novel Rickettsia Species Infecting Clinically Ill Dogs in the U.S.
Dogs carry the burden of high exposure to tick-borne diseases, often alerting us to new and emerging pathogens before people are infected. Recently, investigators identified a new tick-borne spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) species infecting seven clinically ill dogs in the U.S. All infected dogs had clinical signs like Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Genetic analysis […]
Read More03314: Evaluation of an immunotherapeutic bivalent vaccine in owned dogs naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi.
Chagas disease is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) which is prevalent in all the American continent including the US, afflicting humans as well as canines. The prognosis for infected dogs is poor due to the lack of effective treatment. In addition, they are a domestic reservoir and can increase […]
Read More02448: Canine Chagas Disease: Characterizing Cardiac Abnormalities, Vector Infection and Control Strategies, and Parasite Strains in Kennel Environments
Chagas disease is a parasitic infection that can cause acute death and chronic heart disease in any breed of dog, and there is no vaccination or approved treatment. There is currently an unprecedented recognition for canine Chagas disease in the southern US, where infected kissing bug vectors occur. The disease is well-studied in Latin America, […]
Read More01900-A: Prevalence of Vector Borne Disease in Dogs with Clinical Signs of Immune Mediated Disease
Expanded testing of acute and convalescent samples in this study provided evidence of infection with or exposure to vector borne disease in 24% of southern California dogs who presented for evaluation of clinical signs consistent with immune mediated or vector borne disease. These findings are important as anecdotally, vector borne disease is considered to be […]
Read More03083-A: Investigation into the Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Vector-borne Pathogen Coinfections in a Population of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected Dogs from Texas
Infection with the vector-borne parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the pathologic agent of canine Chagas disease, has remained a significant concern to dog owners for decades. Infections with T. cruzi are highly problematic for three reasons: 1) a significant percentage of dogs infected with T. cruzi will develop Chagas disease and eventually die of heart failure; 2) […]
Read More02408: Predicting the Outcome of Coccidioidomycosis in Naturally Infected Dogs
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) is a systemic fungal infection endemic to the desert southwestern United States. Dogs are affected, with an estimated $60 million per year in diagnostic and treatment costs. Valley Fever has a variable clinical picture, ranging from subclinical infections to mild disease to severe, uncontrolled disease. Development of a vaccine to prevent, or […]
Read More02461-A: Innate immune response to Leptospira in naturally exposed dogs
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global occurrence and may result in life threatening illness in animals and humans. Leptospira may also reside in the kidney of many animal species including dogs without causing disease. Factors predisposing to clinical disease, carrier stage, or protection needs to be clarified. Dog are susceptible to fatal illness and […]
Read More01701-A: Determining the Effect of Pain Medication on Immune Function: Part 1
Grant Status: Closed Grant Amount: $12,960 Amy Elizabeth DeClue, DVM, MS; University of Missouri, Columbia February 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013 Sponsor(s): Agility Ability Club of Illinois, American Bullmastiff Association, Vizsla Club of America Welfare Foundation, Worcester County Kennel Club Breed(s): -All Dogs Research Program Area: Immunology and Infectious Disease Donate to Support this […]
Read More01031-A: Determination of Target Antigens in Canine Primary Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia
Canine primary immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a serious illness which involves attack of red cells by the patient’s own immune system. The result is severe anemia. Currently, it is not known what causes or triggers the patient’s immune system to turn against its own red blood cells. Numerous scientific reports indicate a breed predilection: […]
Read More02180-A: Exploring the Canine Immune System for New Treatments
Although more data is pending for this project, as initial findings, we have determined that overall presence of antibodies in culture decreased the ability of canine myeloid cells to eliminate MRSA infection. This was not specific to the regulatory or inhibitory PD-1-PDL1 pathway interestingly, but occurred with addition of any antibody perhaps indicating other non-specific […]
Read More00368-A: Effects of Early Environmental Conditions on Duration of Immunity in Puppies
The proposed study will determine the minimal doses of vaccine necessary to immunize and maintain acceptable antibody titer level during adulthood in puppies exposed to different environmental conditions. The animals within the study will be 90 healthy puppies 12 weeks old or less. The puppies will be selected from 3 population groups. One group will […]
Read More0001432: The Genetics of the Major Histocompatibility Complex in Canine Immune-Mediated Disease
In these studies, researchers mapped molecular markers in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), the receptors on the cell surface that present foreign proteins and trigger an immune response. This mapping was done for normal Akitas. They then applied these markers to two immune-mediated diseases in Akitas, myasthenia gravis, a muscle-related disease, and uveodermatologic disease, a […]
Read More0001629: The Genetics of the Major Histocompatibility Complex in Canine Immune-Mediated Diseases
In these studies, researchers mapped molecular markers in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), the receptors on the cell surface that present foreign proteins and trigger an immune response. This mapping was done for normal Akitas. They then applied these markers to two immune-mediated diseases in Akitas, myasthenia gravis, a muscle-related disease, and uveodermatologic disease, a […]
Read More03334: Antiparasitic treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected dogs across different stages of disease for clinical cardiac improvements- the 100-dog study
Chagas disease is a deadly parasitic heart disease of dogs, humans, and other mammals. Chagas disease is a risk where ‘kissing bug’ insect vectors are located, including South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southern United States. The risk of Chagas disease in dogs also extends to regions where dogs from the south may travel […]
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