Knowledge Hub
Access valuable information to help pet owners and veterinarians improve canine health and quality of life.
Tick-Borne Disease Research
The AKC Canine Health Foundation is tackling the growing threat of tick-borne diseases in dogs by funding research to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment before these diseases become debilitating or fatal.
Read MoreCanine Tick-Borne Disease
Thousands of dogs are infected annually with dangerous tick-transmitted diseases. Ticks are parasites that attach themselves to dogs, feed on blood and transmit diseases directly into the dog’s system. Major tick-borne diseases transmitted to dogs in the United States include: • Lyme disease, which comes from the deer tick, can cause stiffness, lameness, swollen joints, […]
Read More02383: Identifying Cellular Mechanisms of Inflammation During Canine Tick‐Borne Diseases
Tick‐borne diseases are found in all 50 states of the United States and are the most common vectorborne disease diagnosed in people in the US. The predominant disease is Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and related species. Other important canine tick‐borne diseases include those caused by Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Anaplasmosis), Babesia canis, Babesia […]
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 More02292: Broad-Range Detection of Canine Tick-Borne Disease and Improved Diagnostics Using Next-Generation Sequencing
Diagnostic tests based on the detection of DNA of infectious organisms from clinical samples have revolutionized veterinary medicine in the last decades. Currently, diagnostic panels for several vector-borne organisms are available through universities and private laboratories in the USA and abroad. However, the vast majority of results from clinically ill dogs are negative for tick-borne […]
Read More01894-A: Documentation of Disease-Causing Ticks in a Field Trial Environment for the Purpose of Developing Practical and Cost-Effective Strategies for Tick Control
Many species of Ehrlichia exist, but the most detrimental of these affect canines. Unfortunately, Ehrlichia incidence is increasing in the southeastern United States. The primary approach to Ehrlichiosis prevention is through tick control, which includes application of acaricides to hosts and the habitat. We identified three Ehrlichia species in two species of ticks (A. americanum […]
Read MoreResearch Spotlight: Lyme Disease
What is Lyme disease? Why study it? CHF-Funded Study: 02284-A: Lyme Disease in Dogs: Prevalence, Clinical Illness, and PrognosisPrincipal Investigator: Dr. Jason Stull, VMD, PhD; Ohio State UniversityTotal Grant Amount: $14,148.00; Grant Period: 7/1/2016 – 6/30/2018 What are Dr. Stull & his team going to do? How will this study help dogs? Learn more about […]
Read More02285-A: Thrombocytopenia and Occult Vector-Borne Disease in Greyhound Dogs: Implications for Clinical Cases and Blood Donors
Retired racing greyhounds (RRG) are popular pets, and are also commonly used as blood donors to treat all types of dogs. Not all greyhounds are RRG; show-bred greyhounds (SBG) have traceable pedigrees verifying they do not descend from racing lines. Low platelet (thrombocytopenia) and white blood cell counts are considered normal findings in greyhounds. Protein […]
Read More01780: Defining the Mechanism by Which Ticks Locate Dogs in Order to Better Prevent Disease Transmission
The brown dog tick (BDT) is common across the U.S. and is the most widely distributed tick in the world. BDT’s carry and transmit the pathogens that cause debilitating diseases such as canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis. Prevention of these diseases is accomplished through tick control. BDT’s can complete their entire life cycle indoors, making management […]
Read More02831: Mechanisms of NK(T) Cell Mediated Inflammation during Canine Lyme Disease
Tick-borne diseases are found in all 50 states of the United States and are the most common vector-borne disease diagnosed in the U.S. Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and related species (sensu lato), is the flagship disease for this in both dogs and people. Another important canine tick-borne disease found in combination with B. […]
Read More02386-A: Surveillance of Hepatozoon americanum In Populations of the Gulf Coast Tick Vector
American Canine Hepatozoonosis is a debilitating tick-borne disease with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Affected dogs usually experience fever, muscle pain, and body wasting. Some dogs may have a thickening of their long bones. While most tick-borne diseases occur after transmission of the disease agent during tick feeding, in American Canine Hepatozoonosis, dogs are […]
Read More02284-A: Lyme Disease in Dogs: Prevalence, Clinical Illness, and Prognosis
Lyme disease (or Borreliosis) is a bacterial disease of dogs and humans that is transmitted by tick bites. In people, Lyme is the most common tick-transmitted disease in the U.S., with over 25,000 cases in 2014. While most common in the northeastern coastal states and the upper Midwest, Lyme disease is moving into other regions […]
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 More02553: Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Panel for Comprehensive Testing of Vector-borne Pathogens
Diagnosing vector-borne disease (VBD) in dogs can be difficult for a number of reasons. First, there are many different disease-causing agents that can be transmitted from ticks/fleas, and the clinical signs caused by these agents in dogs can overlap. Additionally, because ticks/fleas can harbor more than one agent at a time, multiple pathogens may be […]
Read More02528: Developing a Next Generation Sequencing Diagnostic Platform for Tickborne Diseases
Diagnostic tests based on the detection of DNA from harmful organisms in clinical samples have revolutionized veterinary medicine in the last decades. Currently, diagnostic panels for several vector-borne organisms are available through universities and private labs in the USA and abroad. However, the vast majority of results from sick dogs are negative, which frustrates veterinarians […]
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AKC Canine Health Foundation Awards Three New Grants through its Tick-Borne Disease Initiative
News Release For Immediate Release The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent, treat and cure diseases in all dogs, announces the first round of new grants awarded through its Tick-Borne Disease Initiative. Jason Stull, VMD, PhD, of The Ohio State University will study “Lyme Disease in Dogs: […]
Read More The AKC Canine Health Foundation Awards New Grants to Improve Diagnostics for Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs
News Release For Immediate Release The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent, treat and cure diseases in all dogs, announces a second round of new grants awarded through its Tick-Borne Disease Initiative. This comprehensive Initiative addresses important health concerns that include Lyme disease, bartonellosis, and ehrlichiosis, through […]
Read More The AKC Canine Health Foundation Launches Matched-funding Initiative to Fight Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs
News Release For Immediate Release The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent, treat and cure diseases in all dogs, announces an exciting new tick-borne disease initiative that aims to educate dog-owners and find better diagnostics, preventatives, and therapeutics for dogs. Ticks and the diseases they transmit can […]
Read More AKC Canine Health Foundation Makes Strides in Tick-Borne Disease Research to Benefit Dogs
News Release For Immediate Release The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent, treat and cure diseases in all dogs, is pleased to announce ongoing progress through its Tick-Borne Disease Initiative. Launched in February 2016, this comprehensive Initiative addresses important health concerns that include Lyme disease, bartonellosis, and […]
Read More The AKC Canine Health Foundation Meets Year I Fundraising Goal for Tick-Borne Disease Initiative; Launches Year II to Continue Progress in Research
News Release For Immediate Release The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent, treat and cure diseases in all dogs, is pleased to announce it has met the Year I fundraising goal of $250,000 for its Tick-Borne Disease Initiative, launched in February 2016. Funds raised were matched […]
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