In this edition of Genome Barks we hear from Dr. Bruce Hammerberg of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hammerberg discusses allergy season, how it impacts dogs, common allergens, and treatments. Dr. Hammerberg also discusses his CHF-funded research that looks to develop a novel therapeutic drug for canine allergies.

This podcast was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank Trust.

In this edition of Genome Barks, we welcome Mia Olsson a doctoral student at Uppsala University in Sweeden.  Ms. Olsson discusses Shar Pei Fever and her research on the condition.

Shar Pei Fever is a recurring fever-like condition that is similar to an auto-inflammatory condition in humans.  Ms. Olsson is part of an international research team from Uppsala University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard who discovered the gene associated with the condition.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome the 2008 winner of the American Kennel Club ACE Award for Search and Rescue, the Bloodhound Taffy and her handler, Doug Williams.  Lee Arnold, Chairman of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, and Mr. Williams discuss Taffy’s accomplishments, school visits, criminal tracking, and community outreach.

In this podcast, Ron Rella, Director of Project Administration for the American Kennel Club, describes the Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence.  The ACE Awards were put into place in 1999 to recognize the extraordinary interdependence of dogs and people.  Mr. Rella explains the qualifications to be nominated for ACE Awards and the different categories for which awards are made.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Anne Hubbs, the Health Committee Chair of the Golden Retriever Club of America.  GRCA and the Golden Retriever Foundation have supported CHF-approved research at more than $300,000 since 1995.  Dr. Hubbs discusses the Golden Retriever lovers’ dedication to canine health and some of the stories that motivated them to support health research, some of the top health concerns in the breed and their participation in the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC).

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Leigh Anne Clark, a member of the faculty at Clemson University.  Dr. Clark’s research has focused on canine genetic disease.  In this podcast, we discuss Dr. Clark’s work in dermatomyositis.  Dr. Clark defines the disease, and discusses prevalence, clinical signs, and tips for breeders to help future generations.

 Dr. Leigh Anne Clark attended Texas A&M University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences in 2000. She subsequently entered graduate school and joined the Canine Genetics Laboratory in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Clark's thesis work concerned both the development of microsatellite DNA-based tools and pancreatic acinar atrophy in the German Shepherd Dog. She received a PhD in 2004 and remained in the Canine Genetics Laboratory for her postdoctoral work. Now an Assistant Professor of Genetics and Biochemistry at Clemson University, Dr. Clark's research continues to focus on canine inherited disease.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Catherine Andre’, a CHF-funded researcher and member of the faculty at the University of Rennes in France.  Dr. Andre’ has received funding for her work in malignant histiocytosis in the Bernese Mountain Dog.  Dr. Andre’ describes malignant histiocytosis, breeds at greater risk for this cancer, treatment possibilities, and also her research into ichthyosis in the Golden Retriever and some of her other projects.

Dr. Catherine Andre’ graduated with a PhD in molecular genetics and oncology at the Paris University in 1992. Since 1995 she has worked at the University of Rennes in France (CNRS) on canine genomics and genetics. She manages the canine genetics group at CNRS working on the search for the genetic basis of inherited diseases in canines and humans.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Kate Creevy, Assistant Professor in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Georgia with a specialty in small animal medicine and infections disease.  Dr. Creevy discusses the myths of vaccinations and infectious disease, susceptibility to vaccination reactions, regular vaccination schedules and the canine flu vaccine.

Dr. Creevy grew up in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended Georgetown University for her undergraduate education.  She earned her DVM from the University of Tennessee in 1998, and completed a rotating small animal internship at the University of Minnesota. She spent the next four years in private practice, initially in a small animal and exotics emergency-only practice in the Twin Cities, and then at Friendship Hospital for Animals, the only 24-hour general and specialty practice in Washington, DC.  She joined the faculty at the University of Georgia in 2003 as an emergency medicine clinician, and subsequently completed both her residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine, and her Master’s degree in Infectious Disease at UGA.  She is currently an Assistant Professor in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Georgia.

The AKC Canine Health Foundation is pleased to release the next podcast in the Genome Barks series. This week, we welcome Dr. Corey Saba, a veterinary oncologist and member of the faculty at the University of Geogia in Athens.  Dr. Saba discusses different treatment options for cancer (including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy), individualized treatments, comparative oncology (bridging canine and human research) and more.

Dr. Corey Saba graduated from the Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002.  She completed a one-year Small Animal Rotating Internship at Texas A&M University and then went on to complete a three-year Oncology Residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Dr. Saba has been a faculty member at UGA for four years.  Her research interests bridge the laboratory with the clinic and include cell signaling and comparative oncology.

This week, we welcome Dr. Christopher Pachel, a veterinary behaviorist in Portland, Oregon.  Dr. Pachel discusses common behavior issues, prevention and the need for understanding canine body language, the relationship between behavior and illness, and puppy socialization.

Dr. Chris Pachel graduated from veterinary school at the University of Minnesota in 2002.  After working as a general practice veterinarian for two years, he completed one year of residency training in veterinary behavior at the University of Minnesota and then an additional 3.5 years of supervised mentorship with Dr. Jacqui Neilson at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR.  Dr. Pachel has practiced in the field of veterinary behavior since 2004 and has run a successful housecall behavior practice in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since 2005 and recently relocated to Portland, OR to join the staff of Animal Behavior Clinic.

His approach to behavioral therapy combines learning theory, medical training and experience with compassion and effective communication to create a balanced treatment plan that is tailored to the individual patient's needs. Dr. Pachel's approach emphasizes the importance of the human animal bond and the role that companion animals play in the lives of their families.