This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Linda Bell, of PetPartners Inc. who talks about the American Kennel Club’s pet healthcare plan.

The American Kennel Club^® selected PetPartners, Inc. as the dedicated provider for the AKC Pet Healthcare Plan.  Increasing numbers of pet owners are finding that pet health insurance is a more secure way of planning for unexpected veterinary bills, to avoid counting on unreliable credit options in these uncertain times.

Linda Bell, Chief Marketing Officer at PetPartners, added, “The holiday season is a perfect time to consider the gift of a healthcare plan for your pet.  Should your pet have an unexpected accident or illness, knowing that you will be able to provide the best veterinary care could be the greatest present for the whole family.”

During the busy holiday season when family and friends visit, it is easy for dogs to get up to mischief behind their owners’ backs, with tempting food, candies, toys, and tree ornaments in all too easy reach – often with expensive outcomes, such as these real claims for veterinary bills, paid by PetPartners:

• Ate a kitchen towel                                           $3,738 paid
• Ingested a chicken bone                                     $2,699 paid
• Swallowed a rubber chew toy                            $1,552 paid
• Ate Christmas garland                                       $3,325 paid
• Slipped on ice and tore cruciate ligament             $3,279 paid
• Chewed on a hand warmer                                $1,424 paid

The AKC Pet Healthcare Plan offers a range of annual plans to suit different needs including illnesses, accidents and preventative care, starting at just the equivalent of 35 cents a day. For more information visit www.akcphp.com or call PetPartners, Inc. at 866-725-2747.

In this week’s Genome Barks podcast, CHF Director Lee Arnold welcomes Bruce Hammerberg, DVM, PhD, a professor of immunology and parasitology at the College of Veterinary Medicine North Carolina State University.  Funded in part by the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Dr. Hammerberg has spent the last decade studying the function of mast cells and IgE in allergic diseases.

The essential cause of the itching skin that starts atopic dermatitis reactions has been well known for decades, yet we do not know why there is an alarming increase in the number of dogs afflicted with this disease and we do not know why some dogs suffer much more than others living in the same environment.  The cause of the itching skin is histamine and other mast cell products that are released when mast cells coated with the immunoglobulin IgE binds allergens such as house dust mite or pollen proteins.  All dogs have mast cells in their skin and many without the disease have IgE that specifically bind allergens.  The ever increasing numbers and complexity of genetic factors being discovered that predispose humans to allergic diseases are likely to be found as similarly daunting obstacles to fully understanding the genetic basis for canine atopic dermatitis.

Working with breeds as diverse as the West Highland White Terrier and the Rhodesian Ridgeback, Dr. Hammerberg has focused his attention on atopy (allergies) in genetically susceptible dogs, working to develop markers to predict disease development in puppies.

This week, Genome Barks is pleased to introduce Dr. Karen Kline, a veterinary neurologist.  Board certified in neurology by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Kline is actively involved in both teaching and clinical service at Iowa State University.

According to Dr. Kline, dogs with central nervous system (CNS) diseases make up a large number of admissions to veterinary hospitals in North America.  These diseases are of infectious, immune-mediated, cancerous, vascular, traumatic, congenital or degenerative origin.  In this podcast, Dr. Kline discusses various canine neurological diseases, such as caudal occipital malformation syndrome (COMS) and seizures, and their clinical signs and treatments. This podcast brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

 

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Joe Wakshlag, a faculty member at Cornell University with a specialty in veterinary nutrition.  Recorded at the August Breeders’ Symposium held in Syracuse, New York, Dr. Wakshlag discusses the recent commercial pet food scares and non-traditional diets, as well as specific nutrition requirements for pregnant and lactating bitches and canine cancer patients. This podcast brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

This week on Genome Barks, Lee Arnold, a member of the Board of Directors of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, welcomes veterinary orthopedist Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little from North Carolina State University.  Dr. Marcellin-Little is the recipient of a grant from the AKC Canine Health Foundation to further his research in elbow dysplasia.  Elbow dysplasia is one of the most common orthopedic problems affecting large and giant breed dogs.  However, early diagnosis of the condition, critical if it is to be treated before the development of arthritis, is rarely possible with conventional X-rays.  Dr. Marcellin-Little discusses the results of his completed grant where he studied the tools available to diagnose elbow dysplasia in several breeds. This podcast brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

 

This week, Genome Barks welcomes Dr. Wendy Ware, a Professor in the Departments of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, and Staff Cardiologist at the ISU Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
 
A clinical cardiologist and instructor of cardiology and cardiovascular physiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State, Dr. Ware discusses topics such as the most prevalent cardiac diseases in dogs and screening recommendations for breeds with predispositions to cardiac disease.  Dr. Ware also addresses the symptoms to watch for if heart disease is suspected. This podcast has been brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.
 

This week on Genome Barks, we hear from Tom Sharp, CEO of the American Kennel Club's Companion Animal Recovery Corporation. Created in 1995, this non-profit organization is dedicated to identification of all pets, especially with microchips, to the end of reuniting owners with their lost pets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The essence of their operating strategy is their commitment to recovering lost pets. It is this compassion that fuels their Recovery Coordinators to provide such excellence in customer service. They understand the love that you have for your pets. This compassion combined with a network of veterinarians, shelters, dog clubs and support groups that are all focused on identification and recovery has allowed AKC CAR to become the nation's largest non-profit recovery service. Their employees know that their daily actions will make a difference in someone's life. They are dedicated to serving you and your pets.

AKC CAR's Microchip ID System, launched in 2007, brings the technology of Trovan, a world leader in microchip identification, to America's pet owners. AKC CAR offers a comprehensive identification system with a leading chip, multi-purpose scanners and AKC CAR's recovery service, all at a great price. You can learn more at www.akccar.org .

This podcast brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

 

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This week on Genome Barks, the American Kennel Club and AKC Canine Health Foundation is pleased to welcome Dr. Claudia Orlandi, author of the ABC’s of Dog Breeding Home Study Program.  Dr. Orlandi’s belief that anyone can and should understand the basic and important rules of canine genetics in his quest to breed better, healthier dogs prompted her to develop this unique, step-by-step approach to better breeding.

Dr. Orlandi's involvement with showing dogs began as a Junior Handler. She currently breeds Basset Hounds under the Topsfield prefix on 200 acres in northern Vermont. Claudia has bred over 100 champions, including many record holding Bassets within the breed and all breed arena. Topsfield Bassets have won multiple Pedigree and Nature's Recipe awards and have been Westminster Breed winners and Number One Basset Hound All Systems from 2000 to the present. A teacher by profession, she has been actively involved in education within the Basset Hound Club of America and as a lecturer. She has served on the BHCA Health & Research Committee, the Judges' Education committee and is currently Chairman of Member Education for BHCA for which she has designed an innovative concept called "Basset Hound University". She authors a column called "Breeder's Toolbox" in the BHCA newsletter and has designed "The Pedi-Score Tool Kit: A Recording System for Basset Hound Breeders." She has also written Discover the Basset Hound and in addition to the ABC's of Dog Breeding seminar, presents a workshop called Practical Canine Anatomy for Judges and Breeders. She judges Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, PBGV's and Junior Showmanship.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Christy Petersen of Iowa State University, a specialist in immunology and infectious diseases. Her research has focused on developing more sensitive and accurate tests to determine the presence of Leishmaniasis in dogs. In this podcast, Dr. Petersen discusses infectious diseases of which breeders and owners should be aware, and signs to look for to determine if your pet has an infectious disease. This podcast is brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

This week's edition of Genome Barks is a follow up to our recent interview with Dr. Matthew Breen. Dr. Breen, while a world renowned cancer researcher, is also the Treasurer of the Canine Comparative Oncology & Genomics Consortium (CCOGC). Jointly sponsored by the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Morris Animal Foundation, and Pfizer, the CCOGC is a collaboration of Veterinary and Medical Oncologists, Pathologists, Surgeons, Geneticists, and Molecular and Cellular Biologists. This group determined that a well-described repository of tissues (tumor and normal) from tumor bearing dogs was an essential resource needed for advancing our understanding of canine cancer. The biospecimen repository houses tumor tissue, normal tissues, serum, plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cell preparations, genomic DNA, RNA and urine samples. The goal is to optain 3,000 samples of lymphoma, osteosarcoma, melanoma, hemangiosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma/histiocytic sarcoma, mast cell tumors and lung cancer. 

In this edition of Genome Barks Lee Arnold, Vice President of the AKC Canine Health Foundation welcomes Dr. Matthew Breen of the North Carolina State University Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Breen, recent winner of Asa Mays DVM,  Excellence in Canine Health Research Award, gives us insight into Lymphoma and other canine cancers and explains the usefulness of the canine model for human research. Dr. Breen played a key role in the mapping of the canine genome and now uses his skills and resources to focus on the molecular cytogenetic evaluation of canine tumors as a means to discover the genes involved in the initiation and progression of cancers. In addition to his activities at NCSU, Dr. Breen was a founding member and now serves on the Board of Directors of the Canine Comparative Oncology and Genomics Consortium, Inc (CCOGC). This podcast is brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

This week on Genome Barks, Eddie Dziuk, The Chief Operating Officer of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals talks with Erika Werne about the Canine Health Information Center. Established in 2001, CHIC is the joint venture between the AKC Canine Health Foundation and OFA that serves as a central database of health information as well as a DNA Repository.  At the North Carolina State Breeders' Symposium jointly sponsored by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Mr. Dziuk discusses the pros and cons of the two methods of DNA collection, exactly how the "recommended tests" become recommended in the first place, as well as the "gold standard" of genetic tests, and how it will impact breeding decisions.

Erika Werne, Director of Canine Education, Communications, and Club Relations for the AKC Canine Health Foundation, welcomes Dr. Sarah Stone of the Ohio State University to this edition of Genome Barks. One of the most common health issues facing both humans and their canine companions is cataracts. While cataract surgery is the most frequently performed intraocular operation, there is a nearly 100% incidence of capsular scarring post-surgery in dogs. Dr. Stone's research, funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation, focuses on developing new techniques to decrease this occurrence, and in turn improving the lives of dogs.  At the Ohio State Breeders' Symposium jointly sponsored by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Dr. Stone discusses her research and the progress made thus far.

 

On this edition of Genome Barks, Dr. Lin Kauffman discusses common reproduction issues.  As assisted reproductive techniques become more common in the purebred dog world, there is more interest in advancing the science behind them.  At the Iowa State Breeders' Symposium jointly sponsored by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Dr. Kauffman outlines the three main concerns today's breeders face, and explains how to address them.

Dr. Matthew Ellinwood discusses the genome sequence and its significance in developing the tools necessary for responsible breeders.  Recorded at the Iowa State Breeders' Symposium jointly sponsored by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.