Genetically, dogs and humans are about 85% similar ... Dogs

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• 2007 Canine Health Foundation
• National Parent Club
• Canine Health Conference
• St. Louis, Missouri
• October 19-21, 2007
• Proceedings and Summary

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The Story So Far

• The Canine Health Foundation

Founded in 1995 Seventh biennial Parent Club Conf
erence More than 20 million in research grants
More than 2,000 researchers from Netherlands to
California
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The Story So Far

• Alliances Make It Happen

American Kennel Club Nestlé Purina PetCare Compan
y Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) Ortho
pedic Foundation for Animals

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The Story So Far

• The Canine Health Foundation

Mission To develop significant resources for
basic and applied health programs with emphasis
on canine genetics to improve the quality of life
for dogs and their owners.
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The Story So Far

• Two funding categories

OAK grants 12,000 to 250,000 in value 8 ove
rhead Assessed annually and peer reviewed 1.8
million in annual funding ACORN grants Maximum
12,000 8 indirect costs More than 100 appro
ved 400,000 annual budget
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The Story So Far

• Three areas of research

Prevention 78 of major grant money Includes g
enomics research Treatment 13 of grant money
Cure Stem cell treatments to reverse the effec
ts of disease
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The Story So Far

• Basic prevention principle

Dont eradicate good dogs from your breeding
programs because theyre carriersBut that means
knowing who is and who isnt a carrier.
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The Story So Far

• The human/canine connection

Genetically, dogs and humans are about 85
similar Breeding practises are responsible for ma
ny canine diseases Research on Dobermans with nar
colepsy has led to tests of a therapy that, if
effective in dogs, could help 250,000 Americans
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The Story So Far

• Genetics primer

Phenotype is an animals appearance
Genotype is its genetic characteristics
The genotype is determined by animals DNA
Genes are regions on a DNA strand that govern the
specifics of the genotype, like hair length
DNA strands are made of nucleotide bases that
combine to form the template of a gene
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The Story So Far

• Genetics primer contd

Canines have more than two billion nucleotide
bases, and 20,000 unique genes, packaged in 76
DNA regions called chromosomes
Chromosomes come in pairs Within the chromosomes,
the two copies of each gene are called alleles
Each pair of genes is called a diploid, and each
is responsible for a specific trait, like hair
color
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The Story So Far

• Alleles

Dogs have two alleles in each chromosomal pair
Alleles can be identical or different, dominant
or recessive In meiosis, a puppy receives one ran
domly selected allele from the pair of each of
its parents, forming a new combination
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Prevention

• Breeds and genetic study

There are about 400 domestic dog breeds, from
100-1,000 years old Comparison of distantly relat
ed breeds that share a disease but little genetic
information can reveal the most likely genetic
source of the disease Population studies allow re
searchers to learn a great deal from just one
generation
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Prevention

• Recommendations for
• healthy breeds

Breed away from harmful alleles, before breeding
for diversity Overuse of one sire spreads harmful
genes and eliminates positive ones from other
good dogs Genetic disease is controlled by reduci
ng the frequency of dogs with defective genes
Genetic diversity is breeder diversity we need a
healthy range of opinions on the ideal dog
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Prevention

• Approaches to breeding

Strategies to encourage or discourage particular
traits in dogs Inbreeding Line breeding Phe
notypic breeding Outcross breeding Compensator
y breeding
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Prevention

• Canine Oncology and Genomics
• Consortium

Samples are the key to research
A central tissue sample repository will advance
research rapidly Collection sites are already est
ablished at Ohio State University Colorado St
ate University University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Prevention

• Canine reproduction

Spaying and neutering prevent overpopulation
56 of litters are unplanned Neutering males redu
ces the risk of some diseases, increases the
incidence of cruciate ligament injury
Spaying females reduces common, frequently fatal
diseases, but increases the frequency of urinary
incontinence
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Prevention

• Canine vaccination

Immunity is part innate, part acquired
The acquired immune system remembers every
antigen or organism it encounters
Vaccines stimulate the acquired immune system
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Prevention

• Canine vaccination contd

Infectious vaccines Modified live vaccine Vec
tor vaccine Non-infectious vaccines Inactivat
ed or killed vaccine Recombinant subunit vaccine

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Treatment
Infectious disease
Rabies Intestinal Parasites Brucellosis Tularem
ia
Leptospirosis

• Canine Influenza Virus (CIV)
• West Nile Virus
• Leishmaniasis

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Treatment

• Canine ophthalmology

CHF is helping to fund research projects for two
eye diseases Ocular melanosis in Cairn Terriers

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
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Treatment

• Cruciate rupture and arthritis

Signs that arthritis may cause canine cruciate
rupture Roughening at edges of bone Excess fl
uid within joint Inflammatory cells in joint flu
id Bacteria present in many affected dogs
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Treatment

• Hyperparathyroidism in Keeshonds

A genetic test for PHPT was successfully
developed thanks to Samples from a variety of o
wners Funding from CHF Availability of technol
ogy
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Nutritional Treatment

• Nutrition and the
• immune system

Four stages of intervention Basic feeding of a c
omplete, balanced diet Adding nutrients like vita
min D, copper, selenium Adding probiotics and whe
y protein Tailoring the diet to the dogs individ
ual needs
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Nutritional Treatment

• Nutrition for the active dog

Positive components in an active dogs diet
High fat High protein Antioxidants Glucosam
ine
Omega-3 fatty acids
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Nutritional Treatment

• Benefits of a balanced GI tract

Good bacteria help the body by
Improving overall nutrition Promoting a healthy
immune system
Helping to treat diarrhea
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Closing in on a Cure

• Cytotherapeutics

Stem cell research is being conducted for such
diverse conditions as Dilated cardiomyopathy (DC
M) Spinal cord injuries Idiopathic pulmonary f
ibrosis (IPF) Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficienc
y
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Closing in on a Cure

• Cardiology and stem cells

Adult stem cells exist in bone marrow, the liver,
and the heart Bone marrow stem cells have the pot
ential to become nervous tissue, bone, or heart
muscle Tests show that stem cells injected into t
he heart remain there
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Closing in on a Cure

• Canine cancer and
• stem cells

Existence of cancer stem cells has been
demonstrated Cancer stem cells can self-renew, re
produce Mutated stem cells may resist therapy, th
en metastasize Better knowledge may lead to treat
ment
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Closing in on a Cure

• Cancer at the breed level

Golden Retrievers have A high rate of cancer
Predominance of specific cancers
A high rate of immune-mediated diseases
indicating an inherited disposition for
cancer.
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Closing in on a Cure

• Responding to canine cancer myths

FACT Even incurable cancers can be treated or
managed FACT A wait and see attitude leads to
tumors that are larger and likely to spread
FACT Chemotherapy has few side effects and
risks FACT Age is not a factor in treatment FAC
T Radiation rarely has side effects
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Closing in on a Cure

• Are we ready for cytotherapeutics?

Much to learn about the effect of stem cells on
cancer Research funding is weighted toward preven
tion
Support of dog owners is needed
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Whats Next?

• Canine Health Information Center

Open Health Database and DNA repository
Uses test protocols set by Parent Clubs
Allows breeders to take advantage of future DNA
tests Enjoys enormous participation in sample sub
mission
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Whats Next?

• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

Online survey Current pilots Labrador Retriever
and Australian Cattle Dog Gives Parent Clubs acc
ess to technological expertise
First come, first served
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Whats Next?

• American Kennel Club Update

AKC Veterinary Outreach Scholarships College sem
inars Internship program AKC Veterinary Network
Bridges clubs and veterinary community Public
education Provides resources to individuals, club
s
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Whats Next?

• Canine Legislation

Dangerous dog laws Cruelty to animals Tethering
Breeding restrictions Guardianship AKC Canine
Legislation Dept. can help! [phone]
doglaw_at_akc.org
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Whats Next?

• AKC-CHF Fundraising
• MEETING THE CHALLENGE

We need your support Contributions Volunteers to
tell the story CALL US TODAY! Jeff Sossamon
[phone] jds_at_akc.org