A Scare Close to Home For Dr. Sreekumari Rajeev of the University of Tennessee, research into tick-borne disease is deeply personal. While teaching at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitt’s and Nevis, her Australian Cattle Dog mix, Sumi, suddenly became inactive and refused food. At the clinic where her husband practiced, they […]| AKC Canine Health Foundation
A Surprising Discovery In 2019, researchers at NC State University’s Vector-Borne Disease Lab made an unexpected find: a previously unknown species of Rickettsia detected in a dog’s blood. Rickettsia is part of the bacterial group that causes spotted fever diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, one of the most serious tick-borne illnesses in the United […] The post Uncovering a New Tick-Borne Threat to Dogs appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
A Familiar Injury with Surprising Roots If you are a sports fan, or one of the thousands of people who will tear an ACL in your lifetime, you understand how devastating a knee injury can be. A single wrong step can lead to painful surgery, costly treatment, and a long road to recovery. Dogs face […] The post A Step Ahead: How Genetics May Help Prevent Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
The Promise of Regenerative Medicine Imagine helping your dog heal from an injury or arthritis using their own cells. It sounds like science fiction, but that’s the promise of regenerative medicine for pets. Regenerative medicine refers to advanced therapies that tap into the body’s natural healing abilities– treatments like stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), […] The post Healing Dogs with Their Own Cells: The Promise of Regenerative Medicine appeared first on AKC Canine H...| AKC Canine Health Foundation
A Familiar Conversation at the Vet You may have heard it before: “Your dog is a little overweight,” or, “We need to get a few pounds on him.” Just like humans have Body Mass Index (BMI), dogs have a system too and it’s called Body Condition Score (BCS). But what if that score doesn’t tell […] The post Beyond the Scale: Rethinking How We Measure a Dog’s Fitness appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
CHF Launches Groundbreaking Residency Program to Train the Specialists Our Dogs Deserve Like human athletes, dogs who compete in sports, work in the field, or serve on the front lines—from agility champions to search-and-rescue heroes, TSA K9s, and herding dogs—face a high risk of injury. In fact, studies show that up to 40% of athletic […] The post A New Era in Canine Sports Medicine appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
Canine dysautonomia is a rare and devastating disease that targets a dog’s autonomic nervous system. This system works behind the scenes to control vital functions that happen automatically—like keeping the heart beating, taking regular breaths, digesting food, producing urine, and regulating body temperature. The disease is fast-moving, often deadly, and tragically mysterious. It tends to […] The post The Mystery of Canine Dysautonomia appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
The Joys and Intensity of High-Energy Sport Agility is one of the most captivating canine sports—fast, technical, and demanding. In 2024 alone, more than 1.2 million entries were recorded in AKC agility events. With dogs racing through tunnels, weaving through poles, and leaping over jumps, it is no surprise the sport is growing and draws […] The post Tracking the Pace: How Canine Wearables Could Transform Agility and Prevent Injuries appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
Summer brings long days of sunshine and outdoor adventure and for many dogs, that means backyard play, long hikes, training sessions, or athletic competitions. But with rising temperatures comes a real danger: heat injury. Just as you might crave air conditioning and ice water after time outside, your dog can feel similarly. Even with shaded […] The post Cool-Down Science: How a Simple Head Dunk Could Save Your Dog from Heat Stroke appeared first on AKC Canine Health Foundation.| AKC Canine Health Foundation
Dr. Karen Muñana leads a groundbreaking study on at-home care for cluster seizures. When a dog with idiopathic epilepsy begins to seize – especially in frightening, fast-paced succession known as cluster seizures – most dog owners head to emergency clinics for relief. Once there, they may be sent home with medications like clorazepate or levetiracetam, […]| AKC Canine Health Foundation
Advancing Scientific Discovery in Canine Health| AKC Canine Health Foundation
A Silent Epidemic Among Dogs Osteoarthritis is a serious and growing problem in dogs. Although most often diagnosed in older pets, recent studies show it begins much earlier than many realize. In fact, 20% of dogs over one year old, 40% of those under four, and an astounding 80% of dogs over eight show signs […]| AKC Canine Health Foundation
