Progress in Canine Health Research C. Richard Dorn, DVM, MPH,  Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University, Science Officer, AKC Canine Health Foundation  Deborah A. Lynch, MSSA,  Executive Vice?President, AKC Canine Health Foundation

Summary:

A major goal of the AKC Canine Health Foundation is to effectively integrate the observations and knowledge of dog owners, breeders, veterinarians and other scientists in advancing the health of dogs. Each year the Foundation has conducted a Parent Club Health Survey to identify major health problems that should receive priority research support. These identified problems are listed in the Call for Pre-proposals that is distributed widely to researchers to launch each annual grant cycle. In addition to the Call for Pre-proposals, these cycles include selection by the Foundation of the most promising pre-proposals for expansion to Full Applications, scientific peer-review of the Full Applications, review and approval by the Foundation, and funding on a yearly basis. Continued support is based on the time period and budget specified in the grant application and an assessment of progress based on Progress Reports provided by the Principal Investigators. Productive research projects that require additional study are considered along with new applications in regular grant cycles.

Following the completion of four annual grant cycles, 15 grants have been completed. There are currently 61 active and 12 pending research grants. Descriptions of the Health Surveys responses and the research projects funded to date will be presented. In addition to research grants, the Foundation reviews and approves applications for Educational Grants intended to communicate new research findings and their application for veterinary and owner/breeder audiences. Examples of educational conferences supported by Foundation have included topics such as canine genetics, immunogenetics and immunologic diseases, canine genetic and reproductive issues and general topics of interest to dog owners and breeders. The Foundation has also supported the development of a monograph entitled "Improving the genetic health of purebred dogs: basic principles and emerging technology."

In September of 1999, Dr. Dom presented a paper summarizing the health surveys conducted by the Foundation to the World Veterinary Congress in Lyon, France. The authors of this paper are C. Richard Dom, DVM, MPH, Deborah A. Lynch, MSSA, and John Studebaker, MSA.

Biographical Profile

Dr. C. Richard Dorn received his DVM from The Ohio State University in 1957 followed by a Masters Degree in Public Health from Harvard University in 1962. He completed Post Doctoral training in research at the University of California, Berkeley in 1963. Dr. Dom has served as a teacher and researcher both in the United States and abroad. Some of his appointments and awards include: Staff Veterinarian, Stark Animal Hospital, Canton, Ohio; Visiting Lecturer, Epidemiology, University of California, Davis; Associate Professor and Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia; Fogarty Senior International Fellow, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, England, 1987 ? 1988; Fulbright Scholar, Facultad de Medicina, Mexico, January, 1994 ? June, 1994.

In addition to these appointments, Dr. Dom has published 25 abstracts and 109 articles in scientific journals. He has served as the Science Officer of the AKC Canine Health Foundation since 1995 and also active participates in the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) program, assisting with disaster relief.

Deborah A. Lynch is the Executive Vice-President of the AKC Canine Health Foundation. She has been a breeder and exhibitor of Keeshonden since 1971 under the Foxfair prefix. She is a member of the Keeshond Club of America and is past President of the Buckeye Keeshond Club. Deborah has also been a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and has judged her breed both in the USA and England.

Deborah received her bachelor's degree from Kent State University and her Masters in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University. She has over twenty years experience in non-profit administration, program development and strategic planning. This includes her service in the United States Senate, United Way Services, and Case Western Reserve University Mandel Center for Non-Profit Organizations and Ursuline College. She has consulted on the development of three new organizations including a consultancy for Project Discovery, a program of the National Science Foundation.

Robert L. Kelly is listed among the Founders of the AKC Canine Health Foundation and serves as the Grants Committee Chair of the Board of Directors. This Foundation is the fortieth corporate board on which he has served. Initially a design engineer, Mr. Kelly is the retired president of a major manufacturer of large agricultural tractors. He has bred and shown Dachshunds, American Quarterhorses and Charolais cattle. Robert and June Kelly are breeders, owners and handlers of AKC Conformation, Field Trial and Obedience Champions and TD and TDX titleholders. Their OTCH CH Dachshund remains the #1 Hound in OTCH points earned. Mr. Kelly has been an active AKC Delegate and was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Kennel Club in March of 1999.