vetNEWS Fa l l 2 0 1 2
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Veterinarian Founded, Veterinary Focused
Our founder, Dr. Mark Morris Sr., recognized the need for investing in research that would lead to meaningful, science-based solutions to advance Wayne A. Jensen, DVM, PhD, MBA veterinary medicine. Chief Scientific Officer
Dear Fellow Veterinarians,
Where science OUR MISSION meets hope
Morris Animal Foundation improves the health and well-being of companion animals and wildlife by funding humane health studies and disseminating information about these studies.
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Year after year, Morris Animal Foundation has steadily increased its funding of veterinary researchers around the world, identifying and investing in the best ideas to solve health issues facing companion animals and wildlife. Our founder, Dr. Mark Morris Sr., was a pioneering small animal veterinarian who recognized the need for research that would lead to meaningful, science-based solutions to help veterinarians diagnose and treat the pets that come through their doors every day. His vision holds true today. Morris Animal Foundation’s newest publication, vetNEWS, is designed to communicate with the people primarily responsible for implementing improvements in animal health: you. This quarterly newsletter gives you the first look at current research and breakthroughs that can make a difference in your veterinary practice. In this issue, we introduce you to our new veterinary outreach team; tell you about Morris Animal Foundation’s biggest endeavor, the Canine Lifetime Health Project; and share the story of one of the veterinarians participating in the project’s first study. The Canine Lifetime Health Project is an online community of pet owners who are willing to have their dogs participate in studies that will improve the health of dogs. The first study, which launched this summer, focuses on identifying genetic, nutritional and environmental risk factors for the development of cancer and other diseases in Golden Retrievers. In this issue, you will find out how you and your Golden Retriever patients can participate in the study or simply how you can follow the study’s progress. We haven’t forgotten about cats and exotic pets either. Also featured in this issue are updates on currently funded studies into feline cardiovascular disease and companion parrot health. Support from the veterinary community remains critical in helping Morris Animal Foundation support scientific research that advances veterinary medicine and improves quality of life for animals. We hope vetNEWS will provide you with information about research results that will have a positive impact on your companion animal patients. Together, we can advance veterinary medicine and make the world a brighter place for animals. Best regards,
Wayne A. Jensen, DVM, PhD, MBA Chief Scientific Officer
Photo courtesy of Josh Norem
Meet our veterinary outreach team
By Thomas Stevens
Executive Team David Haworth, DVM, PhD, President/CEO Wayne Jensen, DVM, PhD, MBA, Chief Scientific Officer
Morris Animal Foundation has partnered with the veterinary community for more than 60 years. In our ongoing efforts to provide veterinarians with information that can improve their practice, we asked veterinary professionals all over the country what would be most beneficial to them. The result is a host of new services and products—vetNEWS being the first—for the veterinary community.
Dan Reed, Executive Development Officer
In return, Morris Animal Foundation invests in science that helps veterinary professionals, like you, practice what they love: good medicine that leads to healthy pets. Our goal is to build a better, more visible relationship with the veterinary community. You do so much for animals, and we want to help you exceed your own expectations.
John Taylor, Chief Operating Officer VETERINARY OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS Thomas Stevens, Senior Specialist, Veterinary Outreach Allen Byrne, Specialist, Scientific Communications & Veterinary Outreach Jean Vore, Specialist, Scientific Communications
vetNEWS FALL 2012
vetNEWS is published four times per year by Morris Animal Foundation. 10200 East Girard Avenue Suite B430 Denver, Colorado 80231 TOLL-FREE 800.243.2345 P 303.790.2345 www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org vetinfo@MorrisAnimalFoundation.org Masthead photo courtesy of Thomas Stevens
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Veterinarians, technicians and practice managers provide incredible support through their donations and by serving as ambassadors for Morris Animal Foundation. By telling your clients about us, you help spread the word. Pet owners place a huge amount of trust in their veterinarians, and your recommendation of Morris Animal Foundation often prompts them to support our Foundation and the scientific research needed to help pets and wildlife.
Thomas Stevens, Jean Vore and Allen Byrne
Another new addition is the creation of Morris Animal Foundation’s first-ever veterinary outreach and communications team. Our team’s goal is simple: to heighten and expand our communication with our veterinary partners. Morris Animal Foundation exists to advance veterinary medicine and provide the members of the veterinary community with the tools they need to improve quality of life for animals.
The vetNEWS publication is the first of many new things to come. Our team will be unveiling new programs and ideas throughout the next year. We will be attending national veterinary conferences, hosting local events and making ourselves available through social networks. We appreciate everything you have done to memorialize pets through our card program and look forward to updating our cards and information for you. We also welcome any ideas or comments you may have.
Share your thoughts
Science has the power to change the world
By Allen Byrne
Beginning with a vision When Dr. Mark Morris Sr. established Morris Animal Foundation in 1948, he envisioned a world in which scientific discoveries would lead to healthy lives for animals. His dream began with Buddy, one of the first guide dogs in the United States, who was suffering from kidney failure. Dr. Morris developed a healthy, nutritious dog food that significantly improved Buddy’s health and slowed the progression of the disease. High demand from the veterinary community led to commercial production of the diet, and Dr. Morris was able to use the royalties to establish Morris Animal Foundation. Since that time, the Foundation has become the global leader in supporting scientific research that advances veterinary medicine. We’ve invested more than $70 million toward more than 2,000 studies that have led to better preventions, diagnostic tools, treatment protocols and even cures for what ails the world’s animals. Some of these breakthroughs have become industry gold standards and are used in every veterinary practice in the country.
Funding science today To ensure that the most effective science is being practiced worldwide, Morris Animal Foundation draws on the expertise of the brightest and most experienced veterinarians and scientists to advise us on our funding.
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These scientific advisory boards (wildlife, small companion animal and large companion animal) meet annually to recommend projects for funding and ensure that projects meet the utmost standards in terms of scientific merit, relevance, innovation and adherence to animal ethics. Board members volunteer their time to review each grant. They provide a truly indescribable value to the Foundation—and one that helps us ensure that we take an unbiased approach to study selection. “Scientific advisory board members take two to three weeks out of their busy years to review all of the grant proposals that the Foundation receives,” says Dr. David Haworth, Foundation president and CEO. “It’s an extensive process. They take it seriously, and the quality shows.” At any given time, Morris Animal Foundation manages more than 300 animal health studies across diverse topics.
Hope for tomorrow For more than 64 years, Morris Animal Foundation has been instrumental in providing funding for animal health research. As 2013 approaches, Morris Animal Foundation will continue to fund the important science animals need but will also be on the front lines of scientific discovery through the Canine Lifetime Health Project (read more on page 4).
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Dr. Mark Morris Sr. was a forward-thinking veterinarian who changed the course of veterinary medicine.
The Top 10
Morris Animal Foundation has invested in nearly 1,200 studies that have addressed the health issues of small companion animals. The top disease categories to receive funding over the past 64 years were 1. Cancer 2. Infectious diseases 3. Urinary diseases 4. Cardiovascular diseases 5. Gastrointestinal diseases 6. Genetics 7. Endocrine/metabolic disorders 8. Pharmacology 9. Musculoskeletal diseases 10. Renal diseases
We believe animals play a critical role in our society, and we couple that
with the belief that good science will take us to a better place tomorrow.
David Haworth, DVM, PhD Foundation President/CEO
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New initiative looks at long-term canine health
By Michael Guy, DVM, MS, PhD
Veterinarians invited to participate in landmark study Morris Animal Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a study that may become the most influential veterinary study to date—and we invite you to get involved.
298 Participating veterinarians Fa l l 2 0 1 2 in the Canine Lifetime Health Project as of September 1.
Welcome, Ranger! He’s the first Golden Retriever to become officially enrolled in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.
The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is the first study under the Foundation’s Canine Lifetime Health Project, an initiative that offers dog lovers and veterinarians the opportunity to join a nationwide effort to create a healthier tomorrow for dogs and to participate in studies that improve canine health. We are currently recruiting 3,000 Golden Retrievers—along with their owners and veterinarians—into this lifelong, longitudinal study to determine the incidence of cancer and other important canine diseases. Enrollment information can be found at www.CanineLifetimeHealth.org.
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As a participating veterinarian, you would be asked to do the following for your client’s participating Golden Retriever: • Perform a health screening examination and review the dog’s history to determine its eligibility for the study • Perform a complete physical examination annually and report findings • Annually, collect samples of blood, urine, stool, hair and nail clippings and ship them to laboratories for analysis and long-term biorepository storage. Once a year, owners will complete online questionnaires regarding their dogs’ health, travel history, diet, environment and reproductive history. Owners and veterinarians will also use the online system to record important details regarding other veterinary visits during the year. Participating in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is an excellent way for you to strengthen a long-term relationship with your clients. Dedicated dog owners participating in this study will need a similarly dedicated veterinarian to provide their dog’s care. This is also an opportunity for you to reach out to clients who own Golden Retrievers and to Golden Retriever owners in your community who are not yet your clients. If you do not wish to participate in the study, but would like to stay informed, we invite you to sign up on our website (www.CanineLifetimeHealth.org) as a dog lover. You will receive email updates on the project and will be notified of new studies involving other breeds under the Canine Lifetime Health Project.
Participating in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is an excellent way
for you to strengthen a long-term relationship with your clients.
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Michael Guy, DVM, MS, PhD
Practice makes perfect By Alex Jimenez
Veterinarians nationwide number about 70,000, and there are more than 20,000 small animal practices. These veterinarians focus on helping pets first and foremost. With so much great work being done in the field of veterinary medicine, emerging as an outstanding practice isn’t always easy. Thus, it was an honor for the Wellington Veterinary Clinic of Wellington, Colorado, to receive the American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) 2012 Accredited Practice of the Year Award.
chief scientific officer. The husband-andwife team opened the practice together in 1999. Teva Stone, DVM, is the third doctor on staff. As proud as Dr. Tracey Jensen is about what she and her husband have built, she says the award goes to their amazing staff. “I cannot express in words how proud I am of our staff or how fortunate I feel to come to work at this practice every day,” she says.
Award-winning clinic also supports health research Wellington Veterinary Clinic has long supported the Foundation’s Veterinary Memorial Card Program, which allows veterinarians to make a donation in honor of a deceased pet. The Foundation then sends a customized sympathy card to the pet’s family. “We accomplish two things when we
memorialize a patient through Morris Receiving AAHA’s most prestigious award was an all-staff effort. Pictured here are Connie Animal Foundation,” Dr. Tracey Jensen Croak, office manager; Wayne Jensen, explains. “We acknowledge the passing of co-owner and veterinarian; Tracey Jensen, a family member in a meaningful, timeless co-owner and veterinarian; Kit Goodrich, CVT; way, and we bring attention to the important and Megan Holmquist, CVT. work that Morris Animal Foundation does.” “I’m still waiting to wake up and find all of this is a dream,” says Tracey Jensen, DVM, DABVP, co-owner of Wellington Veterinary Clinic. “AAHA sets the standard of excellence, and to be recognized by an organization that I so highly respect is incredible.” The three-doctor practice, located about an hour north of the Morris Animal Foundation office, is co-owned by Wayne Jensen, DVM, PhD, MBA, the Foundation’s
Wellington has also begun urging clients to enroll in the Foundation’s new Canine Lifetime Health Project (see page 4). This groundbreaking project will chronicle the health of 3,000 Golden Retrievers from puppies to adulthood.
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I cannot express
in words how proud I am of our staff or how fortunate I feel to
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come to work at this practice every day.
TRACEY JENSEN, DVM, DABVP
With a team of doctors and staff highly dedicated to the pets they serve, to their clients and to the overall advancement of animal health, it’s easy to see why AAHA honored Wellington Veterinary Clinic.
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Creature Feature
Publications: Check out these publications for more information on Dr. Donald Brightsmith’s research findings. Cornejo J, Dierenfeld ES, Bailey CA, Brightsmith DJ. Predicted metabolizable energy density and amino acid profile of the crop contents of free living scarlet macaw chicks (Ara macao). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr. 2011; epub ahead of print. Cornejo J, Taylor R, Sliffe T, Bailey CA, Brightsmith DJ. Prediction of the nutritional composition of the crop contents of free-living scarlet macaw chicks by nearinfrared reflectance spectroscopy. Wildlife Res. 2012;39:230–233.
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Research improves parrot health By Jean Vore
Most veterinarians are aware that Morris Animal Foundation funds research to improve canine and feline health. But you may not realize that we also invest in projects that benefit exotic pets, including amphibians, reptiles and birds. One of the most popular common exotic pets found in homes are parrots, a species Morris Animal Foundation has been instrumental in helping throughout the years.
slow digestion, which causes dehydration and malnutrition. With Morris Animal Foundation funding, Texas A&M University’s Dr. Donald Brightsmith analyzed the nutrient content of crop samples taken from wild psittacine birds. His goal is to develop new handrearing diets for captive parrot chicks that are more nutritionally aligned with the diets of their wild counterparts. The research team anticipates that these new formulas will improve nutrition, reduce acute and chronic health problems and revolutionize hand feeding of companion parrots.
Study looks to improve diagnostic tests
Findings may revolutionize parrot nutrition
Another study at Texas A&M, led by Dr. Shuping Zhang, is raising the bar on proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) diagnostics. PDD, caused by avian Bornavirus infection, is a neurological and gastrointestinal disease that is particularly deadly to large parrots. It was first observed in imported parrots in 1977 and has since been reported in more than 50 avian species. The disease, especially at the subclinical level, is very difficult to diagnose, and effectiveness of current diagnostic tools remains problematic.
Veterinary knowledge of nutritional needs of large psittacines comes mostly from captive poultry, budgerigars and cockatiels, but large parrots live in very different natural ecoystems and therefore their food sources are different. As a result, nutritional problems are the most common health problems facing large, captive parrots today. In particular, hand-reared chicks suffer from nutritional deficiencies, aspiration due to the finely ground texture of the feed and
Dr. Shuping Zhang and his research team, including Dr. Brightsmith as a coinvestigator, are conducting multitest comparisons to better understand the advantages and limitations of currently available PDD tests and combinations of these tests. Information gained will lead to better diagnostic tools to improve management of birds exposed to and infected with this virus, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Parrots have very different dietary needs than their feathered counterparts.
Photo courtesy of Thomas Stevens
Scientific studies address feline heart disease By Jean Vore
Scientists work to identify clotting risk factors Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common type of heart disease in cats. As veterinarians well know, thromboembolisms are frequent complications of HCM, and current therapies are only minimally effective. Funded by Morris Animal Foundation, researchers from the University of California–Davis are studying cats with an inherited genetic defect that leads to HCM. They have analyzed the reactivity of blood platelets and endothelial cells in cats with HCM and how reactivity relates to the presence and severity of heart disease. Preliminary data suggest that cats with HCM have significant platelet activation, which may be a strong contributor to clotting problems. Additionally, researchers determined that cats with moderate to severe disease have an increased level of a particular plasma protein. Researchers hope to use this protein as a biomarker to detect cats at risk before they develop clinical disease. Researchers are also determining whether cats with HCM have increased numbers of microvesicles in their blood, which may cause the blood to clot more readily. Measuring microvesicle levels could help
veterinarians diagnose HCM. Researchers are finishing the final phase of the study, which involves developing a consistent method to evaluate endothelial cell activation in the blood and determine the risk for HCM in cats. Results of this study will lead to new testing methods that will ultimately improve diagnosis, treatments and long-term care of cats suffering from HCM.
Research Spotlight
Cat breeds with increased prevalence of HCM include Maine Coons, Ragdolls, British Shorthairs and Persians.
Study tests effectiveness of beta-blockers In another Morris Animal Foundation– funded project, researchers from North Carolina State University are monitoring cats undergoing treatment with the betablocker atenolol to better determine whether early medical therapy improves the outcome for cats with asymptomatic HCM. Veterinary advances and owners’ increased willingness to pursue diagnostic tests have helped identify more cats with asymptomatic HCM in recent years. Many of these cats are treated with beta-blocker cardiac medications, which are effective in some humans with HCM; however, the long-term effects and benefits of this treatment have not been established in cats. This study will provide veterinarians with valuable data on the effects of beta-blockers on disease progression and quality of life.
Total # and % of FOUNDATION-FUNDED studies since 1948 825 canine 40% 483 wildlife 23% 366 equine 17% 302 feline 15% 69 camelid (llama/alpaca) 3% 49 multiple species 2%
2,094 total studies (as of June 27, 2012)
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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE — PAI D — MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION
Some things you never forget...
And you shouldn’t have to. Morris Animal Foundation’s memorial cards are a symbol of hope and support. When you make a minimum gift of $10, the Foundation sends a personalized sympathy card to your client informing them of your donation in their pet’s name. Your donation will be used to fund research to advance veterinary medicine and help you build a lifelong bond between you and your client.
Memorialize a client’s pet today and advance the research of tomorrow For more information, visit www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org/memorial-cards