ACVIM Foundation dissolves, gives funds to MAFJanuary 4, 2018 The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Foundation, as part of its planned dissolution, has selected Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) to receive its remaining funds to invest in animal health research. "We believe that partnering with Morris Animal Foundation is the best way to see execution on the ACVIM Foundation's mission," said Linda Fineman, DVM, DACVIM, president of the ACVIM Foundation. "Through a named fund at Morris Animal Foundation, we will continue to improve the health of animals worldwide." The ACVIM board of regents previously voted to dissolve the ACVIM Foundation on a recommendation from the foundation's board of directors. A transition task force was created to oversee distribution of remaining funds. Morris Animal Foundation has established the ACVIM Fund, while the ACVIM plans to support MAF by sharing MAF research findings with veterinary audiences. "We look forward to working collaboratively with ACVIM to use these funds in a manner that will best advance veterinary medicine and improve animal health and well-being," said John Reddington, DVM, Ph.D., president and CEO of MAF. The ACVIM Foundation has distributed remaining funds totaling nearly $424,000 to MAF. Grants awarded with these funds will recognize …
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KSU study demonstrates loss of compounded drug potencyDecember 11, 2017A new Kansas State University (KSU) study funded by Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) shows a commonly compounded antimicrobial drug used in veterinary medicine may be losing potency over time. The study recently was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The KSU research team showed that compounded formulations of doxycycline lost potency within three weeks of receipt, with many dropping to sub-therapeutic content in that time, as defined by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. The findings could have a significant impact for practicing veterinarians who rely on this antimicrobial to treat various infectious diseases in animals, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and leptospirosis, and as an adjunct therapy for heartworm disease. "These study results have important ramifications for practicing veterinarians," said John Reddington, DVM, Ph.D., president and CEO for MAF. "The study helped fill in a knowledge gap about compounded medications, and may lead to additional studies on this important but often overlooked topic." The research team at KSU included Tanner Slead, a MAF Veterinary Student Scholar, and his mentor, Kate KuKanich, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM. The team compared FDA-approved formulations of doxycycline with compounded doxycycline obtained from …
Morris Animal Foundation funds studies targeting critical cat illnessesNovember 17, 2017Studies of three deadly infections in cats are among the research projects awarded more than $400,000 in grants from Morris Animal Foundation. The studies will help veterinary scientists advance the health of cats, particularly those in shelter environments where infectious diseases take a greater toll. "Cats are one of the most beloved pets in the United States, with an estimated 85 million gracing our homes and our lives," said John Reddington, DVM, Ph.D., Morris Animal Foundation president and CEO. "Their owners want to do everything they can to care for their feline companions, and that includes the very best veterinary care. And that's where Morris Animal Foundation comes in. The studies we fund address critical health issues that cats are facing, saving lives and giving our feline friends longer, healthier lives." Through this year's grants, the foundation is supporting five researchers and one fellow at five universities, including Colorado State University, Michigan State University, and the University of Sydney, Australia. The foundation's Small Animal Scientific Advisory Board reviewed all submitted grant applications and selected, based on scientific merit and impact, the studies with the greatest potential to save lives, preserve health, and advance veterinary care. Feline studies funded …
Canine rabies vaccination promises unexpected benefitsSeptember 28, 2017 New research funded by Morris Animal Foundation shows the rabies vaccine may have a positive impact on overall canine health and is associated with a decrease in death from all causes. Darryn Knobel, BVSc MSc MRCVS PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and population health at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine recently published his research results in the journal Vaccine. What the findings show The study found that vaccination reduces the risk of death from any cause by 56 percent in dogs 0 to 3 months of age. While all dogs had decreased mortality, the percentage decrease was highest in young dogs, with the effect diminishing over time. Dr. Knobel's study area incorporates an impoverished region of South Africa, where infectious diseases, including rabies, are an ever-present threat to humans and dogs. The research team concluded that the decrease in mortality couldn't be explained by a reduction in deaths due to rabies alone. "This led us to propose that the vaccine may have a non-specific protective effect in dogs, perhaps through boosting the immune system to provide enhanced defense against other, unrelated diseases," said Knobel. "A similar phenomenon has been observed in children, although …
MAF explores study diversity, applications to animal healthSeptember 18, 2017According to a new research paper from the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF), determining what type of research study to do, and when, are key decisions scientists must make when embarking on a new project. In an editorial published Sept. 11, 2017, in the International Animal Health Journal, "Epidemiology and its Application to Animal Health," Missy Simpson, DVM, intramural research scientist and epidemiologist with MAF, provides guidance on study types for veterinary researchers and animal health scientists. The editorial is an overview of study types, and highlights MAF's Golden Retriever Lifetime Study as an example of a cohort study, and also discusses advances in store for observational studies. "Health research is diverse and varied and covers a spectrum from basic research—which describes the early discovery and development phase—to applied research," said Dr. Simpson. "Each phase of research is essential to move scientific discovery forward and advance health." In the paper, Simpson discusses interventional research consisting of clinical trials, and observational research, including descriptive studies, case-series studies, case-control studies, and ecologic, retrospective, and longitudinal studies. "An advantage of performing clinical trials in animals is that health outcomes tend to be achieved on …
Morris Animal Foundation funds 11 wildlife research studiesJuly 11, 2017Morris Animal Foundation hopes to advance the health of certain wildlife species through its funding of 11 studies aimed at tuberculosis, lead exposure, vaccine strategies, assessing chronic stress and more.
Diagnostic test for feline asthma shows promiseApril 18, 2017University of Missouri researchers have revealed a possible diagnostic test for feline asthma based on Morris Animal Foundation-supported research.
Morris Animal Foundation receives $1 Million grant for bone cancer researchMarch 9, 2017Osteosarcoma research is about to get a big boost in funding. That’s because the Petco Foundation and the Blue Buffalo Foundation have partnered to sponsor a $1 million grant for Morris Animal Foundation to help fund the foundation’s research initiative to study the most common bone cancer in dogs.
Morris Foundation funds wildlife studiesDecember 23, 2016Morris Animal Foundation, a Denver organization that funds research aimed at furthering animal health, has chosen 15 recipients of grants supporting wildlife.
Morris Animal Foundation gets new CEOMay 19, 2016Veterinary industry veteran John Reddington, DVM, Ph.D., has been named president and CEO of Morris Animal Foundation.
