Canine Diet-Associated Heart Disease and How You Can Help!
by Trisha R. Brenner, Group Administrator
You’ve read all about Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs and you want to help, but you’re not sure how you can make a difference.
Consider making a contribution today to one or more of the following accredited universities, laboratories or organizations that are leading research or funding research. Your generosity will enable advancement and further our understanding of this deadly and completely preventable heart disease.
No contribution is too small! With more than 100,000 members amongst our Facebook groups alone, it is possible for each gift to have meaningful impact. If each individual were to contribute just $5.00, total gifts could exceed half a million dollars. You do not need a Facebook account to donate. Simply use the direct links below for each organization.
1) UC Davis Cardiac Genetics & Pharmacogenomics Laboratory Fund
The Cardiac Genetics and Pharmacogenomics Laboratory at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine operates under the guidance of Joshua Stern, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM (Cardiology).
The Stern Lab continues to actively research this condition and better our understanding of disease through multiple ongoing studies and publications.
Dr. Stern and his team of graduate students investigate inherited heart disease in companion animals, study veterinary cardiology-relevant topics and advance research toward novel drug therapies. The Stern Lab has a special focus on breed-specific cardiac conditions and feline cardiomyopathy.
2) Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
To ensure your contribution goes directly to Cummings School’s DCM research, in the following link, under Select an Area, choose ‘Other’ and specify Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy Research.
Gifts to the Cummings Veterinary Fund provide the foundation for Cummings School’s mission of healing animals, helping humans and transforming global health. The Fund is how supporters at all gift levels can partner to elevate innovation in veterinary education, giving Cummings School the flexibility to quickly and effectively respond to both new opportunities and recurring needs.
3) American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation
In April 2019, the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) announced research funding through March of 2021 for a scientific study of diet-associated DCM in dogs. With a grant from CHF, a multi-institutional team of veterinary cardiologists and nutritionists will prospectively screen a large population of apparently healthy dogs for DCM and compare cardiac disease measures, including ultrasound, blood biomarker and taurine levels, between dogs eating boutique, exotic ingredient or grain-free diets versus other diets. Results will inform the extent and cause of the recent increase in diet-related DCM seen in all breeds of dogs, including mixed breeds and those not usually associated with DCM.
4) University of Florida
Donations through this link are directly applied to Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy Research under the principal leadership of Darcy Adin, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM (Cardiology).
5) Oregon State University
• Enter your donation amount and personal information where noted.
• Under ‘I want to give,’ select: Other Departments and Programs
• Under ‘Don’t see the area you want to support?’ enter: Vet Med Cardiology Fund
• There is a drop down menu for ‘Comments or Special Instructions.’ To ensure your donation goes to DCM research, enter: Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy Research Study – Dr. Owens
If you would rather give to OSU by mail, make your check payable to ‘OSU Foundation’ and ensure the memo line of your check indicates: Vet Med Cardio Fund – Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy Research Study – Dr. Owens
OSU Foundation
Attn: Courtney Wilson
4238 SW Research Way
Corvallis, OR 97333
Thank you for considering a donation to one of these organizations to help researchers find answers!
Join our Facebook group. Stay current on canine diet-related DCM.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaurineDCM/
Photo courtesy of Tiffany Fish
