This week, the Genome Barks Podcast Series welcomes Dr. Greg Keller, Chief of Veterinary Services with the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals (OFA).  Dr. Keller shares with us the history of the OFA and discusses the many health databases that the OFA manages.  Dr. Keller also explains the OFA process for evaluating radiographs and the differences between OFA evaluations and those of PennHip.

The AKC and Canine Health Foundation Genome Barks Podcast series welcomes Dr. Deborah Greco, Senior Research Scientist at Nestle Purina PetCare Company.  Dr. Greco has spent her 30 years in practice studying endocrinology, reproduction and nutrition.  In this interview, Dr. Greco discusses the art and science of supplementation and pro-biotics, as well as optimum proteins and general nutrition as they pertain to developing and maintaining good haircoat.

Genome Barks welcomes Dr. Jaime Modiano, a member of the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Modiano has spent the last 15 years of his career looking at the mechanisms that are responsible for the origin and progression of canine cancer.    Dr. Modiano’s current research focuses on better cancer therapies, singling out the canine immune system as a treatment for cancers that are in the process of spreading to various regions of the body.

This week, the Genome Barks podcast series welcomes Dr. Simon Gregory, a human cancer researcher at Duke University.  Dr. Gregory is working with Dr. Matthew Breen of North Carolina State University on brain tumors.  This podcast discusses the similarities between human and canine disease.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. John Tegzes of Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California.  Dr. Tegzes is Professor of Toxicology and has specialized in clinical toxicology.  In this podcast, we discuss the number one poison to watch for, as well as the dangers of chocolate and plants.  Dr. Tegzes also talks about the warning signs that your animal has been poisoned.

This week, the Genome Barks podcast series welcomes Dr. Curt Bird of Auburn University in Alabama.  Dr. Bird discusses mammary cancer in dogs, including age of onset and potential preventive measures.  Dr. Bird also talks about genetic predispositions to mammary cancer.

Dr. Leslie Monroe joins us this week on Genome Barks.  Dr. Monroe is currently doing a residency in nutrition at the University of California, Davis.  She discusses bloat and the research that has been done in recent years.

This week on Genome Barks we welcome Dr. Keith Murphy, the Director of Clemson University’s Genomics Institute.  Dr. Murphy talks about canine hereditary nephropathy in English Cocker Spaniels, known as Alport Syndrome in the human.  In the human, the cure for Alport Syndrome is kidney transplant; not a viable option in the dog.  Dr. Murphy and his team have determined the genetic cause of hereditary nephropathy in the English Cocker Spaniel, and Dr. Murphy discusses the use of the genetic test by breeders.