The American Kennel Club^Â selected PetPartners, Inc. as the dedicated provider for the AKC Pet Healthcare Plan.  Increasing numbers of pet owners are finding that pet health insurance is a more secure way of planning for unexpected veterinary bills, to avoid counting on unreliable credit options in these uncertain times.

Linda Bell, Chief Marketing Officer at PetPartners, added, âThe holiday season is a perfect time to consider the gift of a healthcare plan for your pet.  Should your pet have an unexpected accident or illness, knowing that you will be able to provide the best veterinary care could be the greatest present for the whole family.â

During the busy holiday season when family and friends visit, it is easy for dogs to get up to mischief behind their ownersâ backs, with tempting food, candies, toys, and tree ornaments in all too easy reach â often with expensive outcomes, such as these real claims for veterinary bills, paid by PetPartners:

• Ate a kitchen towel                                           $3,738 paid
• Ingested a chicken bone                                     $2,699 paid
• Swallowed a rubber chew toy                            $1,552 paid
• Ate Christmas garland                                       $3,325 paid
• Slipped on ice and tore cruciate ligament             $3,279 paid
• Chewed on a hand warmer                                $1,424 paid

The essential cause of the itching skin that starts atopic dermatitis reactions has been well known for decades, yet we do not know why there is an alarming increase in the number of dogs afflicted with this disease and we do not know why some dogs suffer much more than others living in the same environment.  The cause of the itching skin is histamine and other mast cell products that are released when mast cells coated with the immunoglobulin IgE binds allergens such as house dust mite or pollen proteins.  All dogs have mast cells in their skin and many without the disease have IgE that specifically bind allergens.  The ever increasing numbers and complexity of genetic factors being discovered that predispose humans to allergic diseases are likely to be found as similarly daunting obstacles to fully understanding the genetic basis for canine atopic dermatitis.

Working with breeds as diverse as the West Highland White Terrier and the Rhodesian Ridgeback, Dr. Hammerberg has focused his attention on atopy (allergies) in genetically susceptible dogs, working to develop markers to predict disease development in puppies.

According to Dr. Kline, dogs with central nervous system (CNS) diseases make up a large number of admissions to veterinary hospitals in North America.  These diseases are of infectious, immune-mediated, cancerous, vascular, traumatic, congenital or degenerative origin.  In this podcast, Dr. Kline discusses various canine neurological diseases, such as caudal occipital malformation syndrome (COMS) and seizures, and their clinical signs and treatments. This podcast brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

The essence of their operating strategy is their commitment to recovering lost pets. It is this compassion that fuels their Recovery Coordinators to provide such excellence in customer service. They understand the love that you have for your pets. This compassion combined with a network of veterinarians, shelters, dog clubs and support groups that are all focused on identification and recovery has allowed AKC CAR to become the nation's largest non-profit recovery service. Their employees know that their daily actions will make a difference in someone's life. They are dedicated to serving you and your pets.

AKC CAR's Microchip ID System, launched in 2007, brings the technology of Trovan, a world leader in microchip identification, to America's pet owners. AKC CAR offers a comprehensive identification system with a leading chip, multi-purpose scanners and AKC CAR's recovery service, all at a great price. You can learn more at www.akccar.org .

This podcast brought to you by the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

This week on Genome Barks, the American Kennel Club and AKC Canine Health Foundation is pleased to welcome Dr. Claudia Orlandi, author of the ABCâs of Dog Breeding Home Study Program.  Dr. Orlandiâs belief that anyone can and should understand the basic and important rules of canine genetics in his quest to breed better, healthier dogs prompted her to develop this unique, step-by-step approach to better breeding.

Dr. Orlandi's involvement with showing dogs began as a Junior Handler. She currently breeds Basset Hounds under the Topsfield prefix on 200 acres in northern Vermont. Claudia has bred over 100 champions, including many record holding Bassets within the breed and all breed arena. Topsfield Bassets have won multiple Pedigree and Nature's Recipe awards and have been Westminster Breed winners and Number One Basset Hound All Systems from 2000 to the present. A teacher by profession, she has been actively involved in education within the Basset Hound Club of America and as a lecturer. She has served on the BHCA Health & Research Committee, the Judges' Education committee and is currently Chairman of Member Education for BHCA for which she has designed an innovative concept called "Basset Hound University". She authors a column called "Breeder's Toolbox" in the BHCA newsletter and has designed "The Pedi-Score Tool Kit: A Recording System for Basset Hound Breeders." She has also written Discover the Basset Hound and in addition to the ABC's of Dog Breeding seminar, presents a workshop called Practical Canine Anatomy for Judges and Breeders. She judges Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, PBGV's and Junior Showmanship.