The AKC Canine Health Foundation is pleased to release the next podcast in the Genome Barks series. This week, we welcome Dr. Corey Saba, a veterinary oncologist and member of the faculty at the University of Geogia in Athens.  Dr. Saba discusses different treatment options for cancer (including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy), individualized treatments, comparative oncology (bridging canine and human research) and more.

Dr. Corey Saba graduated from the Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002.  She completed a one-year Small Animal Rotating Internship at Texas A&M University and then went on to complete a three-year Oncology Residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Dr. Saba has been a faculty member at UGA for four years.  Her research interests bridge the laboratory with the clinic and include cell signaling and comparative oncology.

This week, we welcome Dr. Christopher Pachel, a veterinary behaviorist in Portland, Oregon.  Dr. Pachel discusses common behavior issues, prevention and the need for understanding canine body language, the relationship between behavior and illness, and puppy socialization.

Dr. Chris Pachel graduated from veterinary school at the University of Minnesota in 2002.  After working as a general practice veterinarian for two years, he completed one year of residency training in veterinary behavior at the University of Minnesota and then an additional 3.5 years of supervised mentorship with Dr. Jacqui Neilson at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR.  Dr. Pachel has practiced in the field of veterinary behavior since 2004 and has run a successful housecall behavior practice in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since 2005 and recently relocated to Portland, OR to join the staff of Animal Behavior Clinic.

His approach to behavioral therapy combines learning theory, medical training and experience with compassion and effective communication to create a balanced treatment plan that is tailored to the individual patient's needs. Dr. Pachel's approach emphasizes the importance of the human animal bond and the role that companion animals play in the lives of their families.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Bruce Christensen, a board certified theriogenologist at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Christensen discusses pregnancy and whelping, including diagnosis of pregnancy and normal whelping behavior.

Dr. Bruce Christensen did his undergraduate training at Brigham Young University in Wildlife Conservation Biology.  He earned his veterinary degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York in 2002.  His first year of veterinary employment was as an intern at Garden State Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, working with dogs and cats.  Dr. Christensen then completed 3 years of specialty training and a year of faculty employment at the University of Florida in Gainesville where he focused specifically on the field of theriogenology (animal fertility and reproduction) and worked primarily with dogs and horses.  He became a board-certified specialist in theriogenology in 2006.  After a season of employment as a veterinarian in Australia working with horse reproduction, Dr. Christensen and his family returned to the States and he became employed at Iowa State University in 2008 where he works with dog and horse reproduction.  His research focuses on conservation of endangered species through preservation of sperm and artificial breeding.  His wife, MeLissa, is a veterinarian who works with animal shelters and public health and they have a 4-year-old cowboy named Parker.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome back Dr. Christy Petersen, a member of the faculty of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Petersen discusses the different types of vaccines available and what makes up these vaccines, as well as core vaccines and the best way to time the vaccination process.

Dr. Christy Petersen received her BA in Biology from Johns Hopkins University, DVM from Cornell University and PhD in immunology and infectious diseases from Harvard School of Public Health.  Prior to starting her PhD, Dr. Petersen worked in small animal/exotic practice in Beverly, MA and continued to moonlight through her PhD studies.  This work evolved into being the staff veterinarian for the Worcester Animal Rescue League in Worcester, MA.

Through AKC Canine Health Foundation funding, Dr. Petersen has developed highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tests to determine Leishmania and Brucella infection in dogs prior to seroconversion and is working on assays to determine the likelihood of a good immune response to these fatal infections of both dogs and humans.  These new technologies may lead to vaccine candidates for chronic diseases including but not limited to canine leishmaniasis and brucellosis.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Lin Kauffman, a faculty clinician at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Kauffman discusses veterinary management of the stud dog, including initial physical examination, cryptorchidism, trauma and other things to watch for such as infectious disease.

A variety of conditions can affect the stud dog and his ability to produce viable sperm.  It is important for a stud dog owner to understand the importance of cryptorchidism (retained testicle), testicular degeneration, testicular torsion and testicular trauma and what those conditions can do to their stud dog’s breeding potential.  Some of these conditions are temporary and some can have lasting outcomes.  Azoospermia (a lack of sperm) can be noted during a routine breeding soundness examination and can be attributed to a variety of different causes.  Once again there may be some causes that are temporary while other causes may be permanent.  Motility and morphology of sperm can also be assessed during a breeding soundness examination.  Veterinarians can help counsel stud dog owners about potential genetic disease and infectious (venereal) disease testing that is now available for their stud dogs.  It is also important that stud dog owners be aware of the various ways that stud dogs can be utilized in assisted canine reproduction (ex: fresh chilled semen shipment, cryopreservation of semen).

Canine prostate disease is a class of diseases that stud dog owners need to be aware of.  There are distinct clinical signs to watch for in their stud dogs and veterinarians have specific tests to determine the difference between benign prostatic hyperplasia, infectious prostatitis, prostatic abscess and prostatic neoplasia (cancer).  Some of these diseases carry specific treatment plans and good outcomes, where others carry a more somber outcome. 

Dr. Lin Kauffman received her bachelor of science in veterinary medical technology with minors in biology and chemistry from Wilson College located in Pennsylvania.  She received her DVM from Iowa State University in 2003.  She is a faculty clinician for the Primary Care service at ISU Veterinary Medical Center in addition to being involved in the theriogenology (reproduction) alternative training program at Iowa State University. 

She is an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Iowa Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA), Society for Theriogenology, American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), Iowa Veterinary Rapid Response Team (IVRRT) and the Phi Zeta Gamma, Veterinary Honor Society.  She is a faculty advisor to the student-run AAHA chapter.  She has core lectures to the freshman and junior ISU veterinary students over reproduction and has developed and instructs an after-hours canine dental wet laboratory elective for the senior ISU veterinary students. 

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome back Dr. Joe Wakshlag, a veterinary nutritionist at Cornell University.  Dr. Wakshlag discusses the balanced nutrition that dogs require, how to read the labels on dog food bags and cans, and what nutrients to watch for when purchasing food for your dog.

Dr. Joseph Wakshlag completed a DVM in 1998 at Cornell University and continued studies in both pathology and nutrition eventually completing a residency in Clinical Nutrition.. In 2005 he completed a PhD in pharmacology where he studied the influence of tissue transglutaminase in mammary carcinoma and amyloid-induced neurodegeneration.  After a short stay in private practice he returned to Cornell Veterinary Medicine as the assistant professor of clinical nutrition and received board certification by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in June of 2008.  Presently his research interests include carotenoids and fatty acid metabolism in cancer cell biology and metabolism in working dogs.

This week on Genome Barks we welcome Pat Hastings, a lecturer on canine structure, form and function, and the 2001 winner of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America Lifetime Achievement Award.  Mrs. Hastings discusses her structural evaluation process, the importance of breed type, health and temperament when evaluating a litter of puppies, and her caveat of never letting pieces be more important than the whole.  Mrs. Hastings also describes the developmental milestones that breeders should watch for.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Matthew Ellinwood, Assistant Professor of Companion Animal Genomics at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.  Genetic diseases can have devastating impact on an animal’s health and well being.  In the case of a genetic disease within a breed or within the breeding program of a dog breeder genetic diseases can be crippling to genetic progress.  In this podcast, Dr. Ellinwood defines the term genetic disease, discusses the avenues taken to eliminate genetic disease, and provides basic recommendations to breeders who are faced with genetic diseases in their breeds.

Dr. Matthew Ellinwood received both his DVM and PhD from Colorado State University.  An Assistant Professor of Companion Animal Genomics at Iowa State University, he has focused his research on genetic diseases of both dogs and cats.  Dr. Ellinwood is a member of the Large Munsterlader Club of North America and the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.  He has 28 years experience breeding, training, hunting over, and testing field trial Labradors and Large Munsterlanders.

This week we welcome back Dr. Joe Wakshlag, a clinical nutritionist at Cornell University.  In this episode of Genome Barks, Dr. Wakshlag defines lifestage nutrition, and describes the breakthroughs in puppy, adult and senior nutritional needs, as well as the special needs of orphan puppies.

Dr. Joseph Wakshlag completed a DVM in 1998 at Cornell University and continued studies in both pathology and nutrition eventually completing a residency in Clinical Nutrition.. In 2005 he completed a PhD in pharmacology where he studied the influence of tissue transglutaminase in mammary carcinoma and amyloid-induced neurodegeneration.  After a short stay in private practice he returned to Cornell Veterinary Medicine as the assistant professor of clinical nutrition and received board certification by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in June of 2008.  Presently his research interests include carotenoids and fatty acid metabolism in cancer cell biology and metabolism in working dogs.

This week on Genome Barks, we welcome Dr. Karl Kraus, Chief of Small Animal Surgery and Professor of Orthopedic and Neurosurgery at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.  His research interests include stem call and bone regeneration as well as orthopedic device development.  In this podcast, we discuss Cruciate Ligament Rupture and Hip Dysplasia.  Dr. Kraus goes into detail about symptoms, treatments and prevention of these common orthopedic diseases.