Smallpox, polio and even influenza-these deadly diseases once ruled the earth, killing by the millions. Today, thanks to scientific research, their impact is far less. The same holds true for animal diseases such as canine parvovirus and feline leukemia. One day, a host of other diseases that affect humans or animals, and sometimes both, may meet the same fate.

When major medical breakthroughs happen, such as the promising bone marrow treatment for humans with sickle cell anemia announced last December, we often don’t realize the time and effort behind a new prevention, treatment or cure. The reality, though, is that medical advancements usually take years, even decades, to come to fruition-and along the way hundreds of ideas are attempted before one of them opens the doors. Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) is committed to finding and funding the next big ideas in animal health research.

We know that a novel idea goes nowhere without proper funding-and funding for the unknown is often tough to come by. The Foundation is one of the few organizations helping cutting-edge scientists gather data and test promising concepts that could one day lead to major health breakthroughs for animals.

Innovative Ideas Take Flight:
Through its pilot-study program, MAF provides funding up to $10,800 for one-year studies that test a new idea and gather preliminary data to determine if the idea merits further investigation. This program provides timely funding for innovative ideas, speeds up scientific discovery and advances the Foundation’s mission to improve the health and welfare of animals.

“Pilot research study grants are designed to support innovative research ideas and early-stage projects where preliminary data may not be available,” says Dr. Wayne Jensen, MAF chief scientific officer.

One benefit to the pilot-study program is that MAF accepts these study proposals multiple times per year rather than through the traditional grant cycle of once per year. As a result, the program helps researchers respond more rapidly to emerging diseases and contemporary questions in animal health research.

Funding for pilot studies is desperately needed to advance veterinary medicine for companion animals and wildlife. Dr. James Moore, chair of the Foundation’s large animal scientific advisory board, explains that most funding agencies only support proposals that already contain a sufficient amount of preliminary data to suggest that the expected outcomes will be achieved. But scientists need funding to gather preliminary data. So it was no surprise that MAF received an overwhelming response-161-to its two 2009 calls for proposals. Yet the Foundation can fund only 12 to 18 projects each year.

“The greater than expected response to the request for proposals for pilot studies suggests that there are a lot of good, untested ideas out there,” Dr. Moore says.

A History of Funding Health Breakthroughs:
The Foundation has a long history of funding breakthrough projects. For example, in 1999, MAF was the first to fund research to look at why California sea otters were dying off. Over the next decade, we funded several grants looking at disease risks in sea otters. What scientists learned from these projects helped them win a $1.86 million grant from the National Science Foundation. In an interview for AnimalNews 6.4, lead researcher Dr. Patricia Conrad noted that, “the Morris Animal Foundation grants were critically important. Without that support in the project’s infancy, we wouldn’t have been able to compete for bigger grants.”

Beyond uncovering information about the infectious diseases that were killing sea otters, these studies also led to increased state legislative protections for the playful creatures and trained numerous up-and-coming wildlife health researchers.

A current study funded by our Canine Cancer Campaign is testing a new drug therapy for bone cancer in dogs. This major project encompasses multiple facets and institutions and could eventually save the lives of thousands of dogs-yet it began as a small pilot effort. Additional pilot projects may soon lead to a promising treatment for eye cancer in horses, improved nutrition for brook trout and better pain management for reptiles.

Current pilot studies address gastrointestinal problems, urinary infections and heartworm in dogs; osteoarthritis pain in cats; laminitis in horses and overpopulation and drug-resistant infections in pets.

“Pilot studies like these are important for moving veterinary medicine forward, primarily because they can be accomplished relatively quickly and relatively inexpensively,” Dr. Moore says.

Who knows where this year’s pilot projects may lead. Perhaps they will give veterinarians a tool to help them diagnose and manage osteoarthritis in cats or an inoculation that prevents certain strains of Escherichia coli from causing recurrent urinary tract infections in dogs. Or maybe equine veterinarians will get an inexpensive method for treating laminitis, a painful, life-threatening condition.

The possibilities for advancing animal health are truly endless as long as we continue to support pioneering scientists with innovative ideas. These promising projects may one day change the face of veterinary medicine and help create a healthier tomorrow for animals.

Animal Wellness: Emotional Health for Animals

Just as self-esteem and emotional wellness are important to people, so too with animals. An animal that feels loved and has a bond with its
owner will enjoy much better physical health because you are taking the time to nurture your pets emotional health.Of course, emotional health for animals is a two-way street; as the bond between animal and owner strengthens, both the animal and the owner will enjoy enhanced emotional health.Animals are also as prone to stress as we are, perhaps more so. We should be alert for things that stress our pets, and attempt to minimise the stress as far as possible. We need to recognize that our pets are different and may react differently to stresses; for example, a noise level that does not stress a human may well stress an animal that has hearing superior to human hearing.

Animal Wellness: Animal Diets

“You are what you eat” is as important for your pet as it is for you. Animal diets should be as natural as possible, with the same care being given to fat content, sugar content, calories consumed, additives, etc as you would give to these dietary considerations for yourself.

Vitamins, minerals, supplements, antioxidants etc are as important to an animal diet as they are to a human diet. Cybertrone therapy for animals is an important breakthrough in animal wellness, as detailed below.

And remember that what may be good for us is not necessarily good for your pet. For example, did you know that macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs?

Just as we benefit from regular detox, it is a great idea to to treat your pet to a detox occasionally.

Animal Wellness Breakthroughs

An important new breakthrough in animal wellness is the use of technology such as Cybertrone therapy and live blood analysis. Using Cybertrone therapy for your pet can enable nutritional deficiencies to be identified and rectified without your pet even having to attend a Pet Wellness Centre; this is achieved by sending in hair from your pet for analysis.

Live blood analysis is also now available as part of animal wellness therapy, but your pet does need to be present to ensure the blood sample is as fresh as possible.

Homeopathic Remedies for Animals

The Cybertrone machine has a software program specifically designed for animal wellness. By analysing the existing state of your pets health, Cybertrone can indicate homeopathic remedies for animals that will address the imbalance, be it vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential oils etc. Cybertrone for animals is cutting-edge technology that is spreading quickly amongst those interested in optimal animal wellness, as it delivers specifically what your pet needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all remedy.

Animal Wellness: Exercise

As with humans, exercise is fundamental to animal health. This can be structured, such as taking your dog for a walk, or non-structured such as ensuring your cat has plenty of toys that will exercise the cat both physically and mentally.

The exercise should be relative for your pet. A large dog – particularly breeds that are generally recognized as a working dog – may need a beach or a park in which it is allowed to run free. A smaller dog may be well exercised by a simple walk around the block. You should also ensure that the exercise is relative for your pets age and condition; like us, as they age they appreciate a regular but more gentle exercise regime.

Animal Wellness: Dental Health for Animals

Dental health for animals is an often overlooked aspect of animal heath. Because your dog or cat can not communicate verbally, you have to be aware of changes in behaviour, particularly reluctance to eat, that may signify dental health issues.

Natural health for animals is significantly affected by diet in much the same way as it is with people; the major difference is that we can clean our teeth with a brush, but most animals prefer a bone. While chewing on a bone provides routine dental cleaning, this should not discourage you from brushing your pet’s teeth regularly – this is beneficial for your pets health and an exercise that improves your patience and perseverance.

Animal Wellness: Alternate holistic health treatments for pets

Acupuncture, massage, and other alternate holistic health treatments for pets are becoming increasingly mainstream for animal wellness. Animal chiropractors are another recent development in animal therapy, as is physiotherapy for animals.

As your pet ages, they can suffer many conditions similar to those found in human seniors, such as arthritis and diabetes; alternate holistic health

treatments for animals are great ways to address these problems.

Animal Wellness: Preventative Health

Heart worm prevention and treatment and flea and tick control are important aspects of animal welfare, along with vaccinations where required. In addition, preventative health should include regular checkups at the vets.

Micro-chipping can also be considered a form of preventative health for animals; nothing stresses an animal quite like being parted from its
owner, but micro-chipping ensures that this can be rectified quickly.
Taking out pet insurance is another good idea, ensuring that if your pet needs expensive medical procedures, you can afford them.Animal Wellness is a reasonably new field, much sought after by those who want natural health for animals, and often serviced by those whose wellness training was initially with people. This individuals are inevitably animal lovers who wanted to see the benefits of human wellness solutions transferred to animal wellness