With epilepsy being the most prevalent neurological disorder in dogs, the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Health Foundation regularly funds research to support the development of new treatments for canine epilepsy.

Many dogs continue to experience effects from seizures even with existing treatments.

Moreover, with epilepsy affecting both dogs and humans, advancing understanding of the canine condition can also provide insight into human epilepsy, according to the Canine Health Foundation.

Among the research grants the foundation is funding is a study on electroencephalography (EEG) to assess seizures and treatments.

 The study, titled “Assessment of Frequency of Seizures and Antiseizure Drug (ASD) Efficacy by Electroencephalography (EEG) for Dogs with Epilepsy,” is being led by Fiona James, DVM, MS, with a research team at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

For the study, investigators will use EEG to monitor brain activity in dogs with epilepsy and compare the frequency and type of seizures detected with those reported by the patients’ caregivers. EEG findings will also be used to explore what antiseizure drugs the participants are receiving and their effects on the dogs’ seizures.

The study's grant amount is $83,318, and its grant period ends on August 31, 2026.

At  North Carolina State University, Karen R. Muñana, DVM, MS, and a team of researchers are using functional MRI (fMRI) to explore the underlying causes of epilepsy in dogs. A noninvasive method for assessing brain activity, fMRI measures subtle changes in blood flow associated with increased energy demand.

The study, titled “Investigating Neuronal Network Connectivity in Dogs With Idiopathic Epilepsy Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,” will involve 10 dogs with epilepsy who are not being treated with any antiseizure medication and 10 “neurologically normal” dogs. Each group will undergo fMRI and image analysis to detect and compare resting state networks—groups of brain regions that show synchronized activity during rest. According to the AKC, changes in resting state networks have been observed in humans with epilepsy as well as epilepsy progression, severity, and response to treatment. This study’s grant award is $75,840.

To learn more about this research or make a donation, visit https://www.akcchf.org/donate/.

Seizures can present in various ways and may be focal or generalized. Still, generalized seizures are more common. Patients experiencing a generalized seizure may exhibit

Seizures can last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes, with the average being approximately 30 to 90 seconds. During a seizure, patients will be generally unaware of their surroundings.

Following the seizure, ie, the postictal period, patients may exhibit signs of confusion, disorientation, and lethargy and may appear dazed. In the aura state, or the period before the seizure, patients may appear anxious, frightened, or dazed. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, an estimated 2% of dogs will experience a seizure in their lifetime.

Epilepsy research. American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. Accessed June 9, 2025. https://www.akcchf.org/research/research-portfolio/program-area/epilepsy-research/

New discoveries are changing the future for dogs with seizures. American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. Accessed June 9, 2025. https://www.akcchf.org/educational-resources/library/articles/new-discoveries-are-changing-the-future-for-dogs-with-seizures/

02931: Assessment of frequency of seizures and antiseizure Drug (ASD) efficacy by electroencephalography (EEG) for dogs with epilepsy. American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. Accessed June 9, 2025. https://www.akcchf.org/grant-directory/02931-2/

02940: Investigating neuronal network connectivity in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy using functional magnetic resonance imaging. American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. Accessed June 9, 2025. https://www.akcchf.org/grant-directory/02940-2/

Llera R, Ward E, Gollakner R. Epilepsy in dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. Accessed June 9, 2025. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/epilepsy-in-dogs

Articles

Approximately 2% of dogs will experience a seizure in their lifetime.

New studies will investigate use of EEG and fMRI in dogs with epilepsy

For more than 13 years, a unique collaboration between parasitologists and statisticians has been quietly revolutionizing how parasite activity is tracked and reported. The result? A forecasting system with pinpoint accuracy that can change the focus of client conversations from problem to solution.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), widely recognized as the authority on forecasting multiple parasites affecting pets, has been refining its 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecasts to provide veterinary teams with a powerful tool—an “easy button” for the parasite prevention conversation—at a time when appointment efficiency has never been more important.

Riverview Animal Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, used the forecasts in a client communications campaign. “We’ve always been huge fans of CAPC,” said Amy Tate, DVM, co-owner of Riverview Animal Clinic. “It’s an incredibly useful tool for helping educate clients about parasite risks.”

CAPC’s forecasting expertise represents years of scientific collaboration and data collection. The organization has assembled a cross-functional team, bridging veterinary parasitology and statistics to develop sophisticated prediction models.

“These pet parasite forecasts are put out monthly for the same 4 diseases that we do the annual forecast for—Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and heartworm disease,” said Stella Self, PhD, a statistician at Clemson University in South Carolina who helped develop the automated analysis behind the forecasts. “They’ve been produced since 2018 and are essentially forecasts of each county’s monthly seroprevalence.”

The accuracy of CAPC’s forecasts has been validated through rigorous statistical analysis. Using a weighted correlation metric (where closer to 1 indicates better performance), the forecasts consistently achieve correlations of 0.9 or higher when compared with actual laboratory results.

The foundation of these forecasts is data—and lots of it. Every month, CAPC’s algorithms analyze more than 300 million laboratory test results from across the country, identifying patterns that would be impossible to detect through traditional methods.

“[These data go] all the way back to 2012,” Self said. “We use a Bayesian binomial regression model that has a conditional autoregressive spatial random effect structure. That’s a mouthful, but it basically means this model has the ability to borrow information across space and time, which is very powerful.”

This sophisticated approach allows CAPC to predict heartworm and tick-borne disease with remarkable accuracy at the county level, giving practices hyperlocal insights about parasite risks in their specific communities.

“CAPC’s forecasts are a prime example of big data at work in veterinary medicine,” said Chris Carpenter, DVM, MBA, CEO of CAPC.

From data to action: Case studies in success

For Innovetive Petcare (IPC), a network of 83 practices throughout the eastern United States, CAPC’s forecasts proved instrumental in driving preventive care during a recent test-and-learn project. The IPC team identified pet owners who hadn’t scheduled heartworm tests or other preventive care appointments in more than 1 year. Using CAPC’s county-specific data, they launched a targeted campaign with personalized emails and social media posts highlighting local parasite threats.

“CAPC helped us deploy emails based on high threat levels in local zip codes,” said Malia Rivera, vice president of marketing at IPC. “That level of detail made a difference. Clients came in saying, ‘I just got this email about heartworm cases here, and I want to make sure my pet is protected.’”

According to IPC, the results showed testing adherence was 20% better with localized data than with generic messaging. Additionally, preventive product purchases increased by 12.5%, and the average purchase amount per email recipient was 7% higher for clients who received the localized parasite information.

Riverview Animal Clinic had a similar experience when implementing CAPC’s forecasts in its client communications. “We lead every wellness visit with parasite prevention,” Tate said. “We’re 1 of the top 3 states for overrepresentation of heartworm disease, especially with the resistant variants that have come out in recent years.”

By incorporating CAPC’s forecast data into its client education, Riverview found that pet owners arrived at appointments already understanding local risks and ready to discuss solutions rather than requiring extensive education during limited appointment time.

These success stories come at a critical time for veterinary practices. Industry data show veterinary visits declining, with wellness visits specifically lagging. For practices facing these challenges, CAPC’s forecasts offer a compelling way to drive necessary preventive care visits.

The forecasts create urgency around time-sensitive parasite risks, motivating clients to schedule appointments they might otherwise postpone. This approach is particularly effective because it’s based on scientific data rather than general seasonal recommendations.

“I want more veterinary partners to learn about the benefits of CAPC and the information they provide,” Rivera said. “It is extraordinarily valuable in helping us educate our clients.”

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of CAPC’s forecasts is their relevance to human health. Many parasites that affect pets also pose significant health risks to human family members, including children who may have closer contact with pets and outdoor environments. Beyond identifying immediate threats to pets, these forecasts serve a sentinel function—an early warning system for rising parasite risks in the broader community, helping veterinarians and public health officials track trends before they become widespread.

By framing parasite prevention as protection for the entire household, veterinarians can elevate their discussions with clients beyond routine pet care. This One Health perspective resonates strongly with health-conscious pet owners who increasingly view their veterinarian as an important partner in protecting their family's well-being.

“When clients understand that the same parasites threatening their pets could also affect their children, they’re significantly more motivated to follow through with recommended testing and prevention,” Carpenter said.

As vector-borne diseases continue expanding into new territories, CAPC’s forecasting capabilities have become increasingly relevant to veterinary medicine. The organization continues to refine its models and expand its offerings. For example, a new program from CAPC allows practices to receive customized monthly forecast reports designed specifically for integration into client communications. According to Carpenter, this program represents the next evolution in parasite prevention.

“While our nationwide annual forecasts help us track progression of diseases, our monthly forecasts help pet owners understand immediate threats in their neighborhoods,” Carpenter said. “This new program will make it even easier for practices to leverage our data in a way that drives client action.”

The key is consistency and localization. Generic parasite email messages don’t drive the same results as county-specific alerts that create immediate relevance for pet owners. “That level of detail made a difference,” Rivera said. “Clients came in specifically because of those targeted communications.”

For both IPC and Riverview Animal Clinic, the benefits extended beyond metrics to more efficient appointments. When clients arrived already educated about local parasite risks, veterinary teams could focus on treatment and prevention options rather than lengthy explanations about parasites and their associated diseases.

Currently, CAPC is partnering with larger hospital groups to share local forecast data with their clients. The goal is to expand this program through technology partnerships to every veterinary hospital that is interested.

“Our county-level forecasts for parasite infections drive clinic visits, testing, and preventive prescriptions better than any other type of client communication,” Carpenter said. “We look forward to making this big data tool available to every veterinary hospital in the coming year. We know that this is the best way the profession can fulfill CAPC’s vision of ‘Every pet tested and protected.’”

With CAPC’s county-level forecasting, veterinary teams can tailor their conversations, helping pet owners see the risks in their own backyards—and take action.

When parasite prevention gets personal

La'Toya Latney, DVM, DECZM (ZHM), DABVP (Reptile & Amphibian), CertAqV, describes what it takes for veterinary professionals to include services for turtles, terrapins and tortoises into a practice.

Caring for chelonians

 in Orlando, Florida, featured the multisession course “Growing Your Clinical, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Toolboxes for Reptiles,” presented by a team of veterinarians with specialists in reptile, amphibian, and fish care as well as zoo medicine. In a 

interview, instructor La'Toya Latney, DVM, DECZM (ZHM), DABVP (Reptile & Amphibian), CertAqV, senior veterinarian at The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, provided insights for general practitioners caring for chelonians and how practices can use tools they already have in the clinic to examine turtles, terrapins, and tortoises.

Providing reptile care in primary practice

The following is a transcript of the video:

La'Toya Latney, DVM, DECZM (ZHM), DABVP (Reptile & Amphibian), CertAqV

: If you want to get into the regular practice of seeing common [chelonian] species, learning where they come from in the wild and how they thrive, what their sexual maturity age is, how big they're going to get, what they eat, all of these things become really important.

We could literally hear an owner report what's going on, and before we even see the animal, we already have a differential diagnosis list for you. We don't even need to see the animal. That's how powerful knowing any gaps or issues with their husbandry becomes.

Understanding the role of husbandry in reptile medicine

So, just because they're hardy animals doesn't mean that we can't apply the same tools [used for companion animals], and because they do have this beautiful anatomy, that doesn't mean that they themselves don't deserve the same full treatment in terms of a thorough physical exam and ultrasound like we would do for our other unshelled brethren in the reptile family.

Especially in female reptiles, you choose the category. The fourth leading cause of morbidity and mortality is reproductive disease in females. So that's another good reason to become a little bit more comfortable with ultrasound, and people actually enjoy doing that as well.

Videos

La'Toya Latney, DVM, DECZM (ZHM), DABVP (Reptile & Amphibian), CertAqV, describes what it takes for veterinary professionals to incorporate services for turtles, terrapins, and tortoises into a general practice.

Providing services for chelonians

Good afternoon dvm360 readers! We hope that you had a weekend full of rest and relaxation and are ready to tackle another work week with us! With Fetch Nashville behind us, the dvm360 team is preparing to head to Louisville, Kentucky for the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s Forum later this month and Fetch Kansas City later on in the summer. You can find all of dvm360’s coverage of the conferences throughout the year in the dedicated 

While we all begin to prep for a busy summer of conferences, check out the news you could see this week on dvm360.com:

Recent research coming out of University of California, Davis, worked with pet owners across the United States and Canada to figure out if video telehealth visits could improve care and their home environment for feline patients with degenerative joint disease.

Elanco Animal Health announced a first of its kind report that includes data from multiple surveys demonstrating how bad pets around the country are itching, including nearly 9 in 10 dogs in the United States have experienced symptoms of itchiness at some point in the year.

On this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes Adam Conroy, DVM, to talk about practice ownership and partnership, plus what paths his career took to get him to where he is today.

The American Kennel Club recently shared some recent news on epilepsy research taking place at the University of Guelph where doctors are working to find a better way to diagnose and treat epilepsy in canine patients.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed legislation last month that will establish a grant program to incentivize large animal veterinarians to work in underserved areas in Virginia by offsetting the costs of obtaining a veterinary degree.

Sneak peek: Survey finds 9 in 10 dogs in the United States have symptoms of itchiness, and other news 

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital has welcomed 2 new clinical professors. Meanwhile, ELIAS Animal Health, a medical biotechnology company focusing on cancer immunotherapies for veterinary medicine, has a new addition to its Scientific Advisory Board: a distinguished veterinary oncologist who was instrumental in developing the only canine melanoma vaccine.

Continue reading to learn more about each of these individuals.

Sandra Valdez, DVM, DACVS, DABVP (Equine), clinical professor, UC Davis

Sandra Valdez, DVM, DACVS, DABVP (Equine). (Image courtesy of UC Davis)

Earlier this year, the Equine Surgical Emergency and Critical Care Service from the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital announced that Sandra Valdez, DVM, DACVS, DABVP (Equine), would join its team as a clinical professor. In 2005, she completed her equine surgery residency at UC Davis.

With 30 years of international experience as an equine veterinarian and surgeon, Valdez has treated endurance Arabians, racing Thoroughbreds, Warmblood sport horses, and pleasure-riding horses. Valdez’s prior roles include associate veterinary surgeon at San Luis Rey Equine Hospital in California; locum veterinary surgeon in Ohio, Virginia, California, and Dubai; and associate veterinary surgeon at the Dubai Equine Hospital in the United Arab Emirates.

“The Emirati people are very warm and welcoming, and I will miss their generous hospitality, but coming back to UC Davis feels like coming home,” said Valdez in a UC Davis release.

 “The years I spent at UC Davis were the best of my life, and I’m thrilled to return to such an incredible team.”

Carter Judy, DVM, DACVS, clinical professor, UC Davis

Carter Judy, DVM, DACVS. (Image courtesy of UC Davis)

UC Davis also welcomed Carter Judy, DVM, DACVS, renowned equine surgeon, as a clinical professor at its Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital’s Equine Surgery and Lameness Service. Judy earned his DVM at UC Davis and later returned for a 3-year residency in equine surgery and 1 year as a clinical instructor with the Equine Emergency and Critical Care Service. Over the past 22 years, Judy worked as a surgeon at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos, California.

According to a UC Davis release, the ability to mentor and develop the next generation of equine veterinarians and surgeons was a driving force behind Judy’s return to UC Davis. “Many of the problems and issues are expressed by the owners, trainers, and riders when they start discussing the case, and the information can be invaluable,” said Judy of a valuable lesson he plans to share with his students.

 “It can lead you to one of the most rewarding things about being a surgeon—the feeling you get upon finishing a challenging surgery and seeing the look in the owner’s eye when you let them know that everything is going to be ok.”

The school’s longstanding leadership in advanced imaging and the development of its new imaging center are other reasons behind his return. Judy believes UC Davis’ work in PET scan and nuclear scintigraphy, alongside its MRI and CT imaging facilities, will play a critical role in research aimed at advancing understanding of equine musculoskeletal disorders and developing new surgical and nonsurgical treatments. According to UC Davis, one of Judy’s goals is to explore how these advanced imaging techniques relate to more traditional modalities like radiology and ultrasound.

Philip J. Bergman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)

At ELIAS Animal Health, Philip J. Bergman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology), has joined the Scientific Advisory Board. Bergman has an extensive career in clinical research and cancer treatment advancements with experience in veterinary oncology, immunotherapy, and translational medicine. Bergman has been instrumental in developing novel cancer therapies, including Oncept, a canine melanoma vaccine by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health.

In his prior role, Bergman was global director of clinical studies for Mars Veterinary Health and VCA. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and has served as chair of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Board of Regents and president of the Veterinary Cancer Society.

"I am particularly excited and honored to be joining the ELIAS Animal Health Scientific Advisory Board. As someone who wholly embraces cancer immunotherapy, I believe their recent USDA license for canine osteosarcoma represents the first of many ELIAS-led advancements to come in veterinary cancer immunotherapy,” Bergman said in a company release.

Warren R. UC Davis welcomes Dr. Sandra Valdez as new equine surgeon. News release. University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. March 25, 2025. Accessed June 6, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-welcomes-dr-sandra-valdez-new-equine-surgeon

UC Davis welcomes Dr. Carter Judy as new equine surgeon. News release. University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. March 24, 2025. Accessed June 6, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-welcomes-dr-carter-judy-new-equine-surgeon

Philip J. Bergman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology) joins ELIAS Animal Health Scientific Advisory Board. News release. ELIAS Animal Health. April 10, 2025.

New leadership moves, recognition, and achievement

Paws and profits: New faces in equine surgery and cancer immunotherapy 

Collaborative medicine is the best way to do medicine, says Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO

Leaning on each other in practice

Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO, owner of The Eye Vets in Nashville, Tennessee, shares a piece of advice for all veterinary professionals, advocating for collaborative medicine and emphasizing the importance of open communication among veterinarians, regardless of their specialty. “There’s no such thing as a silly question,” he said.

Below is the transcript of the video, which has been lightly edited for clarity:

 The best piece of advice is: Collaborative medicine, I truly believe, is the best medicine. [This] means, as an ophthalmologist, if I have a patient that comes in with a heart condition and we have to consider putting this animal under general anesthesia, I'm going to reach out to a cardiologist to ask what's going to be the most appropriate protocol for this animal under general anesthesia.

That's collaborative medicine. That's the best way to do medicine. If you're a general practitioner or you're a specialist outside of ophthalmology, and you have a question about eyes, and it doesn't immediately make sense—what's going on in front of you or how you should manage it—reach out to an ophthalmologist.

One of my favorite things to do as a practitioner and now as a business owner is to communicate with general practitioners through text, through quick emails, through phone calls because I think we support each other, they support us. I love to be able to support them.

And there's no such thing as a silly question. If you have a question about how you're managing something, reach out. And I don't believe that's only true for me. I believe that's true for a lot of veterinarians out there. We all want to help each other, so let's lean on each other.

Collaborative medicine is the best way to do medicine, says Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO.