Morris Animal Foundation's Recent Study Successes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 5, 2010 -- A Step Closer to Genetic Cause of Epilepsy:

Epilepsy with an unknown cause (known as idiopathic epilepsy) occurs in all dogs, although some breeds show a higher prevalence. Belgian sheepdogs and Belgian Tervurens have a high prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy, so the disease is considered an inherited condition in these breeds. Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) funding enabled scientists to narrow down the mutation that causes this disease to three chromosomes and to identify the likely regions that are highly associated with idiopathic epilepsy. These findings on the Belgian sheepdog and Tervuren should apply to many dog breeds that experience epilepsy.

Potential Asthma Treatment for Cats:

Asthma in cats can be debilitating and occasionally fatal. Identifying allergens that cause allergic asthma in cats is challenging because current skin and serum tests aren’t reliable. Scientists are investigating a treatment called rush immunotherapy (RIT), which has shown promise in turning off the abnormal immune response to an allergen. Results indicate that both intranasal and injected RIT are safe and effective in relieving asthma symptoms in cats. Even more exciting is the finding that a subpopulation of study participants appears to have reverted to being non-asthmatic-they seem to be cured. Final results are anticipated later this year. The study has also provided valuable research experience to two MAF veterinary student scholars.

Prevalence, Treatment and Prevention of PSSM:

Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), also known as tying-up, is a painful muscle disorder that is heritable in quarter horse-related breeds and some draft horse breeds. Scientists determined the true prevalence of PSSM type 1 in these breeds and also discovered a second form of PSSM (type 2). Veterinarians can now accurately test to determine whether a horse carries this genetic defect, allowing them to provide genetic counseling to their clients and prevent future foals from acquiring the disorder. In addition, scientists determined that horses with the specific genetic form of PSSM type 1 can often be successfully treated with high-fat diets and regular exercise protocols.

Identifying Parasitic Link to Brain Infection:

Protozoal brain infection, caused by the Sarcocystis neurona parasite, is a major cause of death in southern sea otters. This same deadly infection also causes mortality in horses. A postdoctoral fellow confirmed that the parasite infecting sea otters and horses is genetically identical to one that is seasonally shed by opossums living in the area. Knowing this link alerts veterinarians and marine mammal rehabilitators working with sea otters, or other susceptible marine mammals, to a particular season during which they should be extra vigilant in monitoring for signs of infection. The findings also indicated that preventing opossums from accessing equine food and water sources during the spring and early summer months could significantly reduce equine infec

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