RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) today named eight semifinalists for the 2026 Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award, which honors the year’s most important advancements in canine health. The largest nonprofit devoted solely to canine health research, CHF has invested more than $80 million since 1995 in science that helps build a healthier future for all dogs.
Showcasing scientific innovation from around the world, this year’s semifinalists tackled health challenges familiar to many dog owners, from an older dog struggling to navigate his own home to chronic gut disease, along with fundamental questions about canine genetics. Selecting them was the responsibility of an 18-member committee, which reviewed nominations from international research teams and scored each one on its scientific significance, innovation, impact on canine health, and future influence.
Three finalists will be announced on November 19. The winner, who will receive up to $75,000 in research support and a $10,000 cash prize, will be named on December 10 at the AKC Canine Health Foundation Discovery Awards Banquet in Orlando, Florida.
“Dogs enrich our lives, and every discovery that advances canine health benefits dogs and the families who love them,” said Dr. Stephanie Montgomery, Chief Executive Officer of the AKC Canine Health Foundation. “These eight notable discoveries mark important advances in our pursuit of healthier, longer lives for dogs.”
The 2026 semifinalists, listed alphabetically by lead researcher, are:
First Field Trial of a Vaccine to Treat Dogs Infected with Chagas Disease
Dr. Eric Dumonteil and Dr. Claudia Herrera, Tulane University
Kissing bugs, common across much of the southern United States and other regions of the Americas, can expose dogs to Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Whether through an insect bite or by accidentally eating an infected bug, dogs can develop this disease, which quietly damages the heart before signs appear. Dumonteil and Herrera led the first field trial of a therapeutic vaccine, one designed to treat dogs that are already infected, establishing proof-of-concept therapy for a deadly disease with few treatment options.
Genetic Basis Identified for Glycogen Storage Disease in Basset Hounds
Dr. Kari Ekenstedt, University of Missouri; Dr. Jeanna Blake, Purdue University; Dr. Andrew Miller, Cornell University
In dogs with glycogen storage disease, the body’s energy reserves build up abnormally in the heart and other tissues. The team identified the genetic variant behind the disease in Basset Hounds. That finding makes a genetic test possible, which would give breeders a tool to prevent the disease in future litters and owners a better understanding of their dog’s risk of developing the disease.
Genetic Risk Factors for Stomach Cancer Found in Belgian Shepherd Breeds
Dr. Jacquelyn Evans, Cornell University
Stomach cancer in dogs often goes unnoticed until later stages, when treatment becomes more difficult. Evans identified genetic regions linked to gastric cancer risk in Belgian Tervuren and Belgian Sheepdogs, along with variants in the closely related Belgian Malinois that appear to protect against the disease. This discovery lays the foundation for genetic testing, allowing owners and veterinarians to identify dogs at higher risk and watch more closely for early signs of disease.
First Standardized Guidelines for Diagnosing and Monitoring Dementia in Dogs
Dr. Natasha Olby, North Carolina State University, and the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome Working Group
When an older dog becomes restless at night, gets stuck in corners, or seems to forget familiar routines, it is often dismissed as a normal part of aging. Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, which shares many features with Alzheimer’s disease in humans, had lacked a standard definition until now. An international working group, with Olby as a lead collaborator, developed the first guidelines for recognizing the condition, ruling out other causes, assessing its severity, and monitoring its progression. This shared framework will improve diagnosis and care while allowing researchers to compare results across studies, a factor that proved key in advancing Alzheimer’s research in people.
Tick-Borne Disease Genomics Opens a Path to Better Tests and Future Vaccines
Dr. Sree Rajeev, University of Tennessee
Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis are serious diseases carried by ticks that can lead to bleeding disorders, organ damage, and death. Currently, no vaccines are available to prevent either disease. Inspired by her own dog’s experience with infection, Rajeev sequenced the genome of the tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma platys and identified the protein fragments recognized by a dog’s immune system in both Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis, creating a platform for more accurate diagnostic tests and vaccine candidates.
Better Understanding Leptospirosis Led to Core Vaccination Recommendations for All Dogs
Dr. Jane Sykes, University of California, Davis
Leptospirosis can cause sudden kidney and liver failure, and dogs can become infected through contaminated water, such as puddles, or soil containing the urine of rats, raccoons, and other wildlife. The disease was long considered a risk mainly for rural and hunting dogs. Studying more than 200 dogs with leptospirosis in Los Angeles County, Sykes and colleagues found the disease in dogs previously thought to be at low risk, including city dogs, small breeds, and those that frequently attended daycare. Those findings helped reshape veterinary recommendations, leading veterinarians to consider leptospirosis vaccination important for all dogs. Leptospirosis can also infect people, so canine vaccination is an important way to protect dogs and reduce risk for their families.
Microbiome Transplants Improve Hard-to-Treat Chronic Gut Disease in Dogs
Dr. Carla Vecchiato, University of Bologna, and Dr. Jan Suchodolski, Texas A&M University
For dogs living with chronic intestinal disease, the condition can mean years of diarrhea, weight loss, special diets, and treatments that become less effective over time. Fecal microbiota transplantation, or FMT, transfers healthy gut bacteria from a donor dog to a sick one. In dogs that had not improved with conventional treatment, Vecchiato, Suchodolski, and colleagues documented meaningful clinical improvement after FMT and followed the dogs’ long-term response, providing veterinarians with evidence for a new option when standard therapy fails.
Study of 43 Breeds Finds New Genetic Variants Arise at a Steady Rate
Dr. Shao-Jie Zhang, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Dr. Jilong Ma and Dr. Meritxell Riera, Aarhus University; Dr. Elaine Ostrander, National Institutes of Health; Dr. Hannes Lohi, University of Helsinki
Like humans and other mammals, every puppy inherits a small number of new genetic variants not present in either parent. Most are harmless, and some contribute to what makes each dog unique, though a few can cause disease. By analyzing the genomes of multigenerational dog families across 43 breeds, researchers found that these variants arise at a remarkably consistent rate despite generations of selective breeding. They also found that a sire’s age has a greater influence on the number of new variants in his offspring than a dam’s age. Revealing how new genetic variants arise and are passed from one generation to the next, the findings provide a stronger foundation for studying canine health and inherited disease.
“Some of this year’s semifinalists are already changing the way veterinarians care for dogs, while others are answering fundamental questions that will shape canine health research well into the future,” said Montgomery. “We celebrate these scientists because every discovery reflects years of dedication, collaboration, and perseverance. That commitment ultimately improves the lives of dogs, and that matters to the families who love them. CHF is committed to investing in the research that moves canine health forward, whether the benefits are realized now or in the years ahead.”
About CHF
Since 1995, the AKC Canine Health Foundation has leveraged the power of science to address the health needs of all dogs. With more than $80 million in funding to date, the Foundation provides grants for the highest quality canine health research and shares information on the discoveries that help prevent, treat, and cure canine diseases. The Foundation meets and exceeds industry standards for fiscal responsibility, as demonstrated by its highest four-star Charity Navigator rating and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.
For more information about the Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award, visit www.akcchf.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chris David
AKC Canine Health Foundation
chris@exceleratecomm.com
(949) 781-0215
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