AKC Canine Health Foundation Announces Semifinalists for Inaugural Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award

RALEIGH, N.C.  , Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all dogs through research and discovery, is excited to announce the discoveries, and the researchers behind them, that were selected as semifinalists for the 2025 Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award.

The Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award sets out to annually honor the most significant research advancement that transforms the health and well-being of dogs, with $75,000 in potential research funding and a $10,000 cash prize going to the winner.

The advancements and breakthroughs of these five semifinalist research discoveries spoke directly to the mission of CHF and the award. The researchers who performed these studies represent exactly the kind of investigators canine health depends on: ones who challenge conventions and drive innovation.

The eight semifinalists for the 2025 Canine Health Discovery of the Year are:

• Dog Gallbladder Disease has Similarities with Cystic Fibrosis
  Dr. Jody Gookin – NC State University
  
  
• New Genetic Insight Could Dramatically Reduce Spinal Disease in Dachshunds
  Dr. Stacey Sullivan – Auburn University
  
  
• New Hope for a Canine Oral Cancer
  Dr. Santiago Peralta and Dr. William Katt – Cornell University
  
  
• Innovative Cancer Treatment that Shows Promise in Dogs & Humans
  Dr. Timothy Fan – University of Illinois
  
  
• Large-scale Cancer Trial Reveals New Insights
  Dr. Chand Khanna, Dr. Jacob Cawley, and Dr. Samuel Stewart – Ethos Discovery
  
  
• Training Dogs to Use the Most Effective Method to Cool Down When Overheated
  Dr. Cynthia Otto – University of Pennsylvania
  
  
• Some Diets Can Trigger Heart Disease in Certain Dogs by Altering Metabolism, Leading to Harmful Fat-Like Substances in Heart Cells that Show Up in Urine Tests
  Dr. Lisa Freeman – Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
  
  
• Newly Identified Genetic Risk for Obesity in Labrador Retrievers (And Humans) Affects Appetite but Can Be Managed by Lifestyle
  Dr. Eleanor Raffan – Cambridge University

"At the AKC Canine Health Foundation, I have the opportunity to see the extraordinary progress being made in canine health research every day," said Dr. Stephanie Montgomery, Chief Executive Officer, AKC Canine Health Foundation. "The inaugural semifinalists for the Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award embody the passion and perseverance that move canine health forward for the dogs who mean so much to us."

For more information about the AKC Canine Health Foundation, the 2025 National Parent Club Canine Health Conference, or to join the mission of improving the lives of all dogs, visit www.akcchf.org.

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 $75 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 their highest four-star Charity Navigator rating and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. Learn more at www.akcchf.org.

SOURCE AKC Canine Health Foundation