Winn Feline Foundation Podcasts On Feline Health

Please join Winn Feline Foundation in a Winn produced podcast interview with Dr. Craig Webb, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Colorado State University. Our Executive Director, Dr. Vicki Thayer, questions Dr. Webb about his very interesting research into the use of stem cells for the the treatment of chronic intestinal disease in cats. The interview was held at the 2014 conference of the American Association of Feline Practitioners in Indianapolis. As a Winn-funded researcher, Dr. Webb was a Winn-sponsored featured speaker at the conference and a huge hit with the audience of cat-loving veterinarians.

Dr. Leslie Lyons,renowned geneticist from the University of Missouri, is interviewed by Dr. Vicki Thayer of the Winn Feline Foundation. Dr. Lyons and her team have recently found four mutations in cats. Dr. Lyons describes the mutations and the importance they have for cat health or phenotype. Join Winn and Dr. Lyons to hear about these exciting new findings. The interview was conducted at the recent International Cat Conference held at the Center for Companion Animal Health, part of the University of California-Davis.

Join Dr. Vicki Thayer, Executive Director of the Winn Feline Foundation, as she interviews Beth Licitra, a combined DVM/PhD candidate from Cornell University about current research into the pathogenesis of FIP virus in cats. Beth Licitra is a key member and spokesperson for Dr. Gary Whittaker’s Laboratory at Cornell University. Winn has provided funding for the research where the Whittaker Laboratory found the correlation between mutations in the FCoV spike protein and the development of FIP. She presented the results as an abstract at the 2013 ACVIM Annual Meeting.        

Please join Dr. Glenn Olah, the President of Winn Feline Foundation, as he interviews Dr. Philip Fox on June 26, 2014. Dr. Fox, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM, ACVECC Vincent Astor Chair in Comparative Medicine at the Caspary Institute, Animal Medical Center, in New York City, was one of the speakers at the 36th Annual Winn Symposium in New Orleans. The interview will provide information regarding the most common heart disease found in cats, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The Foundation has been a leader in looking at the incidence, pathogenesis and potential treatments for feline heart disease, especially in the form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Dr. Philip Fox’s research through the Animal Medical Center has lead to a international collaborative study that has identified risk factors for heart failure and survival in normal healthy cats and cats with HCM and will discuss the impact on feline health of heart disease, renal failure, and cancer. This  is an extensive study in cats and will offer a large amoun

Please join the 36th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium in New Orleans on July 26, 2014. This audio portion features the Symposium introduction with nationally known radio personality, Steve Dale, as he talks about the Winn Feline Foundation and introduces Beth Licitra. Beth Licitra is a combined DVM and PhD candidate at Cornell University and is involved in research through the Whittaker Laboratory at the University. Beth Licitra’s presentation will cover the discovery where “Pathogenesis of feline coronavirus is linked to mutation of a critical viral activation site”. Research in the Whittaker Laboratory focuses on investigations into the initial steps of virus infection. This includes binding of the virus to its host receptor, activation of viral attachment proteins by host proteases, and fusion of viral and host cell membranes. Their work also looks at human and avian influenza viruses as well as coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome

Please join the 36th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium in New Orleans on July 26, 2014. This audio portion features nationally known radio personality, Steve Dale, as he introduces Dr. Philip Fox, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM, and ACVECC Vincent Astor Chair in Comparative Medicine, Caspary Institute, Animal Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Philip Fox presents on “NEW perspectives on survival: Comparison of healthy cats and cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy- A Global Study”. This multinational study involved some 60 investigators across 20 countries. The presentation will review the current relevant knowledge of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with special focus on clinically relevant findings. In addition, for the first time, new data will clarify incidence of morbidities and mortality in cats with HCM including CHF and ATE, as well as in normal cats. Clinical risk factors for heart disease and cardiac death will also be included.    

Join Dr. Vicki Thayer, President of Winn, as she talks with Dr. Glenn Olah, Winn's new President-Elect. They discuss Dr. Olah's background as a reviewer of research grants on cat health. Winn's mission is to enhance the relationship between cats and humans by fostering improvements in feline health through research and education. Both Dr. Thayer and Dr. Olah will talk about future plans to deliver Winn's mission to others. 

Steve Dale, well-known pet advocate and host of Steve Dale's Pet World, is Master of Ceremonies for the 2013 Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Chronic Kidney Disease and Superficial Fungal Skin Diseases in Cats held in Vancouver WA on June 27, 2013. He moderates the question and answer session between two renowned researchers in their field of interest, Dr. Jessica Quimby and Dr. Karen Moriello, and the listening audience as they discuss the importance for research on these particular diseases in cats. Please join the discussion at the symposium.  

Steve Dale, well-known pet advocate and host of Steve Dale's Pet World, discusses the Ricky Fund in the Winn Feline Foundation which supports research regarding feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He follows with introducing Dr. Karen Moriello (DVM, DACVD), an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this presentation, Dr. Moriello discusses new findings regarding two superficial fungal skin diseases of cats. Malassezia dermatitis (yeast overgrowth) is the most common superficial skin disease and is often under recognized and under diagnosed. The second most common superficial skin disease of cats is dermatophytosis or ringworm. Ringworm is a concern for people due to its zoonotic potential. This talk discusses what is new and useful in the area of diagnosis, treatment, and disinfection. In addition, a brief discussion of what to do when you suspect an outbreak is detailed. The presentation was delivered on June 27, 2013 at the 35th Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Health in Va

Steve Dale, well-known pet advocate and host of Steve Dale's Pet World is Master of Ceremonies of the  35th annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium. He introduces Jessica Quimby, DVM, DACVIM, a clinical scientist from Colorado State University, presents information on two Winn funded studies related to feline chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is a common progressive disease in elderly cats that currently had no cure other than a kidney transplant. Novel treatment strategies and options for supportive care are important in treating this disease. The presentation focuses on the potential use of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of feline chronic kidney disease as well as the use of appetite stimulants for supportive care. It begins with a review of stem cell therapy principles and potential application to kidney disease and then discusses clinical trial results. Nutritional management of cats with kidney disease is discussed as well as the recent results of the mirtazapine appetite stimulant

Join Dr. Vicki Thayer, President of the Winn Feline Foundation, as she interviews Dr. Carol Reinero at the June 2013 ACVIM meeting about current research into the use of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for asthma in cats. Dr. Reinero is a veterinary clinical scientist and associate professor located with the veterinary teaching hospital at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Dr. Reinero was part of the research team from MU funded by Winn Feline Foundation in 2011, 2012, and earlier in 2013 to study the use of  mesenchymal stem cells in cats with asthma. Stem cell therapy is a new frontier in treatment and the Winn Feline Foundation has been on the cutting edge by funding cat health studies in this area. Dr. Reinero discusses the current state of treatment of asthma in cats and the potential future use of mesenchymal stem cells for this disease.

Research on FIP has steadily progressed over the last decade. Join veterinary professionals and breeders at the presentation of Dr. Niels Pedersen from the University of California-Davis, a world-renowned researcher on infectious diseases in cats, during the 2011 Winn Feline Foundation Symposium in Reston, VA. Dr. Pedersen describes how some of our concepts of disease pathogenesis, potential treatment modalities, mutations within the virus that affect the virulence, genetic susceptibility of the host cat, and disease prevention have either changed or have become much clearer. The role of breeders and their veterinarians in solving the problem of FIP remains even more important today than at any time in the past.

Steve Dale, well-known pet advocate and host of Steve Dale's Pet World, is Master of Ceremonies for the 2011 Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) held in Reston, VA on June 23, 2011. He moderates the question and answer session between two world-renowned researchers in the field of feline infectious disease, Dr. Al Legendre and Dr. Niels Pedersen, and the listening audience as they discuss the importance for research on FIP. Please join the discussion at the dinner symposium.

Steve Dale, well-known pet advocate and host of Steve Dale's Pet World, is Master of Ceremonies for the 2011 Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) held in Reston, VA on June 23, 2011. He introduces two world-renowned researchers in the field of feline infectious disease, Dr. Al Legendre and Dr. Niels Pedersen, to the listening audience and discusses the importance of support for research on FIP. Please join the discussion at the dinner symposium.

Join a discussion of a potential treatment, Polyprenyl Immunostimulant, for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) at the 2011 Winn Feline Foundation dinner symposium held in Reston, VA. The talk will focus on Dr. Al Legendre’s current research at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Dr. Legendre is a world-renowned researcher of infectious diseases in cats. The talk addresses the response rates of the different forms of “dry” FIP such as abdominal, ocular, and neurologic. Information benefiting veterinarians and cat fanciers includes an overview of the cat breeds that were in the study and comments from the owners.

Has your favorite feline been nauseated and not wanted to eat after being diagnosed with chronic renal disease? Join Dr. Vicki Thayer, President of the Winn Feline Foundation, as she interviews Dr. Jessica Quimby about the use of mirtazapine as a therapeutic agent to help appetite stimulation and control nausea in cats with chronic renal disease. Dr. Quimby is a veterinary clinical scientist located at the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University (CSU). She was part of the research team on a Winn Feline Foundation funded project in 2008 that studied the use of mirtazapine in elderly cats with chronic renal disease who did not want to eat and were frequently nauseated. The published work from this study was very valuable to veterinary practitioners everywhere on how they could use mirtazapine best to help their cat patients.

Join Dr. Vicki Thayer, President of the Winn Feline Foundation, as she interviews Dr. Jessica Quimby on current research into the use of stem cell therapy for chronic renal disease in cats. Dr. Quimby is a veterinary clinical scientist located at the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University (CSU). Dr. Quimby was part of the research team from CSU funded by Winn Feline Foundation in 2007 to study the use of stem cells in cats with renal disease. Stem cell therapy is a new frontier in treatment and Winn Feline Foundation has been on the cutting edge by funding cat health studies in this area. Dr. Quimby discusses the current state of stem cell research for chronic renal disease.

Presented by John Rush, DVM, ACVIM Cardiology, ACVECC, Tufts University at the 34th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Health. There can be little doubt that genetic mutations contribute to many, if not all, forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the cat. However these mutations cannot explain all of the manifestations of the disease. Following a review of the commonly affected cats and the typical clinical signs, newer information and research is presented relative to diagnostic testing, dietary implications, and new drugs for treatment of feline cardiomyopathy. This presentation was originally delivered on June 28, 2012 at the 34th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Health.

Presented by Leslie A. Lyons, PhD, University of California at Davis at the 34th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Health. The recent genetic sequencing of the cat has led to the development of a powerful new genetic resource, the cat 63K DNA array. Researchers can now focus sample collection more efficiently; extended relatves are no longer required. with sample testing on the array, 63,000 DNA markers can be assessed, delivering results in 3 weeks. Dr. Lyons presents examples of recent successes for cat traits and diseases. The presentation also covers a new study design evaluating more challenging traits, such as FIP resistance and susceptibility, and other complex consditions in the cat. The original presentation was delivered on June 28, 2012 at the 34th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on Feline Health.