By Stacy N. Hackett
Posted: August 18, 2008 2 a.m. EDT
This week, Hill’s Pet Nutrition donated $1 million to the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) to further the organization’s research into cat health. Hill’s also donated genetic research data, compiled and developed by the pet food manufacturer’s team of researchers.
Dr. Patricia Olson, MAF president and CEO, said cats often are slighted in health research funding and veterinary care. “It is a sad irony that cats are the most popular pet in our country, yet far too little research funding and veterinary care is being provided to meet cats’ unique health needs,” Olson said. “Thanks to Hill’s extraordinary donation to MAF, cats will be given a dramatically better opportunity for a long, healthy life.”
MAF intends to use part of the Hill’s donation to establish an international coalition for feline genomic research. The coalition will advise MAF on the potential use of the genetic tools and define areas of future study, including cancer, kidney and bladder diseases, allergies, obesity and more. Further studies using the genetic research data should help veterinarians prevent this wide range of cat diseases.
“These tools offer a major head start for conducting genetic association studies that could one day help veterinarians better understand and diagnose diseases in our feline patients,” said Janet Donlin, DVM, Hill’s Pet Nutrition veterinary business channel chief.