research studies » current studies
Morris Animal Foundation's current studies will give animals longer, healthier lives.
Each year Morris Animal Foundation funds more than 200 health studies to improve the health of dogs, cats, horses, llamas/alpacas and numerous wildlife species. Our support also trains the next generation of veterinary scientists to meet future animal health needs.
Search our current study database by species and/or disease to learn more about the studies we are funding in the areas you care most about. The results will also show you whether a study is available for sponsorship.
Category
D06FE-017: Mucosal Versus Subcutaneous Rush Immunotherapy as a Treatment for Feline Asthma
principal investigator: Carol Norris Reinero, DVM, Ph.D., University of Missouri
Nearly Complete
sponsorship not needed
Asthma in cats can be debilitating and occasionally fatal. Current treatments help but don't cure the disease. It is caused by an abnormal immune reaction to inhaled allergens (foreign proteins). A treatment called rush immunotherapy (RIT) has shown promise in turning off the abnormal immune response to an allergen. The investigators hypothesize that RIT using one type of allergen in cats with asthma will lead to allergen tolerance. They will improve the safety of this method, and test that giving one allergen will be effective for cats with naturally developing asthma that is likely caused by multiple allergens or an unrelated allergen. If effective, RIT could provide a promising cure for asthma triggered by a variety of allergens.
