• In collaboration with the CSPCA's Health Through Education Committee members Drs. Linda Tintle and Jeff Vidt, and the Centennial Chinese Shar-Pei Club, scientists at Colorado State University are conducting research into Shar-Pei Fever Syndrome. A proportion of Shar-pei dogs suffer from recurrent fever episodes (FSF), with some of these dogs going on to develop amyloidosis and irreversible kidney damage. At present, there is no test to identify puppies that might develop Shar-Pei fever, or a test for carriers of the gene(s) responsible. The purpose of this study is to; 1) Develop a clinically useful biological test that will identify afflicted patients and puppies that will go on to develop the disease, 2) Characterize the inflammatory response and clinical signs associated with this disorder, and 3) Characterize other immune system disorders described in Shar-Pei and to determine if these disorders are related to Shar-Pei fever. This 2 year research study is being led by veterinary immunologist Dr. Anne Avery and is being funded with a $40,000 grant from the Chinese Shar-Pei Charitable Trust and $40,000 from AKC/CHF. (www.cspcharitabletrust.org)
  
  
• Simultaneously, researchers at the National Institutes of Health led by Drs. Francesca Puppo, Elaine Remmers and Dan Kastner are collaborating with Dr. Linda Tintle to identify a mutated gene responsible for the Shar-Pei Fever Syndrome. By locating this gene, carriers and affected animals can be identified early in life. Shar-Pei Fever is an animal model for systemic autoinflammatory disease in humans and results of these studies will help us to better understand this disease in our dogs and may lead to advances that help people suffering from similar disorders.
  
  
• CSPCA Health Through Education Chairman Dr. Jeff Vidt has undertaken two new projects to benefit our breed:
  
  
  
  1. Chinese Shar-Pei are now included among the breeds participating in the Canine Health Information Center program (CHIC). This program lists specific health screening criteria seen to be valuable tools in the screening of breeding stock. (www.caninehealthinfo.org.)
     
     
  2. Dr. Jeff Vidt is facilitating the inclusion of Chinese Shar-Pei in the Waltham Canine Gene Collection and Canine Cancer Collection studies. Waltham is sponsoring studies in these two areas and has identified Shar-Pei as one of the five breeds to be studied due to its high incidence of mast cell cancers. As more information becomes available, Dr. Vidt will be asking CSPCA members to participate in the submission of samples and health information for the Waltham studies.
     
     
  
  
• The CSPCA DNA Databank Committee is proud of its success over the past two years. (http://www.cspca.com/DNA%20Bank.htm) With $5,000 in support from the CSP Charitable Trust, the CSPCA has been able to establish a DNA bank with health surveys and samples of nearly 500 dogs. Although this type of sample is not appropriate for all types of research, when possible the DNA Banked samples are being considered for upcoming studies. We appreciate the strong support of our membership in submitting samples and confidential health survey information.

It is encouraging to know that dedicated and knowledgeable scientists are working on behalf of Chinese Shar-Pei. Through years of the CSP Charitable Trust's support and networking by the Dr. Jeff Vidt and Dr. Linda Tintle, outstanding scientists have been recruited to research the health challenges facing this breed. Shar-Pei owners should be pleased to know that prestigious institutions such as Colorado State University's Veterinary College and the National Institutes of Health are hard at work on our behalf. Currently, there are hopes of going beyond these identified areas of study and expanding the parameters to include other areas of research. In order for this to happen, additional funding is necessary. It makes sense to believe that Chinese Shar-Pei are benefited by each research study for even negative results move us closer to answers and solutions.

Please consider making an end of year donation to the Chinese Shar-Pei Charitable Trust. Information on the Trust and how to donate using a secure PayPal link is available at www.cspcharitabletrust.org. CSPCA affiliated clubs might also consider raising money for scientific research by pledging monies earned from shows, fun matches, or raffles to the CSP Charitable Trust research efforts. Contact CSPCA National Specialty Raffle/Auction Coordinator, Beverly Wall, if you have an item you would like to donate to specifically benefit the CSP Charitable Trust.

The CSP Charitable Trust has funded and pledged approximately $60,000 dollars - exclusive of matching grants - to Chinese Shar-Pei health-related studies and projects for the 2004, 2005 and 2006 calendar years. Please visit the CSP Charitable Trust website, and/or recent and upcoming The Barker magazines for financial reports and information on research and expenditures. The lion's share of this money has been spent investigating FSF/Amyloidosis. During the 2004 and 2005 calendar years, the CSP Charitable Trust has only received about $6,000 dollars in donations. The medical research that Shar-Pei owners desire cannot continue without greatly improved support from the Shar-Pei community. Funds for health research are being depleted at an alarming rate.

Now is a perfect time to show support for scientific research into the health challenges facing our breed. For more information see the Chinese Shar-Pei Charitable Trust website at www.cspcharitabletrust.org. Now more than ever, our dogs are depending on us.