Miki Dollars Fund Research That Benefit Animals


Miki Society Gifts Bring Us Closer to Understanding, Preventing, and Curing Illnesses that Impact the Lives of Our Pets

Miki grants fund research on a wide variety of diseases in companion animals, especially projects with an immediate impact on the care of companion animals. Each year, a committee selects which submitted research proposals to fund through the Miki Society.

Miki Society Grants Bring Us Closer to Research Advances

  • Hip Replacements in Dogs - A research team tested the stability and reliability of hip replacements in dogs. Using donated artificial hip joints from deceased dogs, researchers determined that hip replacement surgery is not serving dogs as well as it could. Looseness in the joints is a common problem. Based on their research, veterinarians - who normally recommend that just a single hip be replaced - are now showing better performance with dual hip replacement. Dogs will reap the benefits of this research with long and more active lives, with less pain and suffering.


  • Toenail Loss In Dogs - Lupoid onychodystrophy is a disease in dogs that causes them to lose their toenails. A research team studied the effect of fatty acid supplementation (for example, fish oil or primrose oil) in treating dogs with this condition. This study compared the fatty acid concentrations in the blood and nails of normal and affected dogs. Studies showed an improvement in the conditions of dogs with lupoid onychodystrophy, but researchers don't know if the improvement is due to the anti-inflammatory characteristics of fatty acids or if affected dogs developed the condition because of a fatty acid deficiency.


  • Resistance to Antibiotics in Animals- Resistance to antibiotics is a concern not only in human medicine, but in veterinary medicine as well. A research team studied the antimicrobial resistance of certain types of bacteria taken from dogs treated with antimicrobial drugs, as compared to the resistance of bacteria taken from untreated dogs. The work of these researchers could lead to improved use of antimicrobials, while reducing the risks of developing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.


  • Cancer in Dogs - Lympyhoma is one of the most common and incurable cancers in dogs. Even with aggressive therapy, survival rates rarely exceed one year. In their efforts to increase survival rates, a research team has incorporated radiation therapy for treatment in lympyhoma cases . Researchers are now expanding the study and continue to analyze results to see if the treatment is effective.


  • Improved Cancer Drug - Taxol is the first new effective cancer drug on the market in at least 10 years. The drug has great potential for advancing human and animal cancer treatment, but has problems that limit its use. Miki funds allowed a research team to investigate new Taxol formulations so that animal cancer patients get the maximum benefit of the drug with the smallest risk possible.


  • Kidney Failure - A research team examined ways to make the kidneys less susceptible to failure while an animal is on treatment. This included dietary factors and medications that allow the kidneys to better handle drugs and procedures that can compromise the health of the renal system.


  • Improved Treatment for Eye Disease - Several strains of toxoplasma gondii have a preference for the eye, where they can cause severe damage, including blindness. Miki dollars funded a project that characterized toxoplasma strains so researchers could develop improved treatments and also explore prevention through vaccination.


  • Heart Disease - The cardiac research team conducted a study on cardiomyoplasty to improve cardiac efficiency for dogs with cardiomyopathy, a deterioration of heart function. In cardiomyoplasty, a back muscle is used to aid the heart in its work.


    • Research Projects 2007-2008

    • 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose as a Therapy for Hypoxic Tumor Cells in Canine Osteosarcoma
    • Comparative Analysis of Survivin Expression in Naive and Relapsed Canine Lymphoma
    • Gene Expression Changes Associated with Metastasis in Canine Osteosarcoma
    • A Novel Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Oral Superoxide Dismutase Enzyme Supplementation in Diabetic Cats
    • Radiosurgery Treatment for Cats with Pituitary Tumors: A Pilot Study

    Research Projects 2006-2007

    • Sensitivity and Specificity of a Quantitative PCR Assay for the Detection of Pathogenic Leptorpires in the Urine of Dogs
    • Evaluation of Possible Activation of Toxoplasmosis, Bartonellosis, or Haemoplasmosis in Cats with Allergic Disease Treated with Cyclosporine A

    Research Projects 2005-2006

    • Evaluation of Dynamic External Device to Treat Functional Mitral Valve Regurgitation: A Pilot Study
    • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 Dysregulation in Canine Hemangiosarcoma
    • Attenuated Salmonella for Canine Cancer: Tumor Canine Colonization and Gene Expression in a Mouse Model
    • Effects of Anti-oxidant Therapy on Oxidative Stress and Neutrophil Dysfunction in Cats Infected with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

    Research Projects 2004-2005

    • Relationship of Toxoplasma gondii Infection to Acute Canine Polyradiculoneurilis
    • Noninvasive Lithium Dilution Cardiac Output Monitoring and Oxygen Delivery in Conscious Critically Ill Dogs
    • Gangiloside Synthesis Inhibition in Feline NPC1 Disease

    Research Projects 2003-2004

    • Determination of the Analgesic Effects and Side Effects of Oral Tramadol in the Dog
    • Comparison of Intravenous and Epidural Analgesic Medications for Pain Management of Acute Pancreatitis in Dogs
    • African Primate Model of Resistance to HIV Disease
    • Functional MR Imaging and MR Spectroscopy for Non-Invasive Studies of Radiation-Induced Tumor Reoxygenation

    Research Projects 2002-2003

    • Evaluation of the NPCI Protein in Feline Fibroblasts
    • Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of High Dose Fomepizole (4MP) and Ethanol as Antidotes for Ethylene Glycol Intoxication in the Cat
    • Effects of Lactobacillus Supplementation on Canine Atopic Dermatitis
    • Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Bartonella spp. Toxoplasma gondii, and Feline Herpesvirus-1 and Distribution of B and T Lymphocytes in the Eyes of Cats with and without Uveitis
    • Effects of Dietary C20:5 N-3 and C22:6N-3 (fish oil) Supplementation via Caplets on Serum/plasma Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Lameness in Dogs with Osteoarthritis

    Research Projects 2001-2002

    • Postmortem Evaluation of the Stability of Canine Cemented Hip Replacement Implants Wear to Determine Success Rate and Mechanisms of Failure
    • Fatty Acid Concentrations in Normal Dogs and Dogs with Lupoid
    • The Role of Growth Regulation of Cultured Canine Epithelial and Mesenchymal Cells in Tissue Specificity of Carcinogenesis
    • Comparison of Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria from Dogs and Food Animals
    • Radiation Therapy as an Adjuvant to Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Canine Lymphoma: A Pilot Study
    • Screening for Tumor Markers in Canine and Feline Mammary Tumors
    • Reproductive Function in Horses with Cushing's Disease

    Research Projects 2000-2001

    • Does Adynamic Cardiomyoplasty with a Prosthetic Compliant Wrap Decrease Myocardial Oxygen Consumption and Improve Cardiac Efficiency in a Canine Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
    • The Effect of N-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (fish oil) on MMP-3 and MMP-8 in Canine Osteoarthritis
    • Cytokine Levels in Peripheral Blood and Cytokine and Matrix Metalloproteinase Levels in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of 20 Normal and 20 Asthmatic Cats

    Research Projects 1999-2000

    • The Influence of Age and NMDA Receptors on Inhalation Anesthetic Study
    • Biomechanical Evaluation of the Triple Pelvic Osteotomy with and without Ventral Plate Stabilization
    • Zoometry and Bioelectrical Impedance to Detect Dehydration, Overhydration and Response to Crystaloid Administration in Cats
    • Nutritional Model of NIDDM in Cats for Assessment of Novel Therapies (Organic Vanadium Compounds)
    • The Effects of Oral Glutamine Supplementation on Plasma Glutamine Levels, PGE2 Levels, and Clinical Performance in Dogs Experiencing Radiation Induced Mucositis

    Research Projects 1998-1999

    • Does a Non-Stimulated and Skeletal Muscle Wrap Decrease Myocardial Oxygen Consumption?
    • Toxoplasma gondii and Development of Uveitis in Cats
    • Evaluation of Isolated Hyperthermic Itraosseous Limb Perfusion Using Cisplatin

    Research Projects 1997-98

    • Isolation and Characterization of Naturally Occuring Feline Ehrlichiosis
    • Efficacy of Utero Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Canine Fucosidosis

    Research Projects 1996-1997

    • A Canine Model for Assessing Etiology and Consequences of Cancer Associated DNA Mutations
    • Quantitative Evaluation of a Perfluorocarbon Gas Emulsion as an Abdominal Ultrasound Contrast Agent in Cats and Dogs
    • Molecular Cloning, Sequencing, and Characterization of the Equine Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Receptor
    • Evaluation of a Canine Model of Glomerulonephritis Induces with Cationized Ferritin
    • Phenobarbital Associated Polyuria-Polydipsia in Dogs: Etiology and Therapy
    • Identification of Toxoplasma gondii in Ocular Tissues of Cats: A Comparison of Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry and Polymerase Chain Reaction
    • The Effects of Water Sulfate Content on Ruminal