As always, the heart of our work remains in health research. We currently support a number of studies focused on the health issues that most affect our Cockers. What follows is a summary of these efforts and the promising results now emerging.
The ASC Foundation is supporting a major research effort led by Dr. Steven Friedenberg at the University of Minnesota:
“Understanding the genetics of immune‑mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in Spaniel breeds.”
This project is one of the most comprehensive IMHA studies ever undertaken in our breeds. Dr. Friedenberg’s team is using IMHA in Cocker Spaniels (American & English), Springer Spaniels, and Clumber Spaniels as a model for the human equivalent, AIHA. The goal is to identify genetic markers, understand breed‑specific risk, and ultimately improve early detection and treatment options.
Dogs Needed for the Study
All participation costs are fully covered.
- Cocker Spaniels with a history of IMHA
Dogs currently in treatment or those who have recovered from a past diagnosis. - Cocker Spaniels are nearing the end of life.
Owners who may be willing to donate a small tissue sample after their dog passes. These donations are invaluable for understanding how IMHA affects the body at a cellular level.
Urgent Need
There is a critical need for dogs diagnosed within the last 24 hours. Early samples provide essential information that cannot be captured later in the disease process.
Why This Matters
IMHA remains one of the most devastating autoimmune diseases in our breed community. This study has the potential to:
- Identify genetic risk factors
- Improve early detection
- Guide future treatment strategies
- Support both canine and human autoimmune research
Your participation—or sharing this announcement—can directly help save future dogs.
Contact
If you think your dog may qualify or you have questions:
imha@umn.edu askthefoundation@gmail.com
Immune‑mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is one of the most serious and life‑threatening blood disorders affecting dogs. In IMHA, the immune system mistakenly destroys the dog’s own red blood cells, leading to severe anemia and the formation of dangerous blood clots that can damage vital organs.
A research team led by Dr. Tracy Stokol, BVSc, DACVP—a board‑certified veterinary clinical pathologist and internationally recognized expert in hemostasis and immune‑mediated disease—is uncovering new insights into how clotting abnormalities develop in dogs with IMHA. Early findings show an upward trend in PAI‑1 protein levels, a key inhibitor of the body’s natural clot‑breaking system. While additional cases are needed to confirm these results, this emerging pattern may help shape future treatment strategies aimed at improving survival and quality of life for affected dogs.
Participating Study Centers
Because this research requires highly specialized sample collection and handling, enrollment is limited to dogs receiving care at one of the following partner institutions:
Cornell University
Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, CT
Rochester Specialist and Emergency Services
Auburn University
University of Minnesota
This study represents an important step toward a better understanding of IMHA and the development of new therapeutic approaches to help dogs fight this devastating disease.
Study Contact
Principal Investigator:
Tracy Stokol, BVSc, DACVP
Phone: (607) 253‑3060
Email: vet-research@cornell.edu
In 2025, the ASC Foundation launched one of the most significant scientific initiatives in our history: the creation of the first complete, breed‑specific reference genome for the American Cocker Spaniel. For the first time, researchers will have an accurate, comprehensive genetic blueprint of our breed—something that has never existed until now.
Why This Project Matters
For decades, canine genetic research has relied on reference genomes from the Boxer and the German Shepherd. While valuable for general studies, they do not reflect the unique genetic structure of Cocker Spaniels. As a result:
Key Cocker‑specific variants may have been overlooked
Complex diseases have been more difficult to study accurately
Comparisons to unrelated breeds have masked breed-specific health risks
A dedicated Cocker Spaniel genome changes the landscape of research. It provides scientists with the correct genetic “map” to identify disease‑related mutations, understand inherited conditions, and develop more accurate diagnostic tests and treatments.
Scientific Leadership
This project is led by Dr. Steven Freidenberg, who also heads the Foundation’s IMHA research initiative. Over 18 months, his team is sequencing all 39 chromosome pairs—approximately 2.4 billion nucleotides—using advanced, high‑resolution methods that produce the most complete genome possible.
This work will:
Accelerate research on IMHA, one of the breed’s most devastating diseases
Improve understanding of inherited conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and autoimmune disorders
Enable more accurate and reliable genetic testing for breeders and veterinarians
Lay the Foundation for future discoveries previously out of reach
A Lasting Contribution to the Breed
Once completed, the Cocker Spaniel Reference Genome will be shared openly with the global scientific community. This ensures that the benefits extend far beyond this project—supporting healthier generations of American Cocker Spaniels for years to come and strengthening the Foundation’s leadership in canine health research.
Primary Angle‑Closure Glaucoma (PAGG) remains one of the most serious inherited eye diseases affecting American Cocker Spaniels. The condition can progress rapidly and often results in irreversible blindness. Meaningful progress against PAGG requires sustained scientific rigor and long‑term commitment—qualities exemplified by the researcher leading this effort.
Dr. Sara M. Thomasy, DVM, PhD, DACVO, Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of California, Davis, is internationally recognized for her work in ocular genetics, corneal biology, and translational vision science. With appointments in both the School of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Medicine, she brings a uniquely integrated perspective to complex eye diseases. Her research program investigates the mechanisms that drive glaucoma and other anterior segment disorders, using genomic and molecular tools to understand how these conditions develop and progress.
Supported by funding from the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Dr. Thomasy is applying this expertise to uncover the genetic basis of PAGG in American Cocker Spaniels. This multi‑year study aims to identify the specific genetic variants that increase disease risk—knowledge that could ultimately enable earlier detection, more informed breeding decisions, and improved long‑term management.
The American Spaniel Club Foundation is proud to be an active partner in this work. Our support includes direct financial contributions and the submission of clinically confirmed cases, strengthening the study’s dataset and accelerating discovery. The project remains ongoing, and each phase brings our community closer to breakthroughs that will help protect future generations from this devastating disease.
Ongoing Participation Needed
Your continued involvement is essential to advancing this long‑running study.
Updates on clear enrolled dogs: Longitudinal data—especially from dogs that remain clear over time—help researchers distinguish true genetic signals from background noise.
New cases needed: Please continue submitting samples from affected dogs and from clear dogs eight years and older. Older clear dogs are particularly valuable for separating early‑onset and late‑onset patterns and refining age‑related risk curves.
What We Know So Far – A Complex Genetic Picture
A single gene does not cause cataracts in American Cocker Spaniels. Early‑ and late‑onset forms arise from different chromosomes, and each involves multiple interacting genes. This complexity is why progress takes time—and why every new data point matters.
Promising Genomic Regions Identified
Low‑pass sequencing has highlighted several genomic regions that may contribute to cataract risk. These regions contain clusters of protein‑coding genes with biological roles that make them strong candidates.
The next step is validation: confirming which regions truly matter and identifying the specific variants involved. This requires a larger, more diverse sample pool to strengthen statistical power.
New Data, New Leads
UPenn has now analyzed 21 new samples, resulting in:
One new candidate region for early‑onset cataracts
Two new candidate regions for late‑onset disease
Each region contains genes tied to lens development, transparency, or cellular maintenance—exactly the pathways expected to influence cataract formation.
Why This Steady Progress Matters
Because hereditary cataracts are genetically complex, meaningful progress depends on building a large, well‑documented dataset over many years. Every sample, every update, and every older clear dog helps researchers separate true genetic signals from background variation.
This is one of the Foundation’s longest‑running scientific commitments. It’s slow but steady progress reflects the realities of complex‑trait genetics. Each newly identified genomic region brings us closer to understanding:
How cataracts develop
Why onset varies
How to reduce risk in future generations
The candidate regions emerging now are the strongest leads to date—and they exist only because breeders and owners have continued to participate year after year.
Your contributions directly shape the next phase of discovery. The more complete the dataset becomes, the sooner researchers can pinpoint the specific variants involved and move toward meaningful tools for breeders.
The Foundation is currently funding two active research grants focused on improving outcomes for dogs with hemangiosarcoma. Each project explores a different therapeutic strategy, and together they represent a multi‑angle approach to tackling this aggressive cancer.
University of Florida — Dr. Rowan Milner
GD3 Nanoscaled Liposomal Cancer Vaccine Trial
This study evaluates a next‑generation cancer vaccine originally developed for canine melanoma and osteosarcoma. Researchers are now testing whether the same technology can be effective against hemangiosarcoma.
Key points:
The vaccine targets GD3 and GD2 glycolipids—molecules already known to be present in melanoma and osteosarcoma.
The Milner team has confirmed that splenic hemangiosarcoma samples also express GD3/GD2.
Early findings suggest that the level of GD3/GD2 expression may influence how well a dog responds to the vaccine.
Provisional data show a mean survival time of 531 days in vaccinated dogs compared with 128 days in the placebo group.
The study is ongoing, with researchers continuing to collect data and refine the approach.
University of Illinois — Dr. Timothy Fan
Targeting Glutamate Efflux & mGluR1 Signaling
This project investigates whether existing FDA‑approved drugs can be repurposed to slow or stop hemangiosarcoma cell growth by blocking glutamate efflux—a process believed to fuel rapid tumor expansion.
Key points:
Initial phases evaluating the drugs Sulfasalazine and Riluzole have been completed.
The current phase (Aim 3) focuses on assessing the safety of combining these drugs with Doxorubicin chemotherapy in dogs with stage 2 splenic hemangiosarcoma.
If successful, this strategy could offer a new and more immediately accessible treatment option using medications already available in human medicine.