Dr Meurs has asked that I send along a request for more blood samples from HCM affected cats. She prefers cats with moderate to severe disease, not equivocal diagnosis. It is expensive to run samples and many can be run at one time, saving us money. So, if you have a cat diagnosed with HCM, please send the blood samples and all medical information as soon as possible. If a cat is too ill to have this done reasonably, please take a swab and get a DNA sample to be used later. For instructions on sending blood samples, etc, for HCM cats, please contact Esther Wilson at estherw@vetmed.wsu.edu
IMPORTANT UPDATE!!
The Swedish Breed Association - Sallskapet Sibirsk Katt - has made a very generous donation of over $4,000 to Winn Feline for the Siberian Cat HCM study that has allowed us to have enough money to fund both projects being funded with help from Winn Feline Foundation by the April 1st deadline. The funds still held by me needed to make that up will be forwarded this week as soon as I have confirmation from Winn Feline of the amount still needed.
A HUGE thank you to the Swedith Breed Association as well as every donor who has helped make this possible!!
This allows Dr Kate Meurs at Washington State University to begin the work but please remember there will most likely be ongoing research and funding needed for some time. Please continue donations as you are able and consider pledging donations for each kitten sale or a small monthly donation.
Any contributions over the amount needed to fully fund the projects through Winn will be held until we determine the best use. If there is another HCM project submitted to Winn Foundation, it can go there, otherwise the funds will be donated directly to Washington State University for Dr Meurs Siberian Cat HCM research only and your tax receipts will come from then. Winn Foundation has let me know that they do not issue tax receipts unless donations are over $10.00. I am personaly paying the paypal fees for donations through paypal so your whole donation will go to the cause!
All tax receipts will come from either Winn Feline Foundation or Washington State University. Those who donated in 2007, have already received theirs from Washington State University. If you donate directly to Winn Feline Foundation, you will get your receipt from them.
Winn Feline Foundation has approved the two studies involving Siberian Cats and HCM.
Feb 12, 2008
At our recent board meeting, the Winn board and our reviewers met to review the grant proposals that had been submitted. Two proposals were received from Dr. Kate Meurs at Washington State University that affect your breed:
Molecular evaluation of the feline alpha tropomyosin gene in Norwegian Forest, Sphynx, Siberian, Ragdoll, & Maine Coon Cats with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy $14,242
Molecular Evaluation of the feline Myosin binding protein C gene in Siberian Cats with familial hypertropic cardiomyopathy $12,988
I will attach the lay summaries of both proposals to this note. Both were deemed good proposals and approved subject to the breed community donating their match. Winn has committed up to $5000 toward each project. As you can see from the titles, the one study for $12,988 is exclusively for your breed. The second study effects 5 breeds and will cost $14,242. Two of the breeds have already have sufficient donated funds to cover their portion of the second study and the Maine Coon breeders have started raising their share. I will be writing to the other breed to request their support for this project ($1894). For these projects to proceed, we should have the funds in hand by April 1, 2008.
As of January 28th, our records show $1150 dollars in the Siberian HCM funds. I believe an additional $35 has been donated since that time.
To summarize, the Siberian community needs to donate to Winn $1894 to participate in the multi-breed search and $7,988 for the study that focuses exclusively on the Siberians. The total is $9882 less $1185 already donated for a total of approximately $8,697.
Of course, the support of the Siberian community for these studies will be publicly acknowledged. Janet Wolf, Executive Director Winn Feline Foundation
Our contributions can now be sent to Winn towards the funding of these two studies. This does not mean the need for funds is over - we still need the rest of the funds for these studies and for the likelihood that this will be ongoing research for some time. Please consider a pledge per kitten sale or per month. Contributions can still be made diretly to Winn although once this is funded, they will not be used unless there is a new grant submitted for next year. We suggest you donate here to Siberian Cat Research Funding and we can then direct it to where it can best be used in a timely manner.
Dr Meurs has already begun work on processing the DNA samples provided with the original funds we went and if Winn does not fund her this year, we will channel all new funds directly to her so the study is not delayed. She has said that it may take more than one pass on testing - and more funding - but we are very hopeful for some results similar to her success with Ragdolls. The Ragdoll breed group is still raising money for research as is the Maine Coon breed.
Feel free to direct questions to me using the form on the bottom right of this page.
Dr Kate Meurs of Washington State University Veterinary College has accepted the project orginially submitted to Dr Lyons by Siberian Research and is applying for grants with Winn Foundation to test known HCM mutation genes for Siberians diagnosed with HCM, as well as including Siberians in a grant with Ragdoll, Maine Coon and Sphynx breeds to search for new mutation on other genes.
The success in getting grants depends on the concerned Siberian owners and breeders also demonstrating their interest by making contributions. She has asked for and I volunteered to be the Siberian Breed contact person for her. We have been asked to solicit contributions to help fund this research and hopefully allow it to be successful. She is very excited that she already has several blood samples for detailed DNA study along with echos and medical records. More are always welcome on cats with a HCM diagnosis that have had an ultrasound.
More information about this effort will be available here soon. Also any fundraising ideas are welcomed! Pat Cotter - Shadowheart Siberians
