Vetnews | Desember 2025 16 « BACK TO CONTENTS Dr Cynthia Otto, DVM, PhD The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) named Dr Cynthia Otto, DVM, PhD, professor of working dog sciences and sports medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) and founding executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Centre, as the winner of the 2025 AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award in July 2025. This award honours an AVMA member’s long-term contribution to the field of canine research. The AVMA Council on Research selects the recipient. “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award,” said Dr Otto. “Throughout my veterinary career, it has been a true privilege to advance canine knowledge and care—especially the extraordinary working dogs—to support their human partners, and to educate and inspire those whose lives are touched by these remarkable dogs.” A dual board-certified specialist in veterinary emergency and critical care, canine sports medicine and rehabilitation, Dr Otto has authored or co-authored over 150 publications and received more than $6.9 million in research support. Her contributions span a wide range of canine-focused research areas, including scent detection, occupational hazards and working dog health and welfare. Dr Otto first came to national attention following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, when she deployed with FEMA’s Pennsylvania Task Force 1 to care for search-and-rescue dogs at Ground Zero. That experience inspired a two-decade-long research program to study the long-term health of these canine heroes, which continues to produce valuable scientific insights. In 2012, Dr Otto founded the Penn Vet Working Dog Centre, a national model for interdisciplinary canine research, training, and education. The Centre’s dogs are trained in life-saving roles, from urban search-and-rescue and narcotics detection to public health applications such as identifying diseases like cancer, COVID-19, and chronic wasting disease through scent detection. Of the nearly 200 dogs raised and trained through the centre, 93% have gone on to successful working careers in detection and service. Editorial Piece
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTc5MDU=