Vetnuus | December 2025 17 Editorial Piece Under Dr Otto’s leadership, the Working Dog Centre has become a world-renowned hub of canine science, advancing knowledge in exercise physiology, behaviour, training, health monitoring, and One Health applications. She has also helped develop standards for detection dog training and care through her work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. From her first clinical trial for dogs with parvovirus to her current collaborative NIH-funded study examining a heparin-like molecule for the treatment of canine septic peritonitis, she has been committed to changing the trajectory of care available to critically ill canine patients and translating these findings to advance human health care. Her commitment to a One Health approach was crucial to the development of the Veterinary Clinical Investigation Centre at the University of Pennsylvania. She has also passed along her passion for this approach to a multitude of veterinary students and residents, including formal mentorship of four veterinarians who completed their Master’s in Translational Research at Penn’s Medical School. Her extraordinary impact has been recognised with numerous awards, including the AVMA Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award (2018), the Asa Mays Excellence in Canine Health Research Award from the AKC Canine Health Foundation (2021) and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust’s International Canine Health Special Award (2024). “Dr Otto’s career reflects an extraordinary dedication to advancing the health, performance, and welfare of working dogs,” said Dr Sandra Faeh, president of the AVMA. “Her pioneering research in canine scent detection, trauma care, and sports medicine has had a profound impact on veterinary medicine and public safety alike.” I had the privilege to meet Dr Otto while in South Africa, and after she was awarded the winner of the 2025 AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award, I spoke to her about herself and her career. Editor: I see that you obtained your Bachelor’s in Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1984 and 1986, respectively. Tell us a little about Dr Otto growing up and what inspired you to become a veterinarian: Dr Otto: “I had wanted to become a veterinarian since I was about 12 years old. As such, I chose a high school with a strong science curriculum and participated in a summer science program. I went to The Ohio State University and studied Animal Science with a focus on nutrition for my undergraduate degree. During that time, I was lucky enough to participate in an international agriculture program in which I worked on a dairy farm in Bavaria for a summer. I applied to veterinary school after 3 years of undergraduate study and was lucky enough to be admitted to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. During that time, I finished up a few classes to complete my BS. During veterinary school, I was very interested in dairy medicine (I have to confess that animal behaviour was not an interest at that time), and I continued my international interest, spending time in the South of England with a mixed animal practice. In my final year of veterinary school, I decided that herd health was not the direction I wanted to go and completed a small animal rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania. That experience sparked my love for veterinary emergency medicine! In 1987, there was no advanced training in emergency medicine, so I pursued small animal internal medicine and a PhD in physiology at the University of Georgia. During my residency, I was always drawn to emergency medicine and critical care, and as a result of that interest, I was tasked with following up on a call requesting veterinary support for a search and rescue team. This was my first exposure to search and rescue dogs, and I was intrigued!” Editor: Where did your new qualification take you? Tell us about your early years and what prompted your interest in dog behaviour. Dr Otto: I joined the faculty at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1991. I had a clinical appointment in the Emergency Service and spent the majority of my time running a research lab focused on the molecular mechanisms of inflammation. In Pennsylvania, I joined the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (PA-TF1) in 1994 to provide field medical care for the search dogs. This “hobby” turned out to be pivotal in my career. My scientific curiosity, paired with my expertise in emergency medicine, led me to start asking questions about how to help the dogs stay safe and work more effectively. In addition, I was introduced to how amazing dogs could be, traversing ladders, Germany 1980 >>>18
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