The ISDVMA is an organization whose membership is composed of veterinarians and non-veterinarians with an interest in the health and well-being of canine endurance athletes. The Doc Lombard Student Research Award is named after Dr. Roland “Doc” Lombard, who was a sled dog veterinarian and World Champion musher that contributed significantly to the health and welfare of the modern sled dog through his research. Doc Lombard was a dedicated professional with a love for the sport of sled dog racing and who made significant contributions to the practices and principles of sled dog health and medicine that has been upheld by past and current members of the ISDVMA.
Each year the ISDVMA is please to announce a call for 2024 research proposals from veterinary students with an interest in research on the health and well-being of racing sled dogs.
Please stay tuned for next year’s announcement!
Announcing winner of the 2024 Doc Lombard Student Research Award:
Tyler Harker, a second year veterinary student at Cornell University won this year’s award with his study:
“Genetics of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in Alaskan sled dogs.”
We look forward to seeing the results of his research at the next ISDVMA conference!
Past Doc Lombard Award Winners
2016 winning project: “Splanchnic hypo-perfusion proposed as mechanism for mucosal damage and gastrointestinal signs resulting from strenuous exercise in racing Alaskan sled dogs.“
2017 winning project: “Uncovering the genetic basis for a juvenile polyneuropathy in Siberian Husky dogs.“
2018 winning project: “Survey of sled dog health and welfare issues from various stakeholders at an endurance race.“
2019 winning project: “Artemin as an objective clinical biomarker of “race reediness” in sled dogs.“
2020 winning project: “Low baseline alanine aminotransferase and relevance to athletic performance in Alaskan sled dogs.“
2021 winning project: “Genetics of Diet Adaptions in Alaskan Sled Dogs.”
2022 winning project: “The role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in sodium and potassium balance in racing sled dogs and its connection to rhabdomyolysis.”
2023 winning project: “The genetics behind class 2 malocclusion in Husky dogs.“
2024 winning project: “Genetics of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in Alaskan sled dogs.”
Stay tuned and watch for the 2025 call for entries.