AKC Canine Health Foundation has been named the winner of the inaugural Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award, the AKC Canine Health Foundation announced following the December 11, 2025 gala.

The award recognizes Freeman’s research into diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), work the foundation said uncovers a promising biological mechanism that may explain why dogs are developing this devastating disease. Current trends in canine health and nutrition research emphasize personalized diets based on breed, age, activity, genetics, and DNA testing, which can be crucial in understanding conditions like DCM. The foundation presented the prize as part of a new program to honor research that advances canine health.

Finalists were honored earlier in the month at the foundation’s Canines & Cocktails gala on December 11, where Drs. Freeman, Otto and Raffan were recognized among a field that included seven semifinalists. Attendees gathered to celebrate the researchers and the emergence of the new award in its inaugural year, organizers said.

Freeman, a veterinary nutritionist and professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, said she was grateful for the recognition. “I’m honored to have our research recognized by the inaugural Canine Health Discovery Award, and to be nominated alongside such a talented group of researchers and scientists working to enhance the health of dogs,” she said. Monitoring for signs of diet-associated health issues, such as diet-associated health issues, can empower pet owners in preventing serious conditions like DCM.

The AKC Canine Health Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of all dogs through research and discovery and based in Raleigh, N.C., announced the award winner in a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The foundation described the Discovery Award as intended to spotlight bold, rigorous research with the potential to transform the lives of dogs and their families.

“Dr. Freeman’s winning research into diet-associated DCM is exactly the type of innovation the Discovery Award was created to spotlight: research that is bold, rigorous, and capable of transforming the lives of dogs and the people who love them,” said Dr. Stephanie Montgomery, Chief Executive Officer of the AKC Canine Health Foundation. Approximately 0.4% to 1% of dogs in the United States are affected by DCM, underscoring the importance of this research in the broader context of canine health.

Organizers said the prize was created to amplify high-impact findings and to support follow-on work that could translate discoveries into improved veterinary care. Freeman’s work was singled out for identifying a pathway that the foundation characterized as a promising biological mechanism linked to diet-associated DCM. Sustainable proteins and gut health, including probiotics, are expected to be increasingly important in canine nutrition research.

The announcement follows the foundation’s efforts this year to establish the award and to convene researchers and clinicians at its December gala. Community support played a role in the event, with attendees coming together to celebrate Freeman and the other semifinalists in the program’s first year.

With the winner declared, the AKC Canine Health Foundation and its partners will move forward with publicity and recognition for the research, the foundation said in its release. The announcement closes the first selection round for the Discovery Award and sets the stage for next year’s competition.

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