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Clay A. Calvert

Creative Research MedalĀ 2000

Clay A. Calvert studies the epidemiology, natural progression, diagnosis and treatment of cardiomyopathy in Doberman pinschers. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle found in both dogs and humans. By analyzing more than 30 years of pedigree records, Dr. Calvert established the Doberman’s genetic predisposition for the disease. Studies are now underway to identify the gene(s) responsible for this fatal condition. Prior to Dr. Calvert’s studies, cardiomyopathy was recognized only at very late, terminal stages. Dr. Calvert has focused on finding ways to detect and treat affected dogs before clinical signs appear. He has developed novel methods to detect the heart rhythm abnormalities that cause sudden death including long-term ambulatory electrocardiography, signal-averaged electrocardiography and heart rate variability analysis.