Research funding by the American Association of Feline Practitioners has taken a new direction.

The AAFP announced it will present an annual award for meaningful research on a specific topic in feline medicine and/or surgery that is of great interest to practicing veterinarians and is in need of further research. The topic-specific grant competition will be held in addition to solicitation of general grant proposals each fall.

This year, the AAFP research committee is calling for proposals of controlled randomized clinical trials investigating the efficacy of treatments that have not been well-validated but are commonly used for cats with chronic renal disease. Such treatments include phosphate binders, calcitriol, ACE inhibitors, potassium supplementation, alkalinization, and antihypertensives.

According to the AAFP, practitioners recommend multimodality, cumbersome treatment plans for cats with CRD, in attempting to provide the standard of care. The association hopes that results from the proposed research will help practitioners prioritize and justify realistic treatment plans that will result in optimal compliance and benefits for cats with CRD.

The $15,000 topic-specific award will be given for research showing the most clinical merit. The recipient will be announced at the AAFP annual meeting.

July 2005 is the deadline for applications. Candidates should complete the grant application accompanying the listing for "New grant opportunity" on the AAFP Web site at www.aafponline.org/resources/grants.htm, or call (800) 204-3514.