Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, DACVSMR
Additional Titles:
Executive Director, Penn Vet Working Dog Center
Graduate Group Member, Graduate Group in Pharmacological Sciences
Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, a tenured Professor of Working Dog Sciences and Sports Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine is board certified in veterinary emergency medicine/critical care and canine sports medicine/rehabilitation. As executive director and founder of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, she oversees fitness and medical care of the program’s detection dogs, provides rehabilitation and conditioning for police and other working dogs and conducts vital research on and by detection dogs. With over 140 peer reviewed articles, reviews and book chapters, she is an internationally recognized expert in both emergency medicine and working dog science. She was Pennsylvania’s 2002 “Veterinarian of the Year”, received Ohio State’s Alumni Recognition Award (2006) and Distinguished Alumnus Award (2008), AVMA’s Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year (2018), Mark Bloomberg Award (2019) and Asa Mays DVM, Excellence in Canine Health Research award (2021) and the International Canine Health Award, Special Award (2024).
Robinson, MA, Baumgardner, JE, Good, VP, Otto, CM Physiological and hypoxic O-2 tensions rapidly regulate NO production by stimulated macrophages American Journal Of Physiology-cell Physiology 294: C1079-C1087, 2008.
Otto, CM, Markstaller, K, Kajikawa, O, Karmrodt, J, Syring, RS, Pfeiffer, B, Good, VP, Frevert, CW, Baumgardner, JE Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of ventilator-associated lung injury after surfactant depletion Journal Of Applied Physiology 104: 1485-1494, 2008.
Otto CM Clinical Trials in Spontaneous Disease in Dogs: A New Paradigm for Investigations of Sepsis. J Vet Emerg Crit Care 17(4):359-367, 2007. 17: 359-367, 2007.
Alwood, AJ, Downend, AB, Brooks, MB, Slensky, KA, Fox, JA, Simpson, SA, Waddell, LS, Baumgardner, JE, Otto, CM Anticoagulant effects of low-molecular-weight heparins in healthy cats Journal Of Veterinary Internal Medicine 21: 378-387, 2007.
Syring, RS, Otto, CM, Spivack, RE, Markstaller, K, Baumgardner, JE Maintenance of end-expiratory recruitment with increased respiratory rate after saline-lavage lung injury Journal Of Applied Physiology 102: 331-339, 2007.
Pfeiffer, Birgit. Syring, Rebecca S. Markstaller, Klaus. Otto, Cynthia M. Baumgardner, James E. The implications of arterial Po2 oscillations for conventional arterial blood gas analysis. Anesthesia & Analgesia 102: 1758-64, 2006.
Otto, CM, Downend, AB, Serpell, JA, Ziemer, LS, Saunders, HM Medical and behavioral surveillance of dogs deployed to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon from October 2001 to June 2002 Journal Of The American Veterinary Medical Association 225: 861-867, 2004.
Slensky, KA, Drobatz, KJ, Downend, AB, Otto, CM Deployment morbidity among search-and-rescue dogs used after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks Journal Of The American Veterinary Medical Association 225: 868-873, 2004.
Baumgardner, JE, Otto, CM In vitro intermittent hypoxia: challenges for creating hypoxia in cell culture Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 136: 131-139, 2003.
Baumgardner, JE, Markstaller, K, Pfeiffer, B, Doebrich, M, Otto, CM Effects of respiratory rate, plateau pressure, and positive end-expiratory pressure on Pa-o2 oscillations after saline lavage American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 166: 1556-1562, 2002.
Current Research Interests are focused on the health, genetic and behavioral aspects of performance in detection dogs. I followed the health and behavior of the search dogs following the 9/11 response. We established the AKC CAR Detection Dog DNA Bank to study the genetics of complex behavior. We conducted a DOD funded field study of the effect of different hydration strategies on performance, hydration, and inflammation in detection dogs. Opened Sept 11, 2012, the Penn Vet Working Dog Center integrates the science and field experience to breed, select, raise and train dogs to use their noses to detect things (e.g. explosives, drugs, people, and even cancer and infectious diseases). The Penn Vet Working Dog Center is a resource for behavioral, nutrition, development and conditioning studies in dogs being trained for detection work. In addition, the interactions between dogs and humans are being studied. In addition, clinical research in emergency care of dogs and cats, sepsis and trauma continue to be of interest. Keywords:dog, performance, genetics, DNA bank, behavior, olfaction, development, hydration, working dogs, reproduction, Previous Research Focus -Regulation of nitric oxide synthesis. -Intermittent hypoxia as an inflammatory stimulus. -Acute lung injury Previous Research Summary: The effects of intermittent hypoxia on regulation of inflammatory mediators, acute lung injury and nitric oxide synthesis was the main interest of the laboratory, but the laboratory is no longer actively pursuing this direction. Possible Lab Rotation Projects: none currently available; however field research at the Working Dog Center is possible.
University of Pennsylvania (1986 to 1987)
Intern
University of Georgia (1987 to 1990)
Resident
University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine (1990 to 1991)
American Heart Association Research Fellow
Clinical Specialties:
Canine Sports Medicine, Physical Rehabilitation, Canine Behavior, Critical Care
Research:
Hospital & Services:
Education:
PhD (Veterinary Physiology) University of Georgia, 1994 DVM (Veterinary Medicine) The Ohio State University, 1986
Board Certification:
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
Contact:
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104