Beautiful Female Veterinarian Petting a Noble Golden Retriever Dog. Healthy Pet on a Check

Research & Innovation

Meet the Innovator

Teresa Lever, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP

Dr. Teresa Lever is a renowned clinician-scientist and Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Her game-changing research focuses on understanding and treating swallowing impairments, or dysphagia, across multiple species, including dogs, horses, and rodents. With over 20 years of experience in speech-language pathology, Dr. Lever has developed innovative technologies and methodologies to objectively diagnose and treat dysphagia in both humans and animals.

Her research is deeply rooted in a "One Health" approach, bridging human and veterinary medicine to address complex health challenges. Basic science, veterinary medicine, and clinical studies are integrated to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy for conditions like dysphagia in companion animals. Funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) supports collaborative efforts with researchers from various fields to develop targeted treatments for dysphagia caused by neurological diseases, cancer, and genetic disorders.

Recognition for these contributions has come in the form of numerous accolades. The development of innovative tools and methods, such as the FluoroKennel, has significantly advanced animal health research. As a respected authority in the field, the vision and work of Dr. Lever continue to inspire and guide Aerodigestive Health Corporation (AHC), a company dedicated to advancing aerodigestive health through innovative technologies for both humans and animals.

Research Publications

“Videofluoroscopic swallow study features of lower esophageal sphincter achalasia-like syndrome in dog

“Standardization of a Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study Protocol to Investigate Dysphagia in Dogs”

“Videofluoroscopic swallow study abnormalities identify aerodigestive disorders in dogs with respiratory disease versus healthy controls”

“A New Clinical Protocol for Contrast Videofluoroscopic Assessment of Dysphagia in Freely Behaving Dogs“

“Mechanical dilation, botulinum toxin A injection, and surgical myotomy with fundoplication for treatment of lower esophageal sphincter achalasia-like syndrome in dogs”

“A mutation in the Warburg syndrome gene, RAB3GAP1, causes a similar syndrome with polyneuropathy and neuronal vacuolation in Black Russian Terrier dogs”

“Videofluoroscopic swallow study abnormalities identify aerodigestive disorders in dogs with respiratory disease versus healthy controls”

Dysphagia:

The medical term used to describe swallowing disorders is dysphagia. Common symptoms of dysphagia include coughing, gagging, drooling, regurgitation, repetitive attempts to swallow food, change in appetite, and weight loss. Dysphagia can lead to the life-threatening conditions of malnutrition, dehydration, and pneumonia (from food and liquid being swallowed into the lungs instead of the stomach). FluoroKennel is an innovative tool in the fight against dysphagia.

The FluoroKennel Story

Current Procedural Issues

The current protocol involves physical restraint and atypical posture via sternal or lateral recumbency. The result is an assessment of atypical eating/drinking behaviors and increased radiation exposure to the animal handler(s). FluoroKennel is setting a new standard in veterinary aerodigestive medicine by overcoming these major challenges.

1. Uncomfortable for the patient, physical

restraint also exposes personnel to excess radiation.

2. Traditional procedures rely on unnatural force-feeding approaches.

A Testimonial From a Relieved Dog

Meet Max, a professional dog food taste tester. He was previously diagnosed with megaesophagus (based on X-ray films) and prescribed upright feeding in a Baily Chair.

Radiographic imaging using FluoroKennel showed that Max has NORMAL swallowing function during free feeding. He no longer requires upright feedings in a Baily Chair, and has successfully returned to being a professional taste tester.