By Olivia Trani

Partners from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine recently gathered to raise awareness of Lyme disease prevention and provide Dogs on Call therapy dogs with certificates for a free, federally-approved canine vaccine for the disease. The innovation, developed by VCU researcher Richard T. Marconi, Ph.D., has provided dogs with broad protection against Lyme disease for more than 10 years. The event is a celebration of how VCU research is being directly put to practice to benefit a program that supports VCU Health patients and team members.

“Our researchers and clinicians are at the forefront of addressing emerging challenges and bringing new scientific solutions to make the world a better place,” said Fadi N. Salloum, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research at the VCU School of Medicine. “This event is a recognition of the impact of VCU research for improving the lives for both humans and their pets.”

crLyme, a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs developed by VCU’s Richard T. Marconi, has been produced and distributed by global animal health company Zoetis since 2016. (Arda Athman, VCU School of Medicine)

With tick populations increasing and spreading across the United States, prevention and treatment of tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease is more important than ever. National estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest nearly 500,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease annually, which often causes fever, chills, chronic fatigue, muscle pain or worse symptoms if left untreated. The disease can also cause serious health issues for companion animals, and data from the Companion Animal Parasite Council show that about 1 in 20 dogs in Virginia tested positive for Lyme disease in 2025.

Marconi, a professor in School of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, is a leading expert in developing vaccines and diagnostic tools for tick-borne diseases affecting humans and companion animals. One of the innovations created by Marconi’s team, called crLyme, has been produced and distributed by global animal health company Zoetis since 2016 and is now the most widely used canine Lyme disease vaccine in North America.

Dogs on Call volunteer Susie and therapy dog Homer took part in the 'Ruff on Lyme' event. (Arda Athman, VCU School of Medicine)“Lyme disease is a growing health problem for both humans and companion animals, it can be difficult to diagnose and treatment requires several weeks of antibiotics. If not diagnosed early, the infection can be debilitating with long-term infection sequelae,” Marconi said. “Preventive vaccines and improved diagnostic tests are central to combating this serious health concern. We are encouraged by the success of crLyme and the contribution it is making to improving canine health. We ultimately look forward to advancing new vaccine and diagnostic technologies for humans.”

At today’s event, Zoetis donated crLyme vaccination certificates to therapy dogs involved in VCU Health’s Dogs on Call, who are on the front lines of providing people with clinical compassion.

The Dogs on Call therapy dog program, operated by the School of Medicine’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction, has been enhancing the well-being of patients, visitors, team members and students across VCU Health and VCU’s campuses since 2001. With more than 65 dog/handler teams, the program has delivered over 300,000 meaningful interactions in just the last five years.

There is a growing body of evidence that such interactions have a positive effect on human health and mental well-being, with studies showing that interactions with dogs can alleviate stress, loneliness, depression and anxiety in humans.

“Our research has consistently shown that there is something unique about therapy dogs for enhancing health and well-being outcomes for humans,” said Nancy R. Gee, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction. “We are very grateful for the generous donation from Zoetis to help ensure that our Dogs on Call therapy dogs stay healthy and are able to continue making a positive impact to the VCU and VCU Health community.”

Marconi and VCU receive royalties from the sale of the crLyme vaccine. Marconi is also a key opinion leader and paid speaker for Zoetis.

The Marconi Laboratory, headed by Richard Marconi, is developing a Lyme disease vaccine for people. Get an inside look at the research team's work at VCU.

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