DogWellNet Digest: Issue #43 - 16 December 2021

News & Highlights

News from IPFD

• Please join us in welcoming Jenni Uski from Finland, who joins our team as a Content Assistant to assist in breed-specific work over the next few months. Jenni's initial priorities are to assist us in the creation of new GRIHPs, development of the Health Strategy Database, and updates to our Breeds database.

Blogs

• In her post, Reducing epilepsy in the Finnish Spitz, IPFD Acting CEO Katariina Mäki introduces a series of three articles offering in-depth information on development and implementation of the Finnish Spitz Breeding Strategy.
• In another post, Inbreeding has proven negative effects for health, says a new study in dogs, Katariina comments on results that serve as a wake-up call for all of us in the world of pedigree dogs.
• Our Veterinary Science Officer Dr. Brenda Bonnett has written several blog posts on challenges with dogs with extreme conformation, e.g., brachycephalics and the complex, emotional realities surrounding these issues. IPFD is keen to promote multi-stakeholder collaboration on these issues:
  • In: Veterinary Information Network (VIN) Article: Banning brachycephalic breeds is unrealistic - Brenda responds to a previous article on V.I.N. that focused on veterinarians embracing breed-banning petitions.
  • In: FECAVA video: Please don't buy flat-faced animals - Brenda highlights an action by the veterinary associations of Europe that highlights the challenges veterinarians are having dealing with the health and welfare issues in these dogs. All stakeholders need to know that such actions are happening as they may be very impactful.
  • Previously, Brenda offered a commentary on two initiatives related to brachycephalic (flat-faced) and other extreme breeds in The Great Divide - Responses to Challenges in Extreme Breeds.
• In another blog post, Brenda shares her thoughts on the recent launch of IPFD Partner Mars Petcare's End Pet Homelessness initiative to address the troubling problem of homeless pets. This reflects a collaboration with our Partner Mars Petcare.

Breeds Resources

Breed of the Month

★ This Month We Feature the Rottweiler ★

Get a GRIHP! on Rottweilers is part of a series to highlight the Big Picture of health, welfare, and breeding and to help develop Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles (GRIHPs) for many breeds.

Learn more about the Rottweiler in our Pedigree Breeds database.

Pedigree Breeds Database Updates

We routinely update breed pages in our Pedigree Breeds Database. Recently updated breed pages include:

Native Breeds of Norway

Photo of the seven Norwegian breeds: Vibeke Brath

IPFD Partners in Action

• IPFD Collaborating Partner, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), has recently published the latest edition of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know, a regular feature in their online news section (and in the WSAVA Bulletin) that highlights IPFD resources on a particular breed with a focus on breed-specific diseases.
   

In the latest edition: 2021 IPFD Breed-Specific Information

14 November edition: Meet the Rottweiler – Update Your Knowledge!

You can also view previous editions of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know in our archive article here on DogWellNet.com.

• Mars Petcare has partnered with 8 leading animal welfare experts and organizations to develop the first-ever State of Pet Homelessness Index. With data from 200+ global sources, the Index is helping us better understand the scale and drivers of pet homelessness so that we can build a future where every pet is Wanted, Cared for, and Welcome. Learn more

• IPFD collaborator Ian Seath offers ideas on fostering collaboration in his recent blog post: "...first develop an expert understanding of a particular problem and secondly to build collaborative relationships with those who have the power to own and implement solutions."

Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)

In the latest entry in HGTD This Week, we look at an FCI podcast on the genomic chip and how it assesses a dog's DNA to identify genetic variants.

Ask Aimee

Our HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, provides answers to your questions on canine genetic testing in Ask Aimee.

If you’d like to submit a question to Aimee, please email her at aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com.

Get Involved in HGTD!
We welcome additional participant GTPs, more collaborators from any stakeholders concerned with dog health and welfare, the advice of experts, the participation of breed clubs and other consumer groups. We stand ready to provide more information to ongoing discussions.

Please feel free to contact us as we work together for healthy dogs and to support those who breed and own them: IPFD Veterinary Science Officer, Dr. Brenda Bonnett and/or HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi.

DogWellNet Digest: Keeping You Informed

We published eight issues of DogWellNet Digest in 2021:

• Issue #43 - 16 December 2021 | Spotlight: IPFD Milestones 2021 - Report to Partners
• Issue #42 - 14 October 2021 | Spotlight: Announcement: IPFD CEO
• Issue #41 - 26 August 2021 | Spotlight: Happy International Dog Day!
• Issue #40 - 29 July 2021 | Spotlight: IPFD Virtual International Dog Health Workshops (Genetic Testing)
• Issue #39 - 3 June 2021 | Spotlight: Advances in the IPFD Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)
• Issue #38 - 26 April 2021 | Spotlight: A Closer Look at the Bernese Mountain Dog
• Issue #37 - 25 March 2021 | Spotlight: Collaboration Creates a "Golden" Opportunity for a Beloved Retriever Breed
• Issue #36 - 17 February 2021 | Spotlight: IPFD Annual Report 2020: A Year Like No Other

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View all past issues of DogWellNet Digest here